the City and County of Denver · Premises injuries
Denver Premises Liability Lawyers
Denver premises liability lawyers for slips, trips, and falls on Colfax Avenue, Federal Boulevard, and across Denver. Free consultation. No fee unless we recover for you.
Why Premises Cases Matter in Denver
McCormick & Murphy are Denver premises liability lawyers for people hurt by a dangerous condition on someone else's property, including store spills, snow and ice, