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Longmont, Colorado neighborhood. CGH Injury Lawyers represents dog bite victims in Longmont and Boulder County from our Denver office.
Longmont, Colorado

Longmont Dog Bite Lawyers Who Build Your Claim Under Colorado's Strict-Liability Statute

A dog bite on a Longmont trail, in a Boulder County neighborhood, or at a local park can produce injuries that follow you for years: facial scarring, nerve damage, PTSD, and mounting medical bills. CGH Injury Lawyers serves Longmont dog bite victims from our Denver office, pursues the owner's homeowner or renter insurance, and files in Boulder County court when insurers refuse to be fair. You pay nothing unless we win.

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Serving Longmont from our Denver Office CGH Injury Lawyers 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201 Denver, CO 80205 (303) 209-9395 Se habla espanol
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  • Longmont dog bite cases are filed at the Boulder County Combined Court, 1035 Kimbark St, Longmont, CO 80501, in Colorado's 20th Judicial District. CGH Injury Lawyers handles Boulder County dog bite cases directly from our Denver office.
  • Colorado's dog bite statute, C.R.S. 13-21-124, creates two separate liability tracks. A bite causing serious bodily injury triggers strict liability for economic damages with no need to prove the owner's prior knowledge. For less serious bites and for pain and suffering, you proceed under a negligence theory that the statute expressly preserves (C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a)).
  • The deadline to file most Colorado dog bite lawsuits is two years from the date of the bite (C.R.S. 13-80-102). When the victim is a child, the clock generally does not begin until the child turns 18, though evidence should be preserved immediately regardless of that rule.

Longmont is a city of approximately 102,866 people in Boulder County, with active trail systems including the St. Vrain Greenway, off-leash dog areas, public parks, and densely populated residential neighborhoods where dogs are a constant presence. When a bite in Longmont leaves you with serious injuries, the owner's homeowner or renter insurance is typically the source of recovery. CGH Injury Lawyers manages the insurance claim, the negotiation, and the Boulder County lawsuit when an insurer refuses to pay fairly. You pay nothing unless we recover for you.

The law that governs your case

Colorado's dog bite statute and what it means for a Longmont victim

Colorado does not follow the traditional "one bite rule" that would let an owner escape liability simply because the dog had never bitten before. The Colorado dog bite statute, C.R.S. 13-21-124, sets up a specific framework that determines how much you need to prove, and what you can recover, based on the severity of your injury.

The core of the statute states that a person who suffers serious bodily injury or death from being bitten by a dog while lawfully on public or private property may bring a civil action to recover economic damages against the dog owner, regardless of the viciousness or dangerous propensities of the dog or the owner's knowledge of them (C.R.S. 13-21-124(2)).

For a Longmont victim, two things have to be true to trigger that strict-liability path: the injury must meet Colorado's definition of serious bodily injury, and the victim must have been lawfully on the property where the bite occurred. When both are met, the dog's clean history is irrelevant. A first-time bite by a family pet counts just as much as a bite from a dog with a documented history of aggression.

Separately, the statute expressly preserves all other theories of negligence against a dog owner (C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a)). That preservation is the route to non-economic damages like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and permanent scarring, which are not recoverable on the strict-liability track alone.

Strict liability vs. negligence

Two liability tracks, one injury: how Boulder County dog bite cases are built

Which track your Longmont case sits on determines what you must prove, what you can recover, and how hard the insurer will fight. The dividing line is the severity of your injury, not the dog's history.

Track 1: Strict liability (serious bodily injury)

  • Applies when the bite causes serious bodily injury or death (C.R.S. 13-21-124(2)).
  • You do not have to prove the owner was negligent or knew the dog was dangerous.
  • A dog's first bite carries full liability for economic losses when the injury is serious enough.
  • The owner's good intentions and the dog's friendly reputation are not a defense.
  • Recovery on this track is limited to economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages.

