Jefferson and Adams counties · Apartment and common-area injuries
Arvada Apartment Premises Lawyers
Injured on stairs, ice, or a broken railing at an Arvada apartment complex? Free consultation. No attorney fee unless we recover for you.
Who Is Responsible for Apartment Common Areas
Apartment complexes in Arvada have areas that belong to individual tenants and areas the landlord controls: stairwells, entryways, parking lots, walkways, and shared lighting. When a landlord possesses or is responsible for maintaining those common areas, the landlord can be treated as a landowner under Colorado premises law for what happens there.
That does not mean a landlord answers for every hazard that exists inside a tenant's own unit. Control matters. If a condition sits inside a leased apartment and the tenant controls that space, the analysis is different than a hazard in a stairwell or parking area the landlord maintains for everyone. We look closely at who actually controlled the area where the injury happened before we frame a claim.
Colorado's premises liability statute, C.R.S. § 13‑21‑115, still applies in these common-area cases. The injured person's status on the property, whether as a tenant, guest, or visitor, affects what duty the landlord owed. We evaluate that status early because it shapes the rest of the claim.
Building What Happened in the Common Area
Common-area falls often come down to maintenance and inspection practices: was the stairwell lighting working, was ice on a walkway treated, was a railing loose for a period of time before someone got hurt. We gather maintenance logs, work orders, prior complaint records, and photos of the condition where they exist, and we talk to neighbors who may have seen the same hazard before the injury occurred.
We also work to pin down who was responsible for that specific area under the property's management structure, since apartment complexes sometimes use outside maintenance contractors or property management companies separate from the owner. Sorting out who controlled the space is often central to the claim, so we start that work as soon as we're retained.
- Photos of the stairwell, railing, walkway, or parking area involved
- Names and contact information for any witnesses or neighbors
- Any prior complaints you or others made to management about the condition
- Maintenance or work order records if you can obtain them
- Medical records from any treatment you received after the fall
Handling Arvada Apartment Cases
We represent tenants and visitors hurt in apartment common areas across Arvada, including complexes near Wadsworth Boulevard, Ralston Road, and the Indiana Street corridor. These cases span both Jefferson and Adams counties, and depending on where the property sits, a claim may proceed through Jefferson County Courts in Golden or the Adams County Justice Center.
Many injured tenants first receive treatment at Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge or another nearby facility. We coordinate with clients throughout Arvada and the surrounding area, and our office is based in Denver, so we're positioned to handle these claims from the initial injury through resolution.
What These Claims May Cover
- Medical bills related to the fall or injury
- Ongoing treatment or rehabilitation costs
- Lost income while you recover
- Pain and suffering
- Other out-of-pocket costs tied to the injury
What clients say about McCormick & Murphy
Real outcomes and reviews. Check Google reviews for the office that serves Arvada — and read client testimonials.
After I was hit by a drunk driver with no insurance, my own insurer refused UM benefits. McCormick & Murphy sued for uninsured motorist benefits and bad faith. A jury awarded me over $900,000.
C. O., Denver · UM / bad-faith verdict
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its facts, coverage, venue, and evidence.
Arvada Apartment and common-area injuries FAQ
Is my landlord automatically responsible if I fall in the parking lot?
Not automatically. The landlord can be treated as a landowner for common areas it possesses or is responsible for, but we still need to show the landlord controlled that area and failed to address a known or reasonably discoverable hazard.
What if I fell inside my own apartment unit?
Hazards inside a tenant's own unit are treated differently than hazards in shared common areas, since control of the space matters. We would need to look at the specific facts, including who was responsible for the condition that caused the fall.
Does it matter whether I was a tenant or just visiting a friend's apartment?
Yes. Colorado's premises liability statute assigns different duties depending on the injured person's status on the property, so whether you were a tenant, guest, or another type of visitor affects the claim.
What evidence is most useful in an apartment common-area case?
Photos of the condition, witness information, any prior complaints made to management, and maintenance records are all valuable. The sooner these are gathered, the better, since conditions like ice or broken fixtures often get fixed or cleared quickly.
Which court would handle my Arvada apartment injury claim?
It depends on where the property is located, since Arvada sits across Jefferson and Adams counties. A claim may proceed through Jefferson County Courts in Golden or the Adams County Justice Center.
Discuss a Arvada premises injury
Free consultation. No attorney fee unless we recover for you.