IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.
Catastrophic Injury Lawyer Colorado
If you or someone you love suffered a brain injury, spinal cord injury, paralysis, amputation, or severe burn, the medical bills and lifetime care costs start stacking up long before the insurer offers a fair number. CGH Injury Lawyers builds the future-care and damages proof that documents what the injury will truly cost, and holds the insurer to it. We review your Colorado catastrophic injury claim at no cost.
No fee unless we winA catastrophic injury changes medical care, work, transportation, family duties, and home life all at once, and the costs run for years. A claim this serious is not a simple bill review. It takes medical records, expert input, wage documentation, future-care evidence, photographs, witness information, insurance analysis, and a clear timeline of how the injury changed the person's life. CGH Injury Lawyers builds that record and uses it to press for the full value of the claim.
- A catastrophic injury claim takes proof that reaches far beyond the first hospital bill.
- Insurers dispute fault, causation, future care, and releases to pay less. CGH answers each one with evidence.
- CGH Injury Lawyers handles serious injury claims across Colorado, from evidence preservation through damages proof and trial.
CGH Injury Lawyers reviews Colorado catastrophic injury claims by pinning down what happened, who is legally responsible, what evidence needs to be preserved, what insurance applies, and what proof the case needs before any settlement decision. This page explains the issues that matter most. It does not diagnose an injury, predict recovery, state a result, or replace attorney review.
What it means
What Catastrophic Injury Means
A catastrophic injury is a severe injury that reshapes a person's body, independence, work capacity, and long-term care needs. It includes traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, paralysis, burn injury, amputation, severe orthopedic trauma, vision loss, organ damage, and other injuries with lasting effects. These are among the firm's highest-stakes cases, and the legal work turns on documenting the full lifetime cost, not just the first round of bills.
The difference between a routine injury claim and a catastrophic injury claim is often the proof burden. A person may need future medical care, rehabilitation, adaptive equipment, home access changes, transportation changes, help with personal care, job retraining, or vocational review. Those issues should be documented through records and qualified opinions, not guesses.
When legal review matters
When This Claim Needs Legal Review
Legal review may be appropriate when the injury followed a car crash, truck crash, motorcycle crash, pedestrian collision, unsafe property condition, medical event, worksite incident involving a third party, defective product, or another preventable event. The review should begin with fault, causation, damages, insurance, and time-sensitive evidence.
Early review can matter when vehicles may be repaired, video may be overwritten, witnesses may become harder to locate, equipment may be discarded, or the insurer asks for a statement before the medical picture is clear. It can also matter when several parties may be involved, such as a commercial driver, property owner, employer, contractor, product company, hospital, or multiple insurers.
The claim may also need review when the injured person is still treating and the insurer offers a fast settlement. A release signed too early may close the claim before future care, wage loss, equipment, home access, and medical restrictions are understood. Colorado also sets firm filing deadlines: most injury claims must be filed within two years under C.R.S. 13-80-102, and claims arising out of the use or operation of a motor vehicle carry a three-year deadline under C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n). CGH can review whether the file is ready for discussion or whether the evidence is still incomplete.
Related crash types
Evidence
Evidence That May Matter
Catastrophic injury evidence includes two categories: what caused the injury and what the injury means over time. Incident evidence may include photos, video, police reports, crash reports, inspection records, maintenance records, product information, witness names, property reports, medical event records, insurance letters, and damaged equipment or vehicles.
Medical proof may include emergency records, operative reports, imaging, rehabilitation notes, provider restrictions, medication lists, therapy records, specialist notes, discharge instructions, future-care recommendations, and records from assistive device providers. A family member may also keep dated notes about appointments, transportation problems, household help, sleep issues, missed work, and tasks the injured person can no longer do without assistance.
Work and income proof may be just as important. Save pay stubs, tax records, job descriptions, employer emails, missed-shift notes, union documents, business records, and written restrictions. A person whose job requires standing, lifting, driving, field work, tools, screen time, travel, or fine motor tasks may have proof needs that are not visible in the hospital chart.
