ClickCease
Jefferson County, Colorado. CGH Injury Lawyers represents drunk-driving crash victims in Lakewood from our Denver office.
Lakewood, Jefferson County, Colorado

Lakewood DUI Accident Lawyers Who Make the Drunk Driver Pay

When a drunk driver hit you on I-70, Wadsworth Boulevard, or anywhere else in Lakewood, you deserve the full amount the law allows, not the first low offer an adjuster hands you. We serve Lakewood from our Denver office. No fee unless we win.

No fee unless we win
Call (303) 209-9395 Get my free DUI crash case review

It's More Than Money.

Get my free DUI crash case review

100% confidential. No fee unless we win.

Serving Lakewood from our Denver Office CGH Injury Lawyers 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201 Denver, CO 80205 (303) 209-9395 Se habla espanol
5-star rated on Google $2,527,546 Car crash verdict, Jefferson County ABOTA trial advocate on the team No fee unless we win
  • A drunk driver who hits you in Lakewood is negligent as a matter of law. Colorado's modified comparative fault rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111) means you can still recover even if you were partly at fault, as long as your share of fault is less than 50 percent.
  • If the driver was served at a Lakewood or Jefferson County bar, restaurant, or liquor establishment while visibly intoxicated, Colorado's Dram Shop Act (C.R.S. 44-3-801) may make that business a second source of recovery, with its own one-year deadline that is far shorter than the main crash deadline.
  • The standard deadline to sue for a motor-vehicle crash in Colorado is three years from the date of the collision (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)). Do not wait to get legal advice.

Lakewood sits at the intersection of I-70, C-470, Wadsworth Boulevard, and West Colfax Avenue, four of the highest-crash corridors in the Denver metro. When a drunk driver chooses to get behind the wheel on any one of those roads, or anywhere else in Jefferson County, CGH Injury Lawyers is the team Lakewood victims call. We handle your claim from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St., filing in Jefferson Combined Court in Golden when a lawsuit is necessary, with no fee unless we win.

Who we represent

Lakewood DUI crash victims we represent

A DUI accident in Lakewood can involve any type of road user. We represent everyone who was hurt because a drunk driver chose to drive.

On the road

  • Drivers and passengers hit by a drunk driver
  • Motorcyclists struck on Wadsworth Blvd or C-470
  • Pedestrians hit in the Colorado Mills or Belmar area
  • Bicyclists struck along Lakewood's shared corridors
  • Rideshare passengers whose Uber or Lyft driver was impaired

Specific situations

  • Crashes where the drunk driver was also underinsured or uninsured
  • Hit-and-run crashes on West Colfax or US Route 6
  • Families who lost someone to a Lakewood drunk-driving fatality
  • Crashes where a bar or restaurant overserved the at-fault driver (dram shop)
  • I-70 ski-season crashes caused by impaired drivers heading to the mountains
The law that governs your case

Colorado DUI accident law decoded for Lakewood victims

A DUI accident claim rests on two overlapping bodies of law: standard motor-vehicle negligence, which has been on the books for decades, and Colorado's Dram Shop Act, which opens a second door against the business that served the impaired driver. Here is what each one means for a Lakewood victim.

Motor-vehicle negligence: the foundation of your claim

Every DUI crash claim in Colorado starts as a motor-vehicle negligence case. A driver who operates a vehicle while impaired by alcohol or drugs has already breached the duty of care every driver owes every other road user. That breach, combined with your injuries, establishes the four elements of negligence: duty, breach, causation, and damages. You do not have to prove the driver was convicted of DUI to win your civil case; the legal standard for a civil claim is a preponderance of the evidence, not proof beyond a reasonable doubt.

Comparative negligence and your recovery

Colorado uses a modified comparative fault rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111). You can recover damages as long as your share of fault is less than 50 percent, and your award is reduced in proportion to your percentage of fault. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. When the other driver was impaired, assigning significant fault to the victim is difficult for an insurer to justify, but adjusters will try. An attorney makes sure that does not happen.

