Adams County · Colorado premises liability law
Commerce City Premises Liability Lawyers
Injured on someone else's property in Commerce City? Free consultation. No attorney fee unless we recover for you.
How Colorado Law Sets the Landowner's Duty
Colorado does not treat every injured visitor the same way. Under C.R.S. § 13‑21‑115, the duty a landowner owes depends on why the injured person was on the property in the first place. That classification, invitee, licensee, or trespasser, shapes what a landowner had to do and whether they failed to do it.
If you were an invitee, meaning you were on the property for a reason connected to the owner's business, such as shopping at a store or visiting a commercial property along 104th Avenue, the landowner owes you reasonable care against dangers they actually knew about or should have known about. That is the broadest duty under the statute, but it still requires showing the landowner knew or should have known of the hazard.
If you were a licensee, such as a social guest, the duty is narrower. The landowner must not unreasonably fail to use reasonable care for dangers they created and actually knew about, or fail to warn of unusual dangers they did not create but actually knew about. This is not the same inspection duty owed to a customer, and proving a licensee claim requires showing what the landowner actually knew, not just what they should have discovered.
What We Look for After a Commerce City Fall or Injury
Because your legal status on the property affects what we have to prove, we start by pinning down why you were there and what the property owner knew. That means gathering incident reports, maintenance and inspection records, photos of the condition that caused your injury, and any prior complaints about the same hazard. If the injury happened at a business near 104th Avenue or along U.S. Highway 85, we also look at surveillance footage before it gets overwritten.
We also work to establish the timeline of what the landowner knew and when. Witness statements from employees or other visitors, work orders, and communications about the hazard can show whether the danger was known and ignored. This evidence matters differently depending on whether you were an invitee or a licensee, so we build the record with that distinction in mind from the start.
- Photograph the hazard and surrounding area before it is fixed or removed
- Get contact information for anyone who saw what happened
- Report the incident to the property owner, manager, or staff
- Keep any clothing, shoes, or objects involved in the fall or injury
- Avoid giving a recorded statement to an insurer before speaking with us
Handling Premises Liability Claims Near Commerce City
Commerce City sits along key corridors like I-76 and U.S. Highway 85, with commercial and industrial properties, retail centers, and residential neighborhoods spread between Brighton and Thornton. Falls and injuries on these properties can happen in parking lots, warehouses, stores, or private homes, and each setting can raise a different question about your status as an invitee, licensee, or trespasser.
If your injury required care, Intermountain Health Platte Valley Hospital is a common point of treatment for people hurt in this area. Claims arising here are typically handled through Adams County, including proceedings at the Adams County Justice Center. We work with clients from Commerce City out of our Denver office.
Damages We Pursue in Premises Liability Cases
- Medical expenses related to the fall or injury
- Lost wages from time away from work
- Pain and suffering
- Future medical care if injuries require ongoing treatment
- Property damage connected to the incident
What clients say about McCormick & Murphy
Real outcomes and reviews. Check Google reviews for the office that serves Commerce City — 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.
Commerce City Colorado premises liability law FAQ
How do I know if I was an invitee or a licensee?
It depends on why you were on the property. If you were there for a reason connected to the owner's business, like shopping or a service call, you are generally an invitee. If you were there as a social guest with no business purpose, you are typically a licensee, and the landowner's duty to you is narrower.
Can I still recover if I was hurt as a social guest rather than a customer?
Possibly, but the standard is different. As a licensee, you generally need to show the landowner unreasonably failed to use reasonable care for a danger they created and knew about, or failed to warn you of an unusual danger they knew about but did not create.
What if I was trespassing when I got hurt?
Colorado law limits a trespasser's recovery to damages caused by willful or deliberate conduct by the landowner. This is a narrow path, but it is not an automatic bar in every case, and we would need to look at the specific facts.
Does it matter if the hazard was obvious?
It can factor into the case, especially for invitees, since the landowner's duty relates to dangers they knew or should have known about. We evaluate what was visible, what was hidden, and what the property owner had done to inspect or address the area.
What should I do first after a fall on someone else's property in Commerce City?
Document the scene with photos, get witness information, and report the incident to whoever manages the property. Then reach out to us for a free consultation so we can start identifying your legal status and preserving evidence before it disappears.
Discuss a Commerce City premises injury
Free consultation. No attorney fee unless we recover for you.