Colorado has eliminated the statute of limitations for civil sexual misconduct claims. If you were assaulted or abused in Montrose County, by an individual or through the failure of a school, employer, healthcare facility, or other institution, you can pursue a civil claim now. CGH Injury Lawyers represents survivors across Colorado from our Denver office. Your first conversation is confidential and protected by attorney-client privilege. You pay nothing unless we win.
No fee unless we winIt's More Than Money.
You are in control
There is no obligation and no public record when you reach out. We listen, explain your options under Colorado law, and move at a pace that respects where you are. Nothing happens that you have not chosen.
CGH Injury Lawyers represents survivors of sexual assault and abuse in civil claims from Montrose County and across Colorado. We handle the investigation, the institutions, and the litigation while you keep control of every decision. CGH Injury Lawyers does not have a Montrose office. We serve Montrose County survivors from our Denver office at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, and meet with you by phone or video at a time that works for you. Your first consultation is free and protected by attorney-client privilege. You pay nothing unless we win.
The criminal justice system and a civil lawsuit serve different purposes. Criminal courts focus on punishing an offender. A civil claim focuses on making you whole financially and forcing the institutions that enabled the abuse to answer for their failures.
For many survivors, the criminal process does not deliver what they need. Prosecutors in Montrose County may decline to file charges, the burden of proof may not be met at trial, or deadlines for reporting may have passed years ago. A civil claim gives you a separate track that you, not the state, control.
Colorado has expanded the civil filing windows for sexual misconduct over the past several years. Because these timelines are fact-specific and the stakes are high, a confidential review of your exact situation is the right first step before assuming anything.
These laws were written precisely because survivors often need years, sometimes decades, before they are ready to come forward. If you have assumed your claim was too old, you may still have options. We evaluate your specific timeline honestly and tell you where it stands.
These two systems run in parallel. Understanding the difference is the starting point for understanding your options as a Montrose County survivor.
Criminal case
The 7th Judicial District Attorney prosecutes criminal cases. The standard is proof beyond a reasonable doubt. The goal is punishment: incarceration, fines, registration as a sex offender. You are a witness, not a party. You do not control whether charges are filed or how the case proceeds.
Civil case
You prove your case by a preponderance of the evidence: more likely than not. The goal is financial compensation and accountability. You decide whether to proceed, what to accept, and at what pace. A civil case can be filed in the Montrose Combined Courts regardless of what the DA decided or how any criminal case ended.
Because the civil standard is lower, you can succeed in a civil case even when the DA declined to prosecute, charges were dropped, or a criminal jury returned a not-guilty verdict. A civil judgment does not require a criminal conviction. The two tracks are legally independent.
One of the most important parts of a civil sexual assault case is the ability to hold institutions accountable, not just the individual who caused the harm. An organization that hired, supervised, or retained the abuser and failed to protect you often shares legal responsibility and often has the financial resources to provide meaningful compensation.
Theory of liability
Organizations must conduct reasonable background checks before placing someone in a position of trust with vulnerable adults or children. A Montrose County school, camp, or healthcare employer that skips this check and then places an abuser with direct access to patients, students, or clients can face liability for the harm that follows.
Theory of liability
Even with adequate hiring, organizations must supervise their people. When administrators at a Montrose County facility receive reports of inappropriate behavior, ignore red flags, or fail to investigate complaints, they share responsibility for what follows. Supervision failures are often the clearest evidence in an institutional liability case.
Theory of liability
When an organization learns of misconduct or concerning behavior and keeps a person in a position where they can cause further harm, it becomes liable for later abuse. This is common in institutions that quietly transfer a known problem rather than remove it.
Theory of liability
In certain circumstances, an employer can be held responsible for the acts of an employee when the employment relationship created the opportunity for abuse. This theory is especially important in cases involving healthcare workers, transportation employees, and others in positions of authority established by the employer.
The work of an institutional liability case is identifying not just who caused the harm, but which organizations created conditions that allowed it to happen and then failed in their duty to protect you. We investigate that chain of responsibility while supporting you through the process of confronting an organization you once trusted. Note: if the abuser worked for a government entity, a written notice of claim must be filed within 182 days of discovering the injury under C.R.S. 24-10-109(1). That deadline arrives well before a lawsuit deadline and we identify it from the first review.
It is not about reliving what happened. It is about reclaiming control and forcing the institutions that failed you to answer for it.
A civil sexual assault case filed for a Montrose County survivor goes through Montrose courts, may involve treatment at Montrose Regional Health, and often centers on institutions that operate in this community. Here is the local ground your claim rests on.