Deadline: three years for the DUI driver

For a motor-vehicle crash in Colorado, you generally have three years from the date of the collision to file a lawsuit against the at-fault driver (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)). Missing that window permanently closes the courthouse door on your claim against the driver, regardless of how clear-cut the case is.

Colorado's Dram Shop Act: a second defendant

If a Lakewood bar, restaurant, or liquor establishment willfully and knowingly served alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person who then caused your crash, Colorado's Dram Shop Act (C.R.S. 44-3-801) makes that business civilly liable. The same statute applies when a licensee serves alcohol to anyone under 21. For claims accruing on or after January 1, 2026, and before January 1, 2028, total dram shop liability is capped at $465,730 as certified by the Colorado Secretary of State (C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(c)). The statutory text caps liability in any such action at that amount; how that cap applies when multiple plaintiffs are injured is a question that requires attorney analysis of the specific facts.

Dram shop deadline: ONE YEAR, not three

The dram shop deadline is written directly into the statute: a lawsuit against a licensed establishment must be commenced within one year after the alcohol was sold or served (C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(a)(II)). That deadline runs independently of the three-year motor-vehicle window. A Lakewood victim who waits even slightly longer than one year after the alcohol was sold or served to look into a bar-liability claim will be permanently barred from pursuing it. If there is any chance a business overserved the driver, talk to an attorney immediately.

Punitive damages: available in DUI cases

Colorado allows exemplary (punitive) damages when a defendant acted with fraud, malice, or willful and wanton disregard for others (C.R.S. 13-21-102). Choosing to drive while intoxicated is often the kind of conduct courts find willful and wanton. Punitive damages in Colorado generally may not exceed the amount of actual damages awarded (C.R.S. 13-21-102(1)(a)).

Local knowledge

Lakewood courts, trauma care, and crash corridors we know

A DUI accident case in Lakewood lives in Jefferson County, not Denver County. The courthouse is different, the roads are different, and the local crash patterns matter when building your claim. Here is the ground we work on.

Courthouse

Jefferson Combined Court, Golden, CO

Lakewood is in Jefferson County, which is served by the 1st Judicial District of Colorado. Civil injury cases filed on behalf of Lakewood victims go to Jefferson Combined Court (District Court), located at 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO 80401. That is a different courthouse, with different local rules, a different jury pool, and a different set of defense firms than Denver District Court. We file in Jefferson County regularly and know that courtroom.

Trauma Care

St. Anthony Hospital, Level I Trauma Center

After a serious DUI crash in Lakewood, the most critically injured patients are typically transported to St. Anthony Hospital, a Level I Trauma Center designated by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Located in Lakewood, St. Anthony is the closest full-scope trauma center to I-70, C-470, and Wadsworth Boulevard. Those hospital records document the full severity of your injuries and become a core part of your damages case.

High-Crash Roads

The roads where Lakewood DUI crashes happen

Lakewood's road network funnels traffic from the Denver metro toward the ski resorts and mountain communities of Jefferson County. I-70 through Lakewood carries heavy truck traffic, steep grades, rapid weather changes, and documented multi-vehicle pileups, with CDOT deploying snowplow escorts and heavy-tow units on the corridor during winter months. C-470 (State Highway 470) runs the southwestern beltway through Lakewood and connects to US 6 and Wadsworth Boulevard (State Highway 121). Wadsworth has documented fatal pedestrian collisions along its length. West Colfax Avenue (US Route 40 / Business Loop I-70) has documented pedestrian fatalities and hit-and-run crashes. During ski season, westbound I-70 weekend traffic surges significantly, and impaired drivers heading to or returning from mountain resorts are an established crash risk on this exact segment. Black ice on bridges, overpasses, and shaded intersections from October through April compounds the danger on every one of these roads.

High-Traffic Destinations

Colorado Mills, Belmar, and Lakewood's commercial corridors

Colorado Mills Mall and the Belmar Shopping and Dining District generate dense pedestrian and vehicle traffic and sit within a short radius of bars and restaurants. These mixed-use commercial corridors are precisely where overserving incidents and subsequent DUI crashes concentrate. If the impaired driver who hit you had been drinking at an establishment in or near these corridors, a dram shop investigation is the first call we make after you hire us.

