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US 287 corridor through Longmont, Colorado. CGH Injury Lawyers represents motorcycle accident victims in Longmont and Boulder County from our Denver office.
Longmont, Colorado

Longmont Motorcycle Accident Lawyers Who Fight the Bias Against Riders on US 287 and SH 119

A crash on US 287, Ken Pratt Boulevard, or anywhere in Longmont can leave a rider with catastrophic injuries, a totaled bike, and an insurer already building a case that the rider was to blame. CGH Injury Lawyers serves Longmont motorcycle accident victims from our Denver office, challenges the bias that adjusters use against riders, and files in Boulder County court when a fair settlement is refused. You pay nothing unless we recover for you.

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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 motorcycle accident lawsuits are filed at the Boulder County Combined Court, 1035 Kimbark St, Longmont, CO 80501, in Colorado's 20th Judicial District. CGH Injury Lawyers files and tries Boulder County motorcycle accident cases directly from our Denver office at no extra cost to Longmont riders.
  • Colorado gives riders three years from the date of the crash to file a motorcycle accident lawsuit (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)). If CDOT maintenance, a City of Longmont vehicle, or another government entity contributed to the crash, a written notice of claim must be served within 182 days of discovering the injury (C.R.S. 24-10-109(1)) or that government-entity claim is permanently barred.
  • Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule under C.R.S. 13-21-111 lets insurers inflate a rider's share of fault to limit or eliminate recovery. You can only recover if you were less than 50 percent at fault, and your award is reduced by your percentage of fault. Adjusters routinely apply this rule to blame riders on high-speed corridors like US 287 and the Diagonal Highway.

The undivided lanes of US 287 through Longmont and the high-speed curves of SH 119 create some of the most dangerous conditions in Boulder County for motorcyclists. Left-turn collisions at the US 287 and SH 119 intersection, head-on exposure on the median-free Main Street corridor, and distracted-driver incidents downtown place riders at an outsized risk of catastrophic injury. After a Longmont motorcycle crash, the legal battle starts before the rider leaves the hospital: adjusters use Colorado's gear laws and comparative-fault rules to shift blame onto the rider from day one. CGH Injury Lawyers manages the claim from our Denver office, challenges every blame-shifting tactic, and collects nothing unless we win for you.

Why riders get blamed

How insurers use Colorado gear laws to undercut a Longmont rider's claim

Even when another driver clearly caused the crash, defense teams reach for the rider's gear and equipment choices to reduce or deny the claim. Knowing where they aim in a Boulder County case is the first step to stopping it.

The helmet mitigation defense

  • Colorado requires helmets only for riders under 18 years of age (C.R.S. 42-4-1502). Riders 18 and older break no law by riding without one on US 287 or any Longmont road.
  • A legal choice is not a free pass for the insurer. Defense attorneys argue an unhelmeted rider "failed to mitigate damages" and contributed to the severity of their own head injuries, even when the other driver was entirely at fault for the crash.
  • This argument can reduce a rider's compensation significantly under Colorado's comparative negligence rule. A 500,000 dollar verdict can shrink to 300,000 if a jury assigns the rider 40 percent of responsibility for their injury severity.
  • We build evidence that separates the cause of the crash from the severity of the injury, and we challenge the mitigation defense at every stage of a Boulder County claim.

Eye protection and license traps

  • All operators and passengers must wear eye protection: glasses, goggles, or a face shield, or ride behind a compliant windscreen of adequate height and transparency (C.R.S. 42-4-232). This rule applies to every rider on Longmont roads regardless of age.
  • An eye-protection violation is a Class A traffic infraction. That citation can become evidence in a liability dispute, and an insurer will use it to argue the rider was negligent.
  • Operating a motorcycle without a valid Class M endorsement is riding illegally. Colorado insurers treat that fact as evidence of negligence per se, which can cut or eliminate recovery even when the other driver caused the collision.
  • If you were cited for any equipment or licensing issue after your Longmont crash, contact an attorney before you respond to the insurer.

