IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.
Wheat Ridge Personal Injury Lawyers Who Know Where Lutheran Moved
Hurt on I-70, Wadsworth, or Kipling? CGH Injury Lawyers serves Wheat Ridge from its Denver office, handles Jefferson County cases in the First Judicial District, and charges no fee unless we win.
No fee unless we win- A car, truck, or motorcycle crash claim generally has three years in Colorado (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)). A fall, a bite, and most other negligence claims generally have two (C.R.S. 13-80-102(1)(a)).
- If a public entity or one of its employees caused the injury, the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act requires a written notice of claim within 182 days after discovery of the injury, under C.R.S. 24-10-109(1).
- Colorado's comparative negligence statute, C.R.S. 13-21-111, lets a partly responsible person recover, reduced by their share, as long as their negligence was not as great as the defendant's.
- CGH Injury Lawyers works Wheat Ridge claims out of its Denver office. When one is filed in Jefferson County, it is heard in the First Judicial District at the Jefferson Combined Court.
Wheat Ridge's hospital moved in 2024, and some published pages still send people to the old campus. CGH Injury Lawyers represents people hurt in Wheat Ridge and starts with current facts, down to where the medical records are kept.
Wheat Ridge courts, trauma care, and roads
Where a Wheat Ridge case is filed
Wheat Ridge is entirely in Jefferson County, according to the Census Bureau. Cases are heard at the Jefferson Combined Court, 100 Jefferson County Parkway in Golden, in the First Judicial District.
Where serious injuries are treated
Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital, 12911 W. 40th Ave., is listed by the state as Level II. CommonSpirit St. Anthony Hospital in Lakewood is the nearest Level I.
Wheat Ridge roads where injuries happen
The Wheat Ridge Police Department takes reports in the city. Numbered routes through Wheat Ridge include:
- I-70 and I-76
- SH 121, Wadsworth Boulevard
- SH 391, Kipling Street
- SH 95, Sheridan Boulevard
- SH 58
More local information is on our Wheat Ridge injury page.
A new hospital campus, and why current facts matter
Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital opened its new campus on August 3, 2024, at 12911 W. 40th Ave., near I-70 and SH 58, according to the Colorado Sun and Intermountain. The state lists it as a Level II trauma center.
The old 38th Avenue address still appears in older directories and in the state's 2019 map data. Records requests, bills, and provider details all need to point to the right facility.
The state's current list gives the hospital a Golden mailing address, while Intermountain describes it as Wheat Ridge.
Serious injuries treated there can need a long view of future care. Economic damages for that care are not capped by C.R.S. 13-21-102.5.
The most serious cases are covered on our Wheat Ridge catastrophic injury page.
Statutes of limitations that apply in Wheat Ridge
The deadline that applies in Wheat Ridge is the Colorado deadline for your type of claim:
- Three years for tort claims arising from the use or operation of a motor vehicle (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)).
- Two years for most other torts (C.R.S. 13-80-102(1)(a)) and for strict liability claims (subsection (1)(b)).
- Two years for wrongful death (C.R.S. 13-80-102(1)(d)), or four years in the narrow case of a vehicular homicide where the driver left the scene (subsection (2)).
- 182 days to file a written notice of claim against a public entity or public employee (C.R.S. 24-10-109(1)).
Under C.R.S. 13-80-108(1), a claim for injury accrues when both the injury and its cause are known or should have been known with reasonable diligence. For wrongful death, it is the date of death.
Children and people under a legal disability are addressed in C.R.S. 13-81-103, which depends on whether a legal representative is involved. The safe course is to confirm the deadline for your facts early.
Wrongful death claims are covered on our Wheat Ridge wrongful death lawyer page.
Personal injury cases we take on in Wheat Ridge
What happened to you determines which Colorado rules apply. These are the categories we see most.
- Motor vehicle collisions, including pedestrian and bicycle crashes involving a vehicle, generally carry a three-year deadline (C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)).
- Premises injuries such as falls, collapses, and inadequate security run under the Premises Liability Act, C.R.S. 13-21-115.
- Serious dog bites can support a claim for economic damages against the owner without proof that the dog was known to be dangerous, C.R.S. 13-21-124(2).
- Product defects follow a two-year limit in C.R.S. 13-80-106(1).
- Deaths caused by negligence are brought as wrongful death actions, with a two-year deadline in C.R.S. 13-80-102(1)(d).
- Claims against health care providers carry their own damages limits under C.R.S. 13-64-302.
The statewide personal injury page covers each category in more depth.