Why CGH

Why Lakewood DUI accident victims choose CGH Injury Lawyers

We serve Lakewood from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St. We do not have a Lakewood address. What we do have is a record in Jefferson County courts, trial-ready attorneys, and a firm policy of telling you honestly what your case is worth before we ask you to sign anything.

Jefferson County

$2,527,546 verdict

Car crash verdict obtained in Jefferson County. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its own facts.

Two-Claim Strategy

We investigate the bar, not just the driver.

Every DUI case gets a dram shop investigation on day one. If a Lakewood establishment overserved the driver, that business becomes a second defendant with a separate pool of liability. We open that door before the one-year dram shop deadline closes it.

Trial Ready

25+ cases to verdict.

Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is an ABOTA member who has tried over 25 cases to verdict. Insurers know when an attorney is actually going to trial.

Honest Review

We say no when we should.

We do not take DUI accident cases we cannot honestly stand behind. If the facts do not support a recovery, we tell you in the free review rather than sign you up and let the case stall.

Best Lawyers in America

Timothy G. Tarr, named since 2023.

Timothy G. Tarr has been recognized by Best Lawyers every year since 2023. Both he and Managing Partner Kevin Cheney are licensed Colorado attorneys who handle cases personally, not a paralegal team that escalates only when forced.

Bilingual

Hablamos espanol.

Spanish-speaking staff and attorneys serve Lakewood's Spanish-speaking community from our Denver office.

No Win, No Fee

Contingency only.

You pay nothing out of pocket for legal fees. We advance costs and collect only from a settlement or verdict in your favor.

After the crash

What to do after a DUI accident in Lakewood

The hours after a DUI crash in Lakewood shape every part of your case. These steps protect your health and preserve the evidence an insurer will later try to minimize or dispute.

  1. Call 911 and stay at the scene

    A Lakewood police officer or Jefferson County Sheriff's deputy will respond, administer field sobriety tests, and generate a crash report. That report documenting the DUI is the foundation of your civil case. Never leave the scene.

  2. Get to St. Anthony Hospital or the nearest emergency room

    St. Anthony Hospital is Lakewood's Level I Trauma Center. Seek medical attention immediately, even if symptoms seem minor. Traumatic brain injuries and internal injuries often take hours or days to surface fully, and a treatment gap gives insurers a reason to dispute the severity of your injuries.

  3. Document the scene

    Photograph vehicles, road conditions, visible injuries, skid marks, and any open containers or evidence of impairment at the scene. Collect witness names and numbers. Write down the police report number before you leave.

  4. Note where the driver was drinking

    If you learn or suspect the impaired driver was served at a bar, restaurant, or liquor store in or near Lakewood, document it. Colorado's Dram Shop Act carries a one-year deadline (C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(a)(II)). If a bar overserved the driver, that information becomes legally time-sensitive immediately.

  5. Do not give a recorded statement

    The at-fault driver's insurer will call quickly. Do not agree to a recorded statement or sign any release before speaking with an attorney. Anything you say becomes part of the claim record.

  6. Call CGH Injury Lawyers

    Colorado's three-year motor-vehicle filing deadline (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)) and the one-year dram shop deadline (C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(a)(II)) both start running immediately. The sooner we open an investigation, the more evidence we can preserve. Call (303) 209-9395.

Compensation

What compensation can Lakewood DUI accident victims recover?

Colorado law lets injured people recover economic damages for every documented financial loss and non-economic damages for the human cost of an injury. DUI cases also open the door to punitive damages in appropriate circumstances.