Fault, insurance, and damages
Fault, Insurance, and Damages Issues
Fault depends on the event. A truck crash may require driver logs, vehicle data, maintenance records, and company policies. A premises case may require inspection records, repair history, lighting evidence, warnings, and witness statements. A medical case may require expert review of standard of care and causation. A product case may require inspection of the product and its history.
Insurance may involve several policies. There may be auto coverage, commercial coverage, umbrella coverage, premises coverage, product coverage, uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, health insurance, liens, or workers' compensation issues. The first policy identified is not always the only possible source of recovery.
Damages proof may include past medical bills, future medical care, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, assistive equipment, home modifications, transportation changes, pain, disfigurement, emotional distress, and loss of normal activities when supported by law and evidence. No public page can say which categories apply to a specific person. Colorado does not cap economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages. Non-economic damages such as pain and suffering are capped at $1.5 million for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025 under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5, with inflation adjustments beginning in 2028, while compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is a separate category that is not capped at all.
Colorado follows a modified comparative fault rule under C.R.S. 13-21-111. If the injured person is found partly at fault, the recovery is reduced by that percentage, and a person found 50 percent or more at fault recovers nothing. If an insurer argues the injured person shares blame, that argument should be checked against the evidence.
Future care
Why Future-Care Proof Matters
Future-care proof can be central because catastrophic injuries may keep changing after the first discharge. A person may need more surgeries, rehabilitation, adaptive equipment, therapy, medication changes, home access review, transportation support, or help with daily tasks. Those needs should be supported by provider records and qualified experts when needed. Colorado is home to nationally recognized rehabilitation providers, including Craig Hospital in Englewood, and severe spinal cord and brain injuries often involve extended rehabilitation whose future cost should be documented rather than estimated from memory.
The timing of settlement review matters. Early records may show what happened in the hospital, but they may not show whether the person can return to work, drive, use stairs, care for children, live independently, or manage pain long term. If the claim is closed too early, important future categories may never be documented.
CGH looks for gaps in the proof before settlement talks or litigation decisions. The review may include medical records, therapy notes, wage records, family observations, provider recommendations, photographs, and expert needs. The goal is not to inflate the case. The goal is to document what can be proven.
Family organization can make that proof easier to understand. Keep a dated list of providers, therapy visits, missed work, equipment needs, insurance calls, and daily tasks that changed after the injury. Short factual notes are usually more useful than long summaries written from memory months later. If a caregiver is helping with transportation, medication reminders, bathing, meals, stairs, errands, or appointments, that help should be noted with dates and context.
Preserve original records when possible. Copies are useful, but original photographs, repair notices, vehicle papers, portal messages, bills, and letters can show timing and source. If a record arrives by mail, keep the envelope with it. If a record arrives through a portal, save the message with the visible date.
Also save names. Provider names, adjuster names, witness names, employer contacts, and repair-shop contacts can help CGH locate records faster during the first review.
Before you talk to insurance
Mistakes to Avoid Before Talking to Insurance
- Avoid signing a release before future care, medical restrictions, work limits, and insurance coverage are reviewed.
- Avoid recorded statements that guess about fault, prior medical history, work capacity, pain levels, or long-term recovery.
- Avoid throwing away damaged property, clothing, vehicles, equipment, footwear, or product parts that may later matter.
- Do not assume the insurer has counted every long-term category. Early bills may not include rehabilitation, home changes, transportation, job retraining, future procedures, assistive devices, or family support. Those categories require proof.
- Be careful with public posts. Photos or comments about activity, travel, mood, work, or treatment can be used out of context. Keep private notes and share them with the legal team.
I wish I could leave more than 5 stars!
Grace Macaluso, 5-star Google review
How we work
How CGH Reviews This Type of Case
CGH starts by building a timeline of the incident, treatment, insurance communication, and life changes. The team reviews liability evidence, records, photographs, witness information, coverage, work history, and whether expert review may be needed. The review also looks for missing records and evidence that should be preserved.
CGH Injury Lawyers has represented injured Coloradans since 2016. The firm reviews serious injury claims across Colorado and, when an insurer will not offer a fair result, prepares cases for trial in the appropriate venue, such as the Denver District Court for matters connected to Denver. Kevin Cheney is the Managing Partner, a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, and Treasurer of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association.