The rider-blame defense does not need a weak case to cause real damage. An adjuster who attributes 40 percent of fault to a rider who was rear-ended at the US 287 and SH 119 intersection will cut a 600,000 dollar claim to 360,000 dollars before negotiations even begin. Our job is to document compliance with every gear rule, licensing requirement, and lane-filtering condition so that blame-shifting argument has no ground to stand on in the 20th Judicial District.

The 2026 legal guide

Colorado motorcycle laws every Longmont rider should know

Colorado motorcycle law changed in August 2024 when lane filtering became legal. Riding by the old rulebook on US 287 or the Diagonal Highway can cost you both a citation and your insurance claim. Here is what matters most after a Longmont crash.

Helmets: C.R.S. 42-4-1502

  • Riders and passengers under 18 must wear a DOT-compliant helmet meeting U.S. Department of Transportation standards. This applies to every road in Longmont and Boulder County.
  • Riders 18 and older may legally ride without a helmet. Colorado is among the minority of states with a partial helmet law.
  • The choice is legal but not cost-free. An insurer will use it to argue you worsened your own head or brain injuries, and a Boulder County jury can assign fault for injury severity as well as the crash itself.

Eye protection: C.R.S. 42-4-232

  • All operators and passengers must wear eye protection regardless of age. Glasses, goggles, or a face shield satisfy the rule, as does a compliant windscreen of adequate height and transparency.
  • This rule applies in all conditions on Longmont roads: bright sun, dusty construction corridors on US 287, and low-visibility winter weather alike.
  • A violation is a Class A traffic infraction that insurers use as evidence of contributory negligence in a Boulder County claim.

Lane filtering: C.R.S. 42-4-1503

  • Lane filtering became legal in Colorado on August 7, 2024, under SB24-079. It is permitted only when traffic is completely stopped, not merely slow.
  • The motorcycle must travel at 15 mph or less on a road with at least two adjacent same-direction lanes, without exceeding the posted speed limit.
  • Lane splitting, riding between lanes of moving traffic at speed, remains illegal in Colorado. Insurers frequently mislabel legal filtering as illegal splitting to deny claims on busy Longmont corridors.

Class M endorsement

  • Operating a motorcycle in Colorado requires a Class M endorsement, earned by passing a written knowledge test and an on-cycle skills test. A motorcycle-only license is available for riders who do not also hold a standard passenger-vehicle license.
  • Riding without a valid endorsement on US 287, SH 119, or any Longmont street exposes a rider to criminal charges and gives an insurer grounds to dispute the claim on negligence-per-se theory.
  • If your endorsement lapsed or was never obtained, an attorney can advise you on how this affects your specific Boulder County claim before you speak to the insurer.

Filtering is not splitting, and the difference decides your Longmont claim

The US 287 and SH 119 intersection backs up during peak hours with stopped traffic. A rider who filters through stopped lanes at 12 mph is acting lawfully under C.R.S. 42-4-1503. The moment the insurer can characterize that same act as lane splitting between moving vehicles, the claim is in jeopardy. Dashcam footage, traffic-signal data, and witness accounts from the crash scene are what separate a legal filter from an illegal split. We move to lock that evidence down immediately, before it is overwritten or lost.

After the crash

What to do after a motorcycle accident in Longmont

The decisions made in the hours after a Longmont motorcycle crash shape what you can recover. These steps protect your health and preserve the evidence an insurer will try to dispute in Boulder County court.

  1. Call 911 and stay at the scene

    A Longmont Police Department or Boulder County Sheriff report creates the official record of the crash, the other driver's information, and the road conditions at the time. On US 287 or SH 119, do not move your motorcycle further than necessary to reach safety and avoid secondary collisions on these high-volume corridors.

  2. Get to 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 a DNV Comprehensive Stroke Center. Motorcycle crash injuries, including traumatic brain injury, spinal damage, and internal bleeding, can be masked by adrenaline and appear hours or days later. Getting evaluated immediately protects your health and creates a dated medical record that ties your injuries to the crash rather than a later event.