Economic damages (no cap)

  • Emergency room bills, surgery, hospitalization
  • Future medical expenses and long-term rehabilitation
  • Lost wages and lost earning capacity
  • Vehicle repair or total-loss replacement
  • Prescription costs and therapy expenses
  • All out-of-pocket costs tied to the crash

Non-economic damages (capped)

  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Loss of consortium for a spouse or family member

For claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025, Colorado caps non-economic damages such as pain and suffering at $1,500,000 under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5, with inflation adjustments starting in 2028. Compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is not subject to that cap (C.R.S. 13-21-102.5(5)). Economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages are never capped. In DUI cases where the driver acted with willful and wanton disregard, punitive damages may also be available under C.R.S. 13-21-102, and they generally may not exceed the amount of actual damages awarded. Prior-period non-economic caps are lower and depend on when the claim accrued; we identify the correct figure for your case at no cost in the free review.

Defense tactics

Defenses insurers raise in Lakewood DUI cases, and how we answer them

Even when a driver is criminally charged with DUI, the at-fault insurer's job is to minimize your civil recovery. Here are the arguments they reach for and how we counter each one.

  1. "You were also at fault"

    Insurers frequently inflate the injured person's fault percentage to reduce the payout under Colorado's comparative fault rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111). If they can push your fault share to 50 percent or more, you recover nothing. We document every aspect of the crash, from the official police report noting the DUI charge to witness accounts and physical evidence, to keep that number where it belongs: zero or close to it when an impaired driver caused the collision.

  2. "Your injuries were pre-existing"

    A common tactic is to argue that the injuries documented after a crash existed before it, reducing or eliminating the driver's liability. We work with your treating physicians and, when necessary, independent medical experts to distinguish between prior conditions and crash-caused injuries, and to quantify how a pre-existing condition was made materially worse by the collision.

  3. "The bar did not overserve"

    Dram shop liability requires proof that the establishment willfully and knowingly served an already visibly intoxicated patron, or a person under 21 (C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(a)(I)). A bar or its insurer will argue that the driver showed no signs of visible intoxication at the time of service. We obtain surveillance footage, point-of-sale records, employee accounts, and toxicology data to reconstruct the driver's blood-alcohol trajectory and what staff would have observed.

  4. "Policy limits are all you get"

    An insurer may claim the at-fault driver's policy is the ceiling on your recovery. Where the driver's policy is inadequate, we look at your own UM/UIM coverage, any dram shop defendant's policy, and any umbrella policies before accepting that framing. Colorado is not a no-fault state, so you pursue the at-fault driver's insurer, not your own for the primary claim, but your own UM/UIM coverage fills the gap when the other driver's limits fall short.

One thing we will tell you directly in the free review: we do not take DUI accident cases we cannot honestly stand behind. If the facts do not support the claim you want to bring, we say so before you sign anything. When the law is on your side, we fight without reservation.

I wish I could leave more than 5 stars!
Grace M., 5-star CGH Injury Lawyers client review
How the money moves

Insurance and coverage in a Lakewood DUI accident case

Understanding where the money comes from is one of the most practical pieces of information we give every new client. In a DUI crash case there can be more than one source, and missing one means leaving real compensation behind.

  • Colorado is not a no-fault state. Your primary claim runs against the at-fault driver's liability insurer, not your own carrier. The DUI driver's insurer is required by Colorado law to investigate and respond to your claim.
  • Uninsured and underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage in your own policy can fill the gap when the drunk driver carried no insurance or inadequate limits. Many Lakewood crash victims have UM/UIM coverage they have never thought about. We check your own policy on day one.
  • If a Lakewood bar or restaurant is added as a dram shop defendant, that business carries its own commercial general liability insurance. That is a separate pool of potential recovery, capped at $465,730 for 2026-27 accruals under C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(c).
  • An insurer's first settlement offer is rarely their best offer. Adjusters are trained to resolve claims quickly and cheaply. We negotiate from trial readiness, not from a willingness to accept the first number.
Questions

Lakewood DUI accident, frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a DUI accident lawsuit in Lakewood?

For the claim against the drunk driver, Colorado gives you three years from the date of the crash to file a lawsuit (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)). However, if you also have a dram shop claim against a bar or restaurant that overserved the driver, that deadline is only one year from the date the alcohol was sold or served (C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(a)(II)). The dram shop clock runs regardless of where the three-year motor-vehicle window stands. Missing either deadline permanently bars that part of the case, so you should consult an attorney as quickly as possible after a Lakewood DUI crash.