The losses a Wheat Ridge claim can cover
There is no formula. There are categories, and Colorado caps some of them.
Financial losses
- Hospital, surgical, and physician charges
- Income lost while unable to work
- Reduced ability to earn in the future
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Replacement services and household help
Non-economic damages: what the injury took
- Pain, past and future
- Emotional stress and anxiety
- Reduced quality of life
- Day-to-day inconvenience
The limits Colorado places on damages
Since 2025 the Colorado cap on non-economic damages has been $1.5 million, covering claims that accrue on or after January 1, 2025, and actions filed during 2025. C.R.S. 13-21-102.5(3)(a)(II) sets it, and subsection (3)(c)(I)(B) adjusts it for inflation starting in 2028.
Economic damages are outside the section's cap, and so is compensation for physical impairment or disfigurement under C.R.S. 13-21-102.5(5).
Three kinds of claims run on other limits: wrongful death, capped for non-economic loss at $2,125,000 under C.R.S. 13-21-203(1)(a) for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025; medical negligence, under C.R.S. 13-64-302; and claims against public entities, where C.R.S. 24-10-114 caps the total recovery.
When punitive damages apply
Exemplary damages require fraud, malice, or willful and wanton conduct under C.R.S. 13-21-102(1)(a), and generally may not exceed the actual damages awarded. The claim can be added only after initial disclosures and a prima facie showing, under subsection (1.5)(a).
See how a settlement is valued for a longer discussion.
The injuries insurers dispute most
What cannot be seen on imaging has to be shown another way.
- Neck and back strains, where imaging may be normal and treatment records do the work.
- Concussions, which can cause changes in memory, mood, or concentration that are easier to see over weeks than on the first day.
- Persistent pain, shown by treatment history and by what the injured person can no longer do.
- Trauma-related anxiety or stress, documented by a qualified provider.
- Old injuries made worse, where earlier medical records set the comparison.
Early evaluation and consistent care are what make these injuries provable. See the Wheat Ridge brain injury lawyer page for more on head injuries.
How Colorado divides fault after a Wheat Ridge injury
The comparative negligence statute, C.R.S. 13-21-111, asks the jury for two things: the total damages, and each party's percentage of fault. The injured person's percentage then comes off the award.
The statute stops short at parity: an injured person whose negligence equals or exceeds the defendant's recovers nothing from that defendant.
Pro rata liability is the Colorado default. C.R.S. 13-21-111.5(1) says no defendant is liable for more than its own percentage of fault, and subsection (3)(b) allows a defendant to name a nonparty at fault within ninety days after the case begins, or longer if the court allows.
If the at-fault driver was working, C.R.S. 13-21-111.5(1.5) lets direct negligence claims against the employer proceed alongside respondeat superior, even when the employer concedes vicarious liability.
For collisions with a commercial vehicle, see our Wheat Ridge truck accident lawyer page.
Insurance questions in Wheat Ridge injury cases
Two insurers can be involved at once: the liability insurer for whoever caused the injury, and your own carrier if your policy includes medical payments or uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage.
If your own insurer unreasonably delays or denies benefits you are owed, C.R.S. 10-3-1116(1) provides for attorney fees, court costs, and two times the covered benefit. The at-fault driver's liability insurer is a different matter: C.R.S. 10-3-1115(1)(b) excludes liability claimants from that remedy.
An adjuster's early call is part of the insurer's investigation. Statements made then can be quoted later, which is why it helps to have advice first.
When the other driver is uninsured, see this explainer on uninsured drivers.
Immediately after a Wheat Ridge injury
You do not need to do everything at once. These are the steps worth taking early.
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Get checked by a doctor. Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital on West 40th Avenue treats serious injuries from the area, and early records matter.
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Make sure a report exists. After a crash that usually means the Wheat Ridge Police Department; C.R.S. 42-4-1606(1) requires drivers to report crashes involving injury, death, or property damage.
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Take photos of the scene, the vehicles or hazard, and your injuries.
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Write down witness names and numbers.
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Keep a folder for bills, records, and time missed from work.
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Talk to a lawyer before any recorded statement or settlement discussion.
We cover what adjusters listen for in the insurance adjuster trap.
Six questions to put to a Wheat Ridge injury lawyer
Many firms say they will fight for you. The answers to a few specific questions tell you more, and you should ask them of us too.
- Which attorney is responsible for my file? Get a name, not a department.
- What is the fee arrangement? Ours is contingency, with no attorney fee unless we recover, and the agreement explains costs.
- What are the deadlines in my situation? They range from 182 days for a government notice to two or three years for most lawsuits.