  3. Document your gear and the scene

    Photograph your helmet, eye protection, and riding gear before anything is moved or cleaned. Photograph all vehicles, the road surface, lane markings, traffic signals, and any skid marks. Because gear compliance is frequently attacked in Boulder County motorcycle claims, the condition and presence of your equipment at the time of the crash is material evidence.

  4. Do not give a recorded statement

    The at-fault driver's insurer is not your advocate. Do not agree to a recorded statement or sign any release before an attorney reviews your situation. On high-speed corridors like Ken Pratt Boulevard and the Diagonal Highway, adjusters move quickly to build a rider-blame narrative before physical evidence can be gathered.

  5. Watch for government-entity involvement

    If a City of Longmont vehicle, CDOT maintenance truck, or Boulder County fleet vehicle was involved, or if a road defect such as an unmarked pothole or failed signal contributed to the crash, a written notice of claim must reach the government entity within 182 days of discovering the injury under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (C.R.S. 24-10-109(1)). Missing that notice bars the government-entity portion of the claim entirely. Contact us before that clock runs out.

  6. Contact a Longmont motorcycle accident attorney

    Colorado's three-year filing deadline under C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n) may feel distant, but camera footage from the US 287 corridor and nearby businesses can be overwritten within 48 to 72 hours. UM/UIM claims also have their own procedural requirements. A free consultation with CGH Injury Lawyers costs nothing and starts the evidence-preservation process immediately.

Compensation

What you can recover after a Longmont motorcycle accident

A serious motorcycle crash produces injuries that car occupants rarely face: road rash, crush injuries, traumatic amputations, spinal fractures, and traumatic brain injury. Colorado law covers every category of loss a rider can suffer, and for the most catastrophic injuries, the most valuable categories are not capped at all.

Economic damages (no cap)

  • Medical expenses past and future, including emergency transport, surgery, hospitalization at Longmont United Hospital, and long-term rehabilitation
  • Lost wages from time missed at work during recovery from motorcycle crash injuries
  • Loss of future earning capacity when a crash injury such as spinal cord damage or traumatic brain injury permanently limits the ability to work
  • Motorcycle repair or replacement costs
  • Prosthetics, assistive devices, and long-term care costs where amputation or permanent physical limitation results from the crash
  • Out-of-pocket transportation and home modification costs directly caused by the injury

Non-economic and other damages

  • Pain and suffering from the crash and the recovery process, including chronic pain that persists after treatment ends
  • Emotional distress and post-traumatic anxiety from the accident and its aftermath
  • Loss of enjoyment of life when an injury prevents activities, including riding, that the person valued before the crash
  • Loss of consortium when a spouse or family member is affected by the rider's injury
  • Compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement, which carries no cap under Colorado law regardless of the total amount

For claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025, Colorado caps non-economic damages such as pain and suffering at $1.5 million under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5. Economic damages such as medical bills, lost wages, and future care costs are never capped. Compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement carries no cap at all, which is why the most catastrophic motorcycle injuries, where permanent impairment or visible scarring results from a crash, can produce recoveries that significantly exceed the non-economic ceiling. When a crash kills a Longmont rider, wrongful death non-economic damages are governed by a separate cap of $2.125 million for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025 (C.R.S. 13-21-203(1)(a)).

Fault and coverage

Comparative fault and insurance for Longmont motorcycle riders

Motorcycle crash claims in Longmont almost always come down to two fights: what percentage of fault belongs to the rider, and whether the available insurance limits can cover the damage. Both fights are ones CGH Injury Lawyers is prepared to take to a Boulder County jury.

How Colorado comparative negligence works for riders

Colorado follows a modified comparative negligence rule with a 50 percent bar under C.R.S. 13-21-111. If a rider is found less than 50 percent at fault for the crash and the resulting injuries, recovery is available but reduced by the rider's share of fault. A rider found 49 percent at fault recovers 51 percent of the total damages. A rider found 50 percent or more at fault recovers nothing. Because adjusters inflate fault percentages against riders as a standard strategy on corridors like US 287 and the Diagonal Highway, having an attorney who can challenge that assignment with physical evidence matters more in motorcycle cases than in almost any other context.