Contact
When to Contact CGH
Contact CGH if a serious injury followed a crash, unsafe property condition, medical event, workplace incident involving another party, defective product, or any event where fault, insurance, or long-term care is disputed. Review may also help when an insurer has made an offer, requested a statement, blamed the injured person, delayed the file, or asked for a broad release.
Bring the date, location, photos, provider names, insurance letters, witness names, employer records, and a short timeline. Call (303) 209-9395 or use the contact page. You can also review CGH's practice areas and FAQ library while gathering records.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to file a catastrophic injury claim in Colorado?
Most Colorado injury claims must be filed within two years of the injury under C.R.S. 13-80-102, but claims for injuries arising out of the use or operation of a motor vehicle carry a three-year deadline under C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n). Claims against a government entity add a separate written-notice requirement within 182 days under C.R.S. 24-10-109, so confirm your deadline early.
Is there a cap on damages in a Colorado catastrophic injury case?
Economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages are never capped in Colorado. Non-economic damages such as pain and suffering are capped at $1.5 million for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025 under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5, with inflation adjustments beginning in 2028. Compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement is a separate category that is not capped at all.
What if I was partly at fault for the injury?
You can still recover if you were partly at fault, but not if you were mostly at fault. Under Colorado's modified comparative fault rule, C.R.S. 13-21-111, your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. If you are found 50 percent or more at fault, you recover nothing. If you are less than 50 percent at fault, you still recover, reduced by your share.
What is my catastrophic injury case worth?
No honest lawyer can quote a value before reviewing the file. Worth depends on documented economic losses such as past and future medical care, lost wages, and reduced earning capacity, plus non-economic harm, the strength of liability evidence, and available insurance. In Colorado, economic damages and damages for physical impairment or disfigurement are not capped, so thorough future-care proof often matters most.
Who pays for a catastrophic injury claim?
Compensation usually comes from insurance, not an individual's personal savings. A serious injury claim may reach auto liability coverage, commercial or umbrella policies, premises coverage, product coverage, or your own uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. Several policies can apply to one incident, and the first policy identified is not always the only source, so CGH works to find every policy that may respond.
When should I hire a lawyer after a catastrophic injury?
Early review matters most when evidence can disappear, an insurer requests a recorded statement, or a fast settlement is offered before future care is understood. A release signed too early can close a claim before rehabilitation, wage loss, and long-term medical needs are documented. Because Colorado filing deadlines run from the injury date, contacting a lawyer early protects both the evidence and the filing window.
What kinds of injuries count as catastrophic?
Catastrophic is a practical label, not a single statutory category. It generally describes severe injuries with lasting effects, including traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, paralysis, amputation, severe burns, serious orthopedic trauma, vision loss, and organ damage. What matters legally is the proof of long-term impact, future medical needs, and lost earning capacity, documented through medical records and qualified expert opinions rather than assumptions.
What evidence should I preserve in a catastrophic injury claim?
Preserve both incident evidence and medical proof. Incident evidence includes photos, video, police or crash reports, inspection or maintenance records, product information, witness names, and damaged property or vehicles. Medical proof includes emergency and operative records, imaging, therapy notes, provider restrictions, and future-care recommendations. Also save work and income records, and keep dated notes on how daily life changed after the injury.
For the controlling text of any statute mentioned here, see the Colorado Revised Statutes.
Disclaimer: This page provides general legal information for Colorado readers and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Medical issues, future-care projections, work capacity, deadlines, insurance coverage, and damages require case-specific review.
Related practice areas
Catastrophic Injury Cases We Handle
Catastrophic injuries often overlap with specific injury types and causes. Explore CGH practice areas that most often qualify as catastrophic under Colorado law.
By injury type
More resources
Start your claim
Get a free case review today
Tell us what happened. We will review your Colorado catastrophic injury case at no cost and no obligation.
Cities we serve
We handle these cases for clients across Colorado. View all locations we serve.
Specific catastrophic injuries cases we handle
IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.
A serious injury changes everything. We handle the rest.
Free consultation. No fee unless we win. Available across Colorado.
Read next: Spinal cord injury and long-term care costs in Colorado