Personal Injury Lawyers in Cherry Hills CO

Understanding Your Rights Under Colorado Injury Law

Colorado personal injury law is designed to protect victims, and it allows you to pursue compensation by filing a legal claim if your injuries were caused by negligence or by an intentional act.

Colorado follows a modified comparative negligence rule (C.R.S. § 13-21-111). This means you can still recover compensation even if you were partially at fault for the accident, as long as your share of fault is less than 50%.

Depending on the type of accident you have suffered, different laws will apply. For example, if you have been injured in a car accident, state driving laws may apply and an at-fault driver that broke the laws may face criminal charges independent of your civil claim. If you have been injured at work, workers’ compensation laws may apply.

At Flaxman Law Group, we work hard to make Colorado injury law make sense. When you set up a consultation with us, we explain the laws that could affect your case in plain language, so you understand your rights and are in a position of strength when deciding what to do next.

Steps to Take After an Accident in Cherry Hills

If you’ve been injured, taking the right steps immediately after an accident can make a significant difference in your recovery. Here’s what you will want to do:

• Ensure safety and call for help. Move to a safe location if possible and dial 911 to report the accident. Emergency responders can secure the scene, treat injuries, and create official reports.
• Document the accident. Photographs and videos of vehicles, skid marks, road signs, and surrounding areas are crucial. Even seemingly minor details—like a pothole near University Boulevard and University Place—can impact liability. Exchange contact information with all involved parties and gather witness contact information whenever possible.
• Seek prompt medical attention. Some injuries, like concussions, internal trauma, or whiplash, may not show symptoms immediately. A timely medical evaluation establishes a record that protects both your health and your legal claim.
• Notify your insurance company, but be cautious. You should inform your insurer of the accident, but avoid giving recorded statements or signing documents without legal guidance. Flaxman Law Group can help you communicate strategically with insurance adjusters, protecting your interests while fulfilling reporting requirements.
• Preserve evidence and keep detailed records. Keep a folder with medical bills, repair estimates, rental car receipts, and correspondence with insurers. Log pain levels, mobility challenges, time lost at work, and daily limitations. This can also be persuasive when calculating damages.
• Contact a personal injury attorney promptly as soon as you can. Engaging Flaxman Law Group early ensures no deadlines are missed and that your case benefits from thorough evidence collection and investigation.

Accidents in Cherry Hills can affect daily life, work, and family responsibilities. Our attorneys help clients plan for long-term care, property repairs, and income replacement, so you’re not left unprepared as the months go by. If you’re not sure what to do after a car accident, workplace accident, spinal cord injury, slip and fall incident, or another serious injury, we can develop a strategy to help you move forward.

How Fault and Liability Are Determined in Colorado

Determining who is at fault requires a detailed examination of evidence, and that’s where a local attorney’s insight becomes invaluable. In Cherry Hills, car, truck, and motorcycle accidents frequently occur along arterial roads like Belleview Avenue, University Boulevard, and Hampden Avenue. A lawyer familiar with these corridors knows how to interpret traffic patterns, identify high-risk intersections, and gather eyewitness accounts effectively.

Insurance companies often attempt to minimize payouts, using tactics that rely on underestimating your degree of injury or implying partial fault. At Flaxman Law Group, we leverage more than six decades of combined experience, including time spent working inside insurance companies. This insider perspective allows us to anticipate strategies insurers might use and respond proactively to protect your claim.

When evaluating liability, our attorneys consider multiple factors, including:

• Accident reconstruction.
• Traffic laws and local ordinances, including speed limits, stop-sign compliance, and lane use regulations specific to Cherry Hills and the surrounding metro area.
• Driver behavior, including any evidence of distracted driving, impaired driving, or negligent maneuvers.
• Environmental factors, such as weather conditions, road maintenance issues, and visibility challenges that may contribute to accidents.

Ultimately, proving fault in Cherry Hills requires a combination of evidence collection and legal knowledge. At Flaxman Law Group, we rely on our knowledge and our network of accident reconstruction experts, doctors, investigators, and other professionals to find all at-fault parties.

Potential Compensation in a Personal Injury Claim

Under Colorado law, personal injury claims include compensation for both economic and non-economic damages, and in certain cases, punitive damages may also be available.