Can I still recover if the drunk driver was not convicted or charges were reduced?

Yes. A criminal DUI conviction is strong evidence of negligence but is not required for a civil case. The civil standard is a preponderance of the evidence, meaning more likely than not, not proof beyond a reasonable doubt. A driver whose criminal charge was reduced to a lesser offense or dismissed can still be found civilly liable based on the circumstances of the crash, witness accounts, and toxicology evidence.

Where would a Lakewood DUI accident lawsuit be filed?

Lakewood is in Jefferson County, so a civil personal injury lawsuit arising from a Lakewood crash is filed in Jefferson Combined Court (District Court) at 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO 80401. Jefferson County is served by the 1st Judicial District of Colorado (serving Jefferson and Gilpin Counties). This is a different courthouse and jury pool than Denver District Court. CGH Injury Lawyers files in Jefferson County courts directly and has a record in that venue.

What if I was partly at fault in the Lakewood DUI crash?

Colorado uses a modified comparative fault rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111). You can recover damages as long as your share of fault is less than 50 percent, and your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. When the other driver was legally intoxicated, attributing significant fault to the victim is hard to justify, but insurers will try. An attorney challenges that assessment with the crash report, toxicology results, and witness accounts.

Can I sue the bar or restaurant that served the drunk driver?

Possibly, under Colorado's Dram Shop Act (C.R.S. 44-3-801). Liability attaches when a licensed establishment willfully and knowingly served alcohol to a person who was visibly intoxicated, or to anyone under 21, and that person then caused the harm. The business must have knowingly overserved. Proving that requires evidence: surveillance footage, point-of-sale records, employee accounts, and toxicology data that reconstructs the driver's blood-alcohol level at the time of service. Total dram shop liability is capped at $465,730 for claims accruing in 2026 and 2027 (C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(c), SOS-certified figure). The lawsuit must be filed within one year of the sale or service of the alcohol (C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(a)(II)).

What if the drunk driver had no insurance or inadequate coverage?

If the at-fault driver was uninsured or underinsured, your own UM/UIM coverage can fill the gap. Colorado is not a no-fault state, so your primary claim runs against the other driver's insurer, but your own policy's UM/UIM endorsement is the backstop when that insurer cannot fully compensate you. We review your own policy on day one to identify every available source of recovery. A dram shop defendant, if applicable, is also a separate source of funds independent of the driver's policy.

How close does CGH Injury Lawyers operate to Lakewood?

CGH Injury Lawyers serves Lakewood from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We do not have a Lakewood office. We have handled cases in Jefferson County courts, including Jefferson Combined Court in Golden, for years. Lakewood clients can reach us by phone at (303) 209-9395, by email, or in person at the Denver office. Your case is handled by a licensed Colorado attorney, not a paralegal.

Is there a cap on what I can recover from a Lakewood DUI crash?

Economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and future care costs are not capped. Non-economic damages such as pain and suffering are capped at $1,500,000 for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025 (C.R.S. 13-21-102.5), with inflation adjustments starting in 2028. Compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is not subject to that cap (C.R.S. 13-21-102.5(5)). If a dram shop claim is part of the recovery, total dram shop liability is separately capped at $465,730 for 2026-27 accruals (C.R.S. 44-3-801(3)(c)). Punitive damages may be available in DUI cases under C.R.S. 13-21-102 when the driver's conduct was willful and wanton.

Keep reading

Related pages

Lakewood

Practice Area

Denver DUI Crash

Firm

It's More Than Money.

A drunk driver chose to get behind the wheel. You deserve every dollar the law allows.

Free case review, no fee unless we win, serving Lakewood from our Denver office. Call or submit now, and an attorney follows up the same business day.

Tell us what happened

100% confidential. No fee unless we win.

Call (303) 209-9395 Start my free case review online

Prefer to read first? See how Colorado car accident law works.

CGH Injury Lawyers · 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205 · Serving Lakewood, Jefferson County, and all of Colorado