- How do you value a claim? From the medical record, lost income, and how the injury affects daily life, documented before any number is discussed.
- Will you try the case if needed? We prepare for trial from the start.
- Can the whole process happen in Spanish? It can.
More on the process is on our how we handle your case page.
How a Wheat Ridge injury claim moves from first call to resolution
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Getting started
A free call covers what happened, which deadlines apply, and whether we can help.
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Locking down evidence
Reports, photos, video, and witness details are collected before they are lost.
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Following the treatment
Records and bills are gathered as your care continues.
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Presenting the claim
When the injury is understood, the insurer receives a documented demand.
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Working toward resolution
Offers are weighed against the evidence, and the choice to settle is yours.
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Going to court if needed
A case that does not resolve is filed at the Jefferson Combined Court and prepared for trial. The trial team includes Managing Partner Kevin Cheney, who is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates.
The case results page lists past matters. Past results do not guarantee or predict similar outcomes in future cases. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own facts.
How much does a personal injury lawyer cost in Wheat Ridge?
Nothing up front. CGH Injury Lawyers handles injury cases on contingency, so the attorney fee is owed only if there is a recovery. The fee agreement explains the percentage and the treatment of case costs in writing before you sign.
You can also begin with our free online case review.
A Colorado trial firm for Wheat Ridge injury cases
The firm is CGH Injury Lawyers, the public brand of Cheney Galluzzi & Howard, LLC. It was founded in Denver in 2016 and focuses on trial-ready injury cases.
- Kevin Cheney is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates and served as Treasurer of the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association for the 2025 to 2026 term.
- Timothy G. Tarr has been recognized by Best Lawyers since 2023.
- Tim Galluzzi was named to the Colorado Super Lawyers Rising Stars list from 2019 to 2026.
Licensed attorneys make the decisions on your case, and the whole team works in English and Spanish.
Read about the legal team and Kevin Cheney.
How we meet with Wheat Ridge clients
Our only office is at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205. We do not have an office in Wheat Ridge; CGH Injury Lawyers serves the area from Denver, with consultations by phone or video and in-person meetings when useful.
Questions we hear from Wheat Ridge clients
Answers to the questions that come up most often. See the FAQ page for more.
How long do I have to file a personal injury claim in Wheat Ridge?
The answer varies by claim type. Motor vehicle claims generally carry three years, most other torts two, and public-entity claims a 182-day written notice, under C.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n), 13-80-102(1)(a), and 24-10-109(1).
Where is Lutheran Hospital now?
Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital opened at 12911 W. 40th Ave. on August 3, 2024. The state lists it as a Level II trauma center.
Can you sue for pain and suffering in Colorado?
Yes, where negligence caused the injury. C.R.S. 13-21-102.5(2)(b) names pain and suffering expressly as non-economic loss, and subsection (3)(a)(II) generally caps those damages at $1.5 million for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025.
Can I still recover if I was partly at fault?
Usually. Colorado's modified comparative negligence rule reduces recovery by your share of fault and bars it once your share equals or exceeds the defendant's (C.R.S. 13-21-111).
Which court hears Wheat Ridge cases?
The Jefferson Combined Court in Golden, in the First Judicial District.
What should I not say to an insurance adjuster?
Say less than you think you should. Stick to basic facts, avoid anything about fault, and do not agree to a recorded statement or sign a release before speaking with a lawyer.
How much is my Wheat Ridge personal injury case worth?
It depends on documented losses and on fault. Economic losses are not capped by C.R.S. 13-21-102.5; non-economic losses generally are, at $1.5 million for claims accruing on or after January 1, 2025.
Who takes the report after a crash on I-70?
The Colorado State Patrol may handle crashes on interstate highways. Inside city limits, the Wheat Ridge Police Department generally takes reports.
Is it worth hiring a personal injury lawyer?
It depends on the injury, the dispute, and the insurance. A free consultation is the simplest way to find out whether hiring a lawyer makes sense for your situation.
Does CGH Injury Lawyers have an office in Wheat Ridge?
No. CGH Injury Lawyers has one office, at 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205 in Denver, and serves Wheat Ridge clients from it.
More Wheat Ridge injury pages
Firm and statewide pages
IT'S MORE THAN MONEY.
Free case review for Wheat Ridge injury victims
Call (303) 747-4817, or send a message through our contact page. There is no cost to talk it through.
CGH Injury Lawyers · 2701 Lawrence St., Suite 201, Denver, CO 80205
Attorney Advertising. Past results do not guarantee or predict similar outcomes in future cases. Each case is unique and must be evaluated on its own facts.