The courthouse
Civil sexual assault claims arising from Montrose County are filed in the Montrose Combined (District and County) Courts at the Montrose County Justice Center, 1200 North Grand Avenue Bin A, Montrose, CO 81401. Montrose County sits in the 7th Judicial District. Local filing procedures, the Montrose County jury pool, and the institutional defendants active in western Colorado all differ from the Front Range. Knowing this court is part of how we prepare your case. CGH Injury Lawyers does not have a Montrose office. We serve Montrose County survivors from our Denver office, file cases in the Montrose Combined Courts, and travel for depositions and court appearances in the 7th Judicial District as the case requires. (Source: Colorado Judicial Branch, coloradojudicial.gov.)
Medical care and documentation
Montrose Regional Health (formerly Montrose Memorial Hospital), 800 South Third Street, Montrose, CO 81401, is a Colorado-designated Level III Trauma Center. For survivors of sexual assault, a medical evaluation by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner produces records that serve both health and legal purposes. Those records, along with follow-up mental health care, therapy notes, and any emergency treatment, become the medical foundation of a civil damages case. We gather and preserve all of them from the start so nothing is missing when the full scope of your harm is documented. (Source: Colorado Hospital Association.)
Local institutions and risk contexts
Montrose County's economy and geography create distinct institutional risk contexts for survivors. Montrose Regional Airport, the fastest-growing airport in Colorado, with a $40 million terminal expansion completed in 2023, concentrates rideshare and transportation workers on high-traffic access corridors. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and Curecanti National Recreation Area draw peak summer tourist volumes that fill hotels, campgrounds, and seasonal recreation employers throughout the county. Agricultural and rural industries create isolated workplaces where supervisor access and reporting channels can be limited. Youth sports programs affiliated with the Montrose County School District and regional recreation organizations interact with the same corridors of trust that institutional liability cases turn on. We investigate every relevant institution in your case, not just the most obvious one.
NAP honesty
CGH Injury Lawyers does not have a Montrose office. Our only office is at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We serve Montrose County survivors from that office, and we are transparent about that. Consultations are available by phone or secure video immediately, at a time and setting that is comfortable for you. We travel to the 7th Judicial District for depositions and trial appearances. Reach us at (303) 209-9395.
The fear of public exposure keeps many survivors from exploring their options. Colorado's legal system provides real privacy protections, and your safety is central to how these cases should be handled, not an afterthought added at the end.
Anonymity
In many sexual abuse cases, the Montrose Combined Courts allow survivors to file under a pseudonym so your real name does not appear in public court records. This protection recognizes that forcing public identification can deter legitimate claims and cause additional harm. We evaluate anonymity options as part of the initial case strategy.
Protective orders
Courts can seal sensitive documents, limit who attends depositions, and restrict disclosure of personal information developed during litigation. These measures mean the legal process does not become another violation of your privacy or a vehicle for the institution to weaponize your personal history.
Confidential from the start
Your initial case evaluation is fully confidential and protected by attorney-client privilege. There is no public record and no obligation to proceed. You can explore your options and understand what Colorado law gives you access to before making any decision about moving forward.
Trauma-informed pace
Our team understands that litigation can be retraumatizing when handled without care. We allow support persons at consultations, build scheduling flexibility around difficult testimony, and set a pace that respects where you are emotionally at each stage. You stay in control of the decisions that matter most.
Every case is different, and you set the pace. These are the stages most civil claims move through, from a first confidential call to trial in Montrose Combined Courts when an institution refuses to be accountable.
We listen, explain your options under Colorado law, and answer your questions at no cost. What you share is protected by attorney-client privilege. We can meet by phone or secure video from wherever you are in Montrose County. There is no public record and no obligation to proceed.
Using civil discovery, we obtain records you may not have access to on your own: complaint histories, personnel files, background check records, institutional policies, and communications showing what administration knew and when. For Montrose County institutions, that may include records from the Montrose County School District, healthcare credentialing files, or organizational records from youth programs and recreation agencies operating in the area.
We gather your medical records from Montrose Regional Health and every follow-up provider, including mental health and therapy records, to build a complete picture of the physical, emotional, and financial harm you have suffered. This documentation drives the compensation number and answers what institutions and insurers will contest about the scope of your injuries.
We document the full harm, pursue resolution with responsible parties, and most civil cases resolve before trial through confidential settlement. If an institution refuses to be fair, we are prepared to try your case in the Montrose Combined Courts, 7th Judicial District. Courts often allow protective measures for sensitive testimony, and we prepare you thoroughly for every stage so you are never in the courtroom alone.
There is no right timeline for being ready. Some survivors come forward soon after the abuse; others need years or decades. Both paths are valid under Colorado law. What matters is that when you are ready, you have accurate information about your options and the protections available to you.
A civil claim seeks to make you whole by compensating the harm you have suffered. Colorado law recognizes several categories of damages in sexual abuse and assault cases. The distinction between economic and non-economic damages matters because different rules govern each category.
