IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.
Colorado Slip and Fall Lawyers
We represent people hurt by dangerous property conditions across every Colorado county, from icy parking lots to broken stairs. You pay nothing unless we win your case.
No fee unless we winColorado handles slip and fall cases under one specific law, the Premises Liability Act, and what a property owner owes you depends on why you were on the property.
- Colorado slip and fall claims are governed by the Premises Liability Act (C.R.S. 13-21-115). The duty a property owner owes you depends on whether you were an invitee, a licensee, or a trespasser.
- If you fell on government property such as a public sidewalk, an RTD station, or a city building, you have only 182 days to file a written notice under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act. Miss it and the claim is usually lost.
- Colorado follows modified comparative fault. You can still recover damages if you were partly at fault, as long as you were less than 50 percent responsible (C.R.S. 13-21-111).
CGH Injury Lawyers represents people injured by dangerous property conditions across every county in Colorado, from icy parking lots and broken stairs to poorly lit stairwells in older Denver buildings. We handle the notice, the investigation, and trial when an owner or insurer refuses to be fair, with no upfront fees and a free first consultation.
Why these cases matter
A fall is rarely just a bruise
Falls can cause catastrophic, life-changing harm. Premises liability is the legal principle that property owners and occupiers must keep their property reasonably safe for visitors. When they fail and someone gets hurt, they can be held responsible for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other losses.
Serious injuries we see in Colorado slip and fall cases include:
- Traumatic brain injury and concussion from striking the head
- Spinal cord injuries and herniated discs
- Hip, wrist, and other broken bones, especially in older adults
- Torn ligaments, soft-tissue damage, and long-term chronic pain
Colorado law does not require a property owner to guarantee your safety. It requires them to act reasonably based on your legal status on the property. That status is where every slip and fall claim begins.
The tripartite system
How your visitor status decides the case (C.R.S. 13-21-115)
Colorado uses a three-tier system that decides how much care a property owner owes you. Your visitor status is the single most important factor in your claim. The table below shows what each status means and what the owner must do.
| Visitor status | Who it covers | What the property owner owes you |
|---|---|---|
| Invitee (highest duty) | Customers, restaurant patrons, hotel guests, and anyone there for the mutual benefit of both parties | Must inspect for hazards, fix dangerous conditions, and warn of dangers that cannot be immediately fixed |
| Licensee (moderate duty) | Social guests, friends visiting a home, or door-to-door salespeople on the property with permission | Must warn of known hazards that are not obvious; no duty to inspect for hidden dangers |
| Trespasser (lowest duty) | Anyone on the property without permission or legal right | Owed only protection from willful or wanton harm; special rules protect child trespassers under the attractive nuisance doctrine |
Example: if you slip on black ice in a Denver grocery store parking lot, you are a customer and therefore an invitee. The store owes you a duty to inspect the lot, salt or sand it, and post warnings when conditions are dangerous.
Dangerous conditions
What qualifies as a dangerous condition in Colorado?
Not every fall creates legal liability. Colorado courts require proof that a dangerous condition existed and that the property owner knew or should have known about it. These are some of the hazards we investigate most often.
Winter and structural hazards
- Ice and snow that an owner failed to clear within a reasonable time
- Uneven brick pavers and cracked sidewalks in older districts like LoDo
- Broken handrails and deteriorating steps in aging Capitol Hill buildings
- Poorly lit stairwells and inadequate lighting
Transient and store hazards
- Spills and freshly mopped floors with no warning sign
- Merchandise and display trip hazards in retail aisles
- Leaks, wet entryways, and tracked-in water
- Loose mats, torn carpet, and cluttered walkways
A temporary hazard can still create liability if the owner had enough time to discover and fix it. The key question is notice, which the next section explains.
Snow, ice, and liability
The natural accumulation rule for Colorado winter falls
Colorado follows the natural accumulation rule, which generally protects property owners from liability for ice and snow that naturally accumulates during a storm. The reasoning is that we live in a winter climate and people must use caution during and right after snowfall. An owner is not automatically liable every time it snows.
When a property owner can still be liable
- Enough time has passed after a storm for reasonable snow and ice removal, and the owner did nothing.
- The owner created or worsened the hazard, for example by piling shoveled snow that refroze into a hidden ice patch.
- The owner began snow removal but did it negligently, leaving ice patches or hidden hazards behind.
Recent Colorado appellate decisions have narrowed the natural accumulation defense. When an owner starts clearing snow and does it carelessly, they can lose the protection of this rule.
Government property
The 182-day deadline for falls on government property
If you fell on government property, such as a public sidewalk, an RTD station, a city building, or a state park, you face a much shorter deadline under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act. Most people assume they have two years and consult an attorney too late.
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File written notice within 182 days
You must file a written notice of your claim within 182 days, about six months, of discovering the injury. This is a formal notice to the government entity, not the same as filing a lawsuit. Missing it will likely end your claim permanently.
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Identify the right entity
Covered entities include cities, counties, the state, RTD, school districts, and other public bodies. The notice has to reach the correct one, and that is not always obvious.
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Include what the law requires
A valid CGIA notice must state your claim with the detail the statute requires, including the time, place, and circumstances of the injury and the nature of the harm.
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Confirm an immunity exception applies
The CGIA grants immunity for many government functions, but important exceptions exist, including dangerous conditions of public buildings and certain public roadways. We evaluate whether your fall fits one.