Why UM/UIM coverage is critical for Longmont riders

  • Colorado is not a no-fault state. A Longmont rider pursues their claim against the at-fault driver's liability insurer. Colorado minimum liability limits of $25,000 per person can be exhausted by a single ambulance ride and emergency-room visit after a serious motorcycle crash.
  • Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage protects a rider when the at-fault driver on US 287 or Ken Pratt Boulevard has no insurance or limits that fall short of the actual damages. Colorado UM/UIM claims are governed by C.R.S. 13-80-107.5 under Pham v. State Farm, 2013 CO 17.
  • When a government vehicle or road defect contributed to the Longmont crash, the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (C.R.S. 24-10-114) caps per-person recovery from a public entity at $505,000 and aggregate recovery at $1,421,000 for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2026.
Local knowledge

Longmont courts. Longmont trauma care. Longmont motorcycle corridors.

A Longmont motorcycle accident claim lives in Longmont: the road where the crash happened, the hospital where you were treated, and the courthouse where the lawsuit is filed. Here is the ground we work on for every Boulder County motorcycle client.

Courthouse

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

Longmont motorcycle accident 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 personal injury cases. A Longmont jury pool drawn from Boulder County decides motorcycle-bias cases differently than a Denver pool, and the local defense firms that insurers retain for Boulder County motorcycle cases are ones we face regularly. CGH Injury Lawyers handles 20th Judicial District motorcycle cases directly from our Denver office with no additional cost to Longmont clients.

Trauma Care

Longmont United Hospital, Level III Trauma Center

After a serious motorcycle accident in Longmont, injured riders 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 also certified as a DNV Comprehensive Stroke Center. Motorcycle crashes produce injuries, including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord damage, road rash, and crush injuries, that require detailed medical documentation from day one of treatment. The trauma records created at Longmont United form the core of the damages claim. For catastrophic injuries requiring Level I or Level II trauma care, patients may be transferred to facilities in Denver or Aurora, and we coordinate records from every treating facility.

High-Risk Motorcycle Roads

US 287, SH 119, SH 66, SH 52, and Downtown Longmont

US Highway 287 runs through Longmont as Main Street without a median barrier between northbound and southbound lanes. That absence of a center barrier creates left-turn collision exposure that is especially dangerous for riders. CDOT data shows this segment averages approximately 830 crashes per year and accounts for 29 percent of all fatal crashes in Boulder County. Colorado State Highway 119, known locally as Ken Pratt Boulevard to the south and as the Diagonal Highway heading toward Boulder, carries the highest rate of severe crashes per mile in unincorporated Boulder County and sees high-speed merge and lane-change collisions that are catastrophic for motorcycles. The intersection of US 287 and SH 119 recorded more than 290 crashes in a recent five-year period with over 70,000 vehicles per day. SH 66 and SH 52 add agricultural and commuter traffic through Longmont and the surrounding area. The downtown Main Street commercial corridor and Vance Brand Municipal Airport at 229 Airport Road also generate traffic concentrations where rider exposure is elevated.

How it works

How a Longmont motorcycle accident claim moves from crash to recovery

A Longmont motorcycle claim follows a defined sequence from a free case evaluation through negotiation and, when necessary, trial at the Boulder County Combined Court. Most cases settle before a courtroom, but we prepare every case for the 20th Judicial District jury pool from day one.

  1. Free case evaluation

    We review the facts of your Longmont motorcycle crash, explain what Colorado law allows you to recover, and answer your questions at no cost and no obligation.

  2. Preserve the evidence fast

    We gather the Longmont Police or Boulder County Sheriff report, dashcam footage, camera footage from the US 287 or SH 119 corridor, witness statements, and medical records from Longmont United Hospital before they disappear. In motorcycle cases, evidence of the other driver's actions is often what defeats the rider-blame defense, and it can be lost within days.

  3. Defeat the rider-blame defense

    We document compliance with Colorado's helmet, eye-protection, lane-filtering, and licensing rules so a failure-to-mitigate or negligence-per-se argument cannot gain traction before a Boulder County jury or in settlement negotiations.