For general tort claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025, Colorado caps non-economic damages such as pain and suffering at $1,500,000 (C.R.S. 13-21-102.5). Compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is not capped at all under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5(5). Economic damages such as medical bills, therapy costs, and lost wages are never capped. In cases involving particularly egregious conduct, such as an institutional cover-up or deliberate indifference to a known abuser, Colorado courts may also award punitive damages to punish the wrongdoer and deter future harm. Under C.R.S. 13-21-102, punitive damages generally cannot exceed the amount of actual damages, though a court may increase them up to three times actual damages upon proof of continued willful and wanton conduct. We work to identify and document every dimension of harm so nothing is left out of your claim.
CGH Injury Lawyers is a Colorado personal injury firm, formerly Cheney Galluzzi and Howard. We are trial lawyers prepared to take a case as far as it needs to go, and we handle sensitive civil claims with the discretion, confidentiality, and respect for the survivor's control that these cases require. We serve Montrose County from our Denver office and have no Montrose storefront.
Trial-ready
Managing Partner Kevin Cheney is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and has tried more than 25 cases to verdict in Colorado. Institutional defendants know whether an attorney is genuinely prepared to try a case in Montrose Combined Courts. We prepare every case as if trial is the destination.
Honest about location
Our office is at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We do not have a Montrose address and we do not pretend to. We represent Montrose County survivors, file civil cases in the Montrose Combined Courts, and meet you by phone or secure video immediately. The distance does not change the quality of our preparation or our commitment to your case.
Best Lawyers recognition
Timothy G. Tarr has been recognized by Best Lawyers every year since 2023. Our eight-attorney team handles your case. No paralegal callbacks, no handoffs to junior staff when the case gets difficult.
No win, no fee
You pay nothing out of pocket for legal fees. We advance costs and collect only from a settlement or verdict in your favor. If we do not win, you owe us nothing.
Bilingual
Spanish-speaking staff and attorneys serve Montrose County's Spanish-speaking survivor community in their preferred language from the first consultation through resolution. Confidentiality and trauma-informed care apply equally in both languages.
For civil claims based on sexual misconduct, Colorado eliminated the statute of limitations effective January 1, 2022 under C.R.S. 13-80-103.7. These claims can now be filed at any time. That window also reaches older abuse if the original deadline had not yet expired by January 1, 2022. Whether your older claim qualifies is a fact-specific analysis, and we review your exact timeline in a confidential consultation. If the abuser worked for a government entity, a separate 182-day notice requirement under C.R.S. 24-10-109(1) may apply and we identify that during the initial review.
Yes. A civil sexual assault claim is completely independent of any criminal proceeding. The 7th Judicial District Attorney's decision not to file charges, to drop charges, or even a not-guilty criminal verdict does not bar a civil case. Civil cases use a lower standard of proof: preponderance of the evidence, meaning more likely than not. Many successful civil claims have been filed and won in cases where no criminal prosecution ever occurred. You control the civil case, not the state.
Often, yes. Schools, healthcare facilities, youth programs, employers, and transportation companies may be held liable when they failed to provide adequate safeguards, ignored prior complaints, conducted inadequate background checks, or otherwise created conditions that enabled abuse. Institutional liability gives survivors access to organizations that have the financial resources to provide meaningful compensation and that have the incentive to change their practices when held accountable. We investigate whether the institution where your abuse occurred bears legal responsibility alongside the individual who caused the harm.
In many sexual abuse civil cases, courts allow survivors to file under a pseudonym such as Jane Doe or John Doe so your real name does not appear in public court filings. The Montrose Combined Courts can also issue protective orders that seal sensitive documents, restrict who attends depositions, and limit disclosure of personal information developed during litigation. Your initial consultation with CGH is fully confidential and protected by attorney-client privilege, with no public record at any point.
Compensation can cover therapy and psychiatric care, medical costs including any treatment at Montrose Regional Health, lost wages, reduced future earning capacity, pain and suffering, emotional distress such as PTSD and anxiety, and loss of enjoyment of life. Economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages are not capped. Non-economic damages such as pain and suffering are capped at $1,500,000 for general tort claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025 under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5, though compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is uncapped under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5(5). In cases involving egregious institutional conduct, punitive damages may also be available under C.R.S. 13-21-102.
No. CGH Injury Lawyers has one office, at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We serve Montrose County survivors from that office, file cases in the Montrose Combined Courts at the Montrose County Justice Center, and travel to the 7th Judicial District for depositions and court appearances. Consultations are available by phone or secure video at a time and setting comfortable for you. Reach us at (303) 209-9395.
Montrose
Statewide practice area
Sexual assault by city
It's More Than Money.
Free, confidential consultation. No fee unless we win. Serving Montrose County from Denver. Available in English and Spanish.
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CGH Injury Lawyers · 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205 · Serving Montrose County