If your fall happened on or near government property, do not wait. Call (303) 209-9395 so we can protect the 182-day deadline before it passes.
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Building the case
Proving notice and beating the open-and-obvious defense
To win, you must prove the property owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition. That comes down to two kinds of notice, and owners fight both with predictable defenses.
Actual notice
- The owner was directly told about the hazard
- A prior complaint or incident report exists
- A staff member saw the spill or defect before your fall
Constructive notice
- The hazard existed long enough that a reasonable inspection would have found it
- Maintenance logs show inspections were skipped
- Surveillance footage shows how long the danger was present
The open-and-obvious defense
Property owners often argue that a hazard was so obvious they had no duty to warn you. Colorado courts have traditionally been receptive to this argument. The standard is that if a danger is open and obvious to a reasonable person using ordinary care, the owner may not be liable.
That defense is not absolute. Recent Colorado Court of Appeals decisions have begun to limit it when owners create unreasonably dangerous conditions. Even a visible hazard can support liability if it is so dangerous that injury is foreseeable. This is why surveillance footage, maintenance records, witness statements, and scene photographs matter so much. The narrative is what wins or loses these cases.
Compensation
What you can recover, even if you were partly at fault
Colorado follows a modified comparative negligence rule with a 50 percent bar (C.R.S. 13-21-111). You can still recover damages if you were partly at fault, as long as you were less than 50 percent responsible, and your award is reduced by your share of fault. At 50 percent or more, you recover nothing. Insurers know this and will aggressively argue you were careless, so documenting the scene matters.
Economic damages
- Medical bills, past and future
- Lost wages and lost income
- Loss of earning capacity
- Rehabilitation and future care needs
- Out-of-pocket costs tied to the fall
Non-economic damages
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Permanent disability or diminished quality of life
Colorado does not cap economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages in premises liability cases. Non-economic damages are subject to the general statutory cap under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5, and damages for physical impairment or disfigurement are not capped at all. We work with medical and economic experts when a case needs it to fully document the value of your claim.
How it works
How we handle a Colorado slip and fall claim
Evidence in these cases disappears fast. Footage gets overwritten, spills get cleaned, and witnesses move on. We move quickly and prepare every case as if it will be tried.
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Free case evaluation
We review the facts, explain your rights under the Premises Liability Act, and answer your questions at no cost.
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Preserve the evidence
We send preservation letters for surveillance footage and maintenance logs, photograph the scene, and interview witnesses while memories are fresh.
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Establish status and notice
We document your visitor status and build the record of actual or constructive notice the law requires.
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Document the damages
We calculate your full losses, current and future, and send a documented demand to the property owner or insurer.
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Negotiate, then try
Most cases settle. We negotiate from a position of trial readiness, and our trial lawyers are prepared to present your case to a Colorado jury when that is what full recovery requires.
We tell you honestly where your case stands at every stage. No false promises, no pressure to take the first offer.
Your team
The team handling your case
CGH Injury Lawyers is a eight-attorney Colorado firm founded in 2016, formerly Cheney Galluzzi & 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 premises liability case is handled by a licensed Colorado attorney, not a paralegal.
Related injury cases we handle
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions about Colorado slip and fall claims
How long do I have to file a slip and fall claim in Colorado?
You generally have two years from the date of the accident to file a personal injury lawsuit in Colorado. Do not wait, because evidence fades and witness memories diminish over time. If you fell on government property, a much shorter 182-day notice deadline applies under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act.
Can I sue the city if I fell on a public sidewalk?
Yes, but you must comply with the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act and its 182-day notice requirement. Cities and counties can be liable for dangerous sidewalk conditions if they had actual or constructive notice and failed to repair them.
What is the difference between an invitee and a licensee?
An invitee is on the property for mutual benefit, like a customer, and the owner must actively inspect for hazards. A licensee is there for their own purpose, like a social guest, and the owner only needs to warn of known dangers.
What if the property owner says the hazard was open and obvious?
Property owners often use this defense, but it is not absolute. Even obvious hazards can create liability if they are unreasonably dangerous or if the circumstances prevented you from avoiding them. Recent Colorado decisions have begun to limit the open-and-obvious defense.
How do I prove the property owner knew about the hazard?
Through actual notice, meaning someone told them, or constructive notice, meaning the hazard existed long enough that a reasonable inspection would have found it. Surveillance footage, maintenance records, and witness testimony are critical evidence.
Is a property owner always liable if I slip on ice or snow?
Not necessarily. The natural accumulation rule protects owners during and immediately after storms. However, once enough time has passed for reasonable snow removal, or if the owner creates or worsens an ice hazard, liability can attach.
What if I was partly at fault for my fall?
Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule lets you recover damages as long as you were less than 50 percent responsible. Your compensation is reduced by your percentage of fault. At 50 percent or more, you cannot recover.
What damages can I recover in a slip and fall case?
You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, emotional distress, and future care needs related to your injury. Colorado does not cap economic damages such as medical bills and lost wages in premises liability cases.
Start your claim
Get a free case review today
Tell us what happened. We will review your Colorado slip and fall case at no cost and no obligation, and we move fast to protect any deadlines.
Cities we serve
We handle these cases for clients across Colorado. View all locations we serve.
Specific slip and fall accidents cases we handle
IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.
You were hurt on someone else's property. We handle the rest.
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Read next: How Colorado premises liability law works