  4. Document the full damages

    We build the complete medical, wage, and life-impact picture for your Longmont claim, including future care projections for permanent injuries, and send a documented demand to the at-fault insurer.

  5. Negotiate from trial readiness

    Most Longmont motorcycle accident cases settle during this stage. We negotiate as lawyers who are prepared to try the case in the 20th Judicial District, not as lawyers looking for the fastest exit.

  6. Try the case when needed

    Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has tried over 25 cases to verdict. When a Boulder County jury is what full recovery requires for a Longmont rider, our trial lawyers are ready for it.

Not every Longmont motorcycle case goes to trial. Many settle during negotiation or mediation after the insurer sees that evidence supporting the rider is locked down and a trial-ready attorney is on the other side of the table. We keep you informed at every stage and give you an honest assessment of what your case is worth before any decision is made.

Your team

The Longmont motorcycle accident 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 motorcycle accident case is handled by a licensed Colorado attorney who files and tries cases in the 20th Judicial District, not by a paralegal or a case manager.

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 motorcycle accident clients from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We come to you for meetings when needed, we file at the Boulder County Combined Court in Longmont, and we 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 motorcycle accident frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a motorcycle accident lawsuit in Longmont?

Colorado gives you three years from the date of the crash to file a motorcycle accident lawsuit (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)). That deadline runs from the date of the collision, not from when you finish medical treatment. If a government entity such as the City of Longmont, CDOT, or Boulder County was involved through a vehicle or a road defect, you must also serve a written notice of claim within 182 days of discovering the injury under C.R.S. 24-10-109(1), or that government-entity claim is permanently barred. Camera footage from the US 287 corridor can be overwritten within 48 to 72 hours, so contact an attorney as quickly as possible after the crash.

Can I still recover if I was not wearing a helmet when I crashed in Longmont?

Yes. Colorado does not require helmets for riders 18 and older (C.R.S. 42-4-1502), and riding without one is not illegal. However, the defense will almost certainly argue that your choice made your head or brain injuries worse, which is a failure-to-mitigate argument that can reduce your compensation under Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule (C.R.S. 13-21-111). It does not bar your claim, but it puts more pressure on having an attorney who can counter the argument with evidence about the cause of the crash itself.

Is lane filtering legal in Longmont, and does it affect my claim?

Lane filtering is legal in Colorado as of August 7, 2024, under SB24-079 (C.R.S. 42-4-1503), but only under specific conditions: traffic must be completely stopped, the motorcycle must travel at 15 mph or less, and the road must have at least two adjacent same-direction lanes. Lane splitting between moving traffic at speed remains illegal. If you were filtering legally at the time of a Longmont crash, insurers may still attempt to characterize your maneuver as illegal splitting. Dashcam footage and witness accounts that confirm the traffic was stopped are often the evidence that resolves this dispute.

What if I was partly at fault for the motorcycle crash on US 287 or SH 119?

Colorado follows modified comparative negligence under C.R.S. 13-21-111. You can recover as long as your share of fault is less than 50 percent, and your award is reduced by your percentage. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. A rider found 49 percent at fault recovers 51 percent of the total damages. At high-volume Longmont intersections like US 287 and SH 119, where right-of-way disputes are common, insurers aggressively push the rider's fault percentage upward. An attorney who can challenge that assignment with physical evidence and expert testimony often makes a decisive difference in the outcome.

Does Colorado cap what I can recover in a Longmont motorcycle accident case?

Economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages are never capped. Non-economic damages such as pain and suffering are capped at $1.5 million for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025 (C.R.S. 13-21-102.5). Compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement carries no cap at all, which is why catastrophic motorcycle injuries with permanent limb loss, spinal damage, or visible scarring often build their core claim value in those uncapped categories. If a government entity is involved, recovery from that entity is separately capped at $505,000 per person and $1,421,000 per occurrence for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2026 (C.R.S. 24-10-114).

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 motorcycle accident clients from that office, file cases at the Boulder County Combined Court in Longmont, and meet you wherever is convenient. We are available in English and Spanish, and there is no additional charge for Longmont clients.

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Read next: Colorado motorcycle accident law: what every rider should know statewide

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