Economic damages are straightforward and measurable. They can include:

• Medical expenses, including hospital bills, doctor visits, physical therapy, prescription medications, and future treatment related to your injuries.
• Wages lost due to your accident and recovery time, as well as potential long-term impacts on your earning capacity.
• Property damage, including repair or replacement of vehicles, bicycles, or personal property affected by the accident.
• Indirect costs, such as the cost of child care while you are injured.

In Colorado, there is no cap on economic damages.

Non-economic damages account for pain, suffering, and other intangible effects, such as:

• Physical pain and ongoing discomfort.
• Emotional distress and anxiety.
• Loss of enjoyment of life.
• Impact on family relationships and daily activities.

These damages are particularly important in severe cases, such as multi-vehicle collisions along Belleview Avenue where victims may experience prolonged recovery, mobility challenges, or long-term lifestyle changes.

A new Colorado law means that as of January 1, 2025, non-economic damages in personal injury cases are capped. In 2025, at the time the law came into effect, the cap was $1.5 million, but this figure will be adjusted with inflation.

Punitive damages, although rare, can be awarded under Colorado law (C.R.S. § 13-21-102) if the defendant’s actions were particularly egregious or reckless. Punitive damages serve to deter future misconduct.

Personal injury cases often require negotiations with insurance companies that are highly experienced in minimizing payouts. When you work with Flaxman Law Group, you get direct access to attorneys who understand the strategies insurers use and how to counter them effectively. We combine this expertise with a compassionate, personalized approach that ensures your concerns and questions are addressed at every step.

We handle the complexities of your claim, from assessing liability and documenting injuries to negotiating settlements and representing you in court if necessary. Our goal is to restore your life, not just settle a claim.

Colorado’s Filing Deadlines for Personal Injury Lawsuits

Colorado’s laws establish what is known as a statute of limitations, which sets strict time limits for initiating a lawsuit. In most personal injury cases, the typical deadline is two years from the date of the accident (Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102(1) (2024). Missing this window usually means you cannot bring your case to court, regardless of its strength.

However, some situations may have shorter or longer deadlines depending on the specifics. For example:

• Claims against a government entity. If your injury involves a municipal or state entity, such as a dangerous intersection on Belleview Avenue or a city-maintained sidewalk in Cherry Hills that caused your slip and fall, you may have only 180 days (approximately six months) to file a notice of claim.
• Car accidents. Under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-101(1)(n) (2024), you generally have three years to file a claim in any motor vehicle accident.
• Minors or incapacitated individuals. In certain circumstances, the statute of limitations may be extended to allow filing once the person reaches adulthood or regains capacity.
• Intentional injuries. If someone intentionally injured you in an attack or other violent incident, you may have only one year to file a claim.
• Discovery exceptions. You may have more time to file a claim if you didn’t know about an injury or about negligence. In a medical malpractice claim, there is an exception to the exception. While you have two years to file a medical malpractice claim, there is a three-year “statute of repose.” This is effectively another statute of limitations that gives you three years to uncover negligence and injury or lose the chance to file a claim.

Even a slight delay can jeopardize your ability to recover compensation for medical bills, lost income, pain and suffering, and property damage. The challenge is that there are many complicated exceptions. For example, the defendant in the case may try to hide their negligence or may move outside the state. This can give you more time to file, but you need to protect your right to file a claim.

You may not even realize a deadline has passed until it is too late. While two years can seem like a long time, with everything that you are focused on after an accident, months can pass by very quickly. The process of investigating your claim can also take time, which can cause further delays. And once you sign insurance paperwork or accept an offer, you may have signed away some of your rights.

Time feels different when you’re seriously injured. To avoid making mistakes that cost you the right to get fair compensation, it is best to consult with personal injury lawyers in Cherry Hills, CO right away.

At Flaxman Law Group, we prioritize timing from your very first call. When you reach out to us, we immediately assess your case, determine the applicable deadlines, and begin gathering essential evidence. If you’re too injured to come to our Colorado offices, we may be able to come to you or to arrange a virtual consultation, so there is no reason not to contact us immediately.

Missing a filing deadline is a common reason otherwise strong cases fail. That’s why we emphasize early action, ensuring that all procedural requirements are met while focusing on building the strongest possible claim. Our attorneys work not only to comply with the law but to anticipate challenges from insurance companies, who may attempt to argue partial fault or procedural defects to reduce or deny compensation.

Remember: time is not on your side after an injury. Acting quickly protects your rights, preserves evidence, and positions you for the best possible outcome.