Track 2: Negligence (non-economic damages and less serious bites)

  • Applies to less serious bites and to all non-economic harm like pain and suffering, PTSD, and scarring.
  • You must show the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous.
  • Prior bites, growling incidents, or owner-filed complaints with Longmont animal control are the kind of evidence that proves it.
  • The statute expressly preserves this path alongside the strict-liability track (C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a)).
  • In serious injury cases, both tracks are typically pursued at the same time.

What qualifies as serious bodily injury in a Longmont dog bite case?

Colorado's dog bite statute borrows its definition of serious bodily injury from the criminal code at C.R.S. 18-1-901(3)(p). It covers injuries that carry a substantial risk of death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of a body part, as well as certain fractures and burns. Facial scarring that does not fade, nerve damage in an arm or hand, and broken bones from a dog attack are the kinds of injuries that frequently meet this threshold.

Whether your specific injury crosses that line is a legal judgment, not something to assume on your own. We review your medical records from Longmont United Hospital and any follow-up treatment against the statutory definition before we tell you which track your Boulder County case sits on.

Where Longmont bites occur

The Longmont settings behind the most serious dog bite claims

The location of a bite matters legally: the statute protects people lawfully on public or private property. Understanding where the attack happened helps identify the right defendant and whether you were lawfully present under the statute.

  1. The St. Vrain Greenway and trail corridors

    The St. Vrain Greenway runs through Longmont along St. Vrain Creek, connecting parks and residential areas. Joggers, cyclists, and walkers who use the greenway are unambiguously lawful users of a public space, which means the strict-liability track applies if the bite produces serious bodily injury. Encounters on shared trails are a documented source of dog bite incidents across Boulder County, particularly where owners allow dogs off-leash in posted on-leash zones or where dogs are not under voice control.

  2. Longmont public parks and off-leash areas

    Longmont operates multiple parks and designated off-leash dog areas. Golden Ponds Park and Sandstone Ranch are heavily used outdoor spaces where dogs and people share close quarters. Children and adults visiting these parks are lawfully present, meaning the strict-liability threshold applies without any need to prove the owner had advance notice the dog was dangerous. When a bite at a Longmont park produces serious injury, the case is often straightforward on the liability side.

  3. Residential neighborhoods and rental properties

    A significant share of Longmont dog bites happen at private homes. Mail carriers, package delivery workers, and guests are each lawfully present, which satisfies the entry element of the statute. Apartment complexes and rental properties in Longmont introduce a secondary question about whether a landlord who knew about a dangerous dog also bears responsibility. We investigate every entity that may share liability before settling on the claim structure.

  4. Main Street commercial corridor and downtown businesses

    Dog-friendly businesses, patios, and retail spaces along Main Street and the downtown Longmont commercial zone bring dogs and unfamiliar people together in close quarters. Customers and pedestrians in these spaces are lawful entrants. When a dog owner brings an animal into a crowded commercial area and the dog bites, liability attaches under the same statutory framework that applies in parks and neighborhoods.

  5. Boulder County Fairgrounds and event venues

    The Boulder County Fairgrounds generates periodic large-event traffic where dogs are sometimes present. People attending community events, fairs, and outdoor gatherings in Longmont are lawfully on the property. When a bite at an event venue involves a property owner or event operator who allowed a dangerous animal on the premises, that operator may carry separate liability beyond the dog owner's own homeowner or renter insurance.

After the bite

What to do after a dog bite in Longmont

The steps you take in the hours after a Longmont dog bite shape what you can prove later. These actions protect your health and preserve the evidence an insurer will try to minimize in Boulder County court.

  1. Get immediate medical care at Longmont United Hospital

    Longmont United Hospital at 1950 Mountain View Ave, Longmont, CO 80501 is a Level III Trauma Center designated by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and certified as a DNV Comprehensive Stroke Center. Dog bites carry serious infection risk, and nerve damage may not be fully apparent for hours. Getting examined creates a medical record that ties your injuries to the attack and documents the injury's severity against the serious bodily injury threshold that drives which legal track applies.

  2. Photograph the bite and the scene

    Take photographs of your injuries, the dog, the location where the bite occurred, and any relevant conditions such as a lack of warning signs or an open gate. At a Longmont park or trail, note whether posted leash rules were in place. Photos taken within hours of the bite are among the most valuable evidence in a dog bite case because wounds change rapidly.

  3. Identify the dog and the owner

    Get the owner's name, address, and contact information. Ask whether the dog is licensed and current on rabies vaccination. Collect the names and contact details of any witnesses at the time of the attack. Identify the dog visually and note any markings. All of this feeds both the insurance claim and the Longmont animal control report.

  4. Report the bite to Longmont animal control

    File a report with Longmont animal services even if the owner asks you not to. An official report creates a permanent record that can feed the local dangerous-dog process and establish whether the animal had a prior history. That history matters if your case proceeds on a negligence theory. Do not skip this step because you know the owner personally. The report protects you legally and protects the next person the dog may bite.

  5. Do not give a recorded statement to the insurer

    The owner's homeowner or renter insurer will likely call within days. Do not agree to a recorded statement before speaking with a lawyer. Adjusters are trained to ask questions that produce answers useful to the insurer, not to you. A single misstated word about how the bite happened can be used to argue provocation or trespass, both of which are statutory defenses that can reduce or eliminate recovery.

  6. Contact a Longmont dog bite attorney

    Colorado's two-year filing deadline under C.R.S. 13-80-102 means evidence preservation starts now. We review medical records, confirm the owner's insurance coverage, check for prior animal control complaints, and identify every viable path to full recovery. A free consultation with CGH Injury Lawyers costs you nothing.

Compensation

What you can recover after a dog bite in Longmont

Colorado law recognizes two broad categories of damages in dog bite cases. Which ones you can reach depends on the track your case sits on, and in many serious cases both tracks are pursued simultaneously to capture every available category of harm.

Economic damages (no cap under Colorado law)

  • Emergency care at Longmont United Hospital, including wound cleaning, repair, and infection treatment
  • Reconstructive and cosmetic surgery for facial or other serious scarring
  • Ongoing medical treatment including physical and occupational therapy
  • Lost wages from time away from work during recovery
  • Lost future earning capacity when a bite injury limits long-term work ability
  • Out-of-pocket expenses directly caused by the attack

Non-economic damages (pursued through the negligence track)

  • Pain and suffering from the attack and the recovery process
  • Emotional distress and PTSD, which are common long-term consequences of serious dog attacks
  • Permanent scarring and disfigurement, which carries no cap under Colorado law
  • Loss of enjoyment of life when the attack restricts daily activities the victim valued before

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. Economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages carry no cap at all. Physical impairment and disfigurement damages are also uncapped, which matters enormously in serious dog bite cases involving facial scarring or permanent nerve damage. The strict-liability track under C.R.S. 13-21-124(2) reaches economic damages only. Non-economic and disfigurement damages are accessed through the negligence theory preserved at C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a). In a serious Longmont dog bite case, we structure the claim to pursue every available category so that no harm you suffered is left on the table.

Fault and coverage

Owner defenses, comparative fault, and the insurance behind the claim

Dog owners and their insurers use specific defenses to limit or eliminate recovery. Understanding each one, and what it actually requires, is how we keep a valid Longmont dog bite claim from being blocked by an insurer's early narrative.

  1. "You were trespassing"

    The statute protects people lawfully on the property. Colorado defines lawful presence broadly to include anyone performing a legal duty and anyone there by the owner's express or implied invitation (C.R.S. 13-21-124(4)). A Longmont mail carrier, delivery worker, or invited guest qualifies. The statute bars liability where property is clearly posted with "no trespassing" or "beware of dog" signs, so the facts of how you entered and what signage was present matter significantly. An open gate or an invitation to visit can defeat this defense entirely.

  2. "You provoked the dog"

    An owner is not liable when the person knowingly provoked the dog (C.R.S. 13-21-124(5)(d)). Knowingly is the critical word. Reaching down to pet a friendly-seeming dog, walking past a dog in a Longmont park, or flinching at a sudden lunge is not provocation. We use witness accounts, video footage from parks and commercial areas, and your own account to prevent ordinary conduct from being recast as provocation in the insurer's favor.

  3. "The dog was working"

    The statute carves out exemptions for dogs used by peace officers or military personnel on duty, dogs working as hunting, herding, farm, ranch, or predator-control animals on the owner's property, and bites against veterinary workers, groomers, and handlers acting in their professional duties (C.R.S. 13-21-124(5)). These are narrow exemptions that rarely apply to a household pet biting a visitor, a jogger on the St. Vrain Greenway, or a child at Sandstone Ranch Park.

  4. Comparative fault under Colorado law

    Colorado follows modified comparative fault under C.R.S. 13-21-111. If the insurer argues you share some blame for the bite, you can still recover as long as your fault is less than 50 percent, though your award is reduced by your percentage. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. We evaluate the specific facts of every Longmont dog bite to challenge any fault assignment the insurer tries to attach to the victim.

  5. Filing against the insurance, not your neighbor

    Most Longmont dog bite claims are paid by the owner's homeowner or renter liability coverage, not out of the owner's personal savings. Many people hesitate to file a claim because the owner is a neighbor or acquaintance. In nearly every case, the insurance company, not the individual, is the party that pays. Some Colorado policies exclude certain breeds or cap coverage, so we confirm policy terms before assuming coverage. Having counsel is how you make the insurer meet its obligation rather than minimize your claim.

Local knowledge

Longmont courts. Longmont trauma care. Longmont dog bite settings.

A Longmont dog bite claim lives in Longmont: the park or neighborhood where the attack happened, the hospital that treated you, and the courthouse where the lawsuit is filed if the insurer refuses to be fair.

Courthouse

Boulder County Combined Court, Longmont (20th Judicial District)

Longmont dog bite lawsuits above the county-court jurisdictional limit are filed at the Boulder County Combined Court, 1035 Kimbark St, Longmont, CO 80501, (720) 564-2522, in Colorado's 20th Judicial District. Court hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. The 20th District handles civil claims over $15,000, including all Boulder County personal injury matters. The Longmont courthouse is where your case lands, and the local jury pool, local defense firms, and local procedural rhythms all differ from other Colorado counties. CGH Injury Lawyers handles 20th Judicial District dog bite cases directly from our Denver office at no additional charge to Longmont clients.

Trauma Care

Longmont United Hospital, Level III Trauma Center

After a serious dog bite in Longmont, patients are typically treated at Longmont United Hospital (CommonSpirit Health), 1950 Mountain View Ave, Longmont, CO 80501. Longmont United is designated a Level III Trauma Center by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and is additionally certified as a DNV Comprehensive Stroke Center. The trauma records documenting the wound, depth of tissue damage, nerve involvement, and required repair become the foundation of the damages claim. We work with those records from the start of every Longmont dog bite case. When injuries are catastrophic and require higher-level trauma care, patients may be transferred to facilities in Denver or Aurora, and we coordinate records from both settings.

Local Dog Bite Settings

Trails, Parks, Neighborhoods, and Commercial Areas

Longmont's active outdoor culture means dogs and people share the same public spaces year-round. The St. Vrain Greenway trail network and creek corridor see high foot and cycling traffic alongside dog walkers daily. Golden Ponds Park and Sandstone Ranch are popular multi-use spaces where off-leash incidents occur. Residential neighborhoods throughout Longmont, from the Prospect area to southwest Longmont neighborhoods near Union Reservoir, are dense with dogs at close quarters with visitors, delivery workers, and mail carriers. The Main Street and Longmont downtown commercial zone includes multiple dog-friendly businesses and patios. The Boulder County Fairgrounds generates periodic event traffic where dogs are present. Each of these Longmont settings creates documented lawful-entry conditions under C.R.S. 13-21-124, and we use local geography to build the liability picture from the first call.

Your team

The Longmont dog bite team behind your case

CGH Injury Lawyers is a eight-attorney Colorado firm founded in 2016, formerly Cheney Galluzzi and Howard. Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA) and has tried over 25 cases to verdict. Timothy G. Tarr has been recognized by Best Lawyers every year since 2023. Every Longmont dog bite case is handled by a licensed Colorado attorney who files and tries cases in the 20th Judicial District, not by a paralegal.

ABOTA member on the team Tim Tarr: Best Lawyers in America since 2023 Over 25 cases to verdict 20th Judicial District experience Bilingual EN / ES Free consultation No fee unless we win

One thing we will tell you upfront: CGH Injury Lawyers does not have a Longmont office. We serve Longmont dog bite clients from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We file at the Boulder County Combined Court in Longmont and try cases in the 20th Judicial District. What you get is the work and the result, not a storefront on Main Street.

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Frequently asked questions

Longmont dog bite frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a dog bite claim in Longmont?

The deadline for most Colorado dog bite lawsuits is two years from the date of the bite (C.R.S. 13-80-102). That clock runs from the injury date, not from when treatment ends. If the victim is a child, the deadline is tolled and the clock generally does not begin until the child turns 18. Even with that extension, evidence such as animal control reports and wound photographs should be preserved immediately. Do not wait to speak with an attorney.

Does the dog have to have bitten someone before for me to have a case in Longmont?

No. Colorado rejects the pure "one bite rule" for serious injuries. Under C.R.S. 13-21-124(2), a dog's prior history is entirely irrelevant when the bite causes serious bodily injury and you were lawfully on the property where the bite occurred. The owner is liable for your economic damages even if the dog had never shown aggression before. For a less serious bite, the dog's history matters because you would proceed under a negligence theory where prior incidents help establish that the owner knew or should have known the dog was dangerous.

Can I recover pain and suffering after a dog bite in Boulder County?

Often yes, but not through the strict-liability track alone. C.R.S. 13-21-124(2) limits the strict-liability claim to economic damages. To recover non-economic damages such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life, you pursue a negligence theory, which the statute expressly preserves at C.R.S. 13-21-124(6)(a). In a serious injury case both paths are commonly pursued together so that every category of harm is captured. Non-economic damages are capped at $1,500,000 for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025, under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5. Permanent scarring and disfigurement damages are not capped at all.

Where would my Longmont dog bite lawsuit be filed?

A Longmont dog bite case above the county-court jurisdictional limit is filed in the 20th Judicial District of Colorado at the Boulder County Combined Court, 1035 Kimbark St, Longmont, CO 80501, (720) 564-2522. The court handles civil claims over $15,000, including all Boulder County personal injury matters. CGH Injury Lawyers files and tries 20th Judicial District dog bite cases directly, with no additional charge for Longmont clients.

The owner says I provoked the dog. Does that end my claim?

Not automatically. The statute bars liability only when the person knowingly provoked the dog (C.R.S. 13-21-124(5)(d)). Petting a dog that appeared friendly, walking past a dog on the St. Vrain Greenway, or reacting to a sudden lunge is not provocation under that standard. We use witness statements, any available video footage from Longmont parks or commercial areas, and your own account to prevent ordinary behavior from being mischaracterized as knowing provocation. The insurer has an incentive to reframe the facts, and our job is to hold them to the actual legal standard.

Does CGH Injury Lawyers have an office in Longmont?

No. CGH Injury Lawyers has one office, at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205, (303) 209-9395. We serve Longmont and Boulder County dog bite clients from that office, file cases at the Boulder County Combined Court in Longmont, and meet you wherever is most convenient. There is no additional charge for Longmont clients. We are available in English and Spanish.

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Read next: Colorado dog bite law: the complete statewide guide

CGH Injury Lawyers · 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205 · Serving Longmont and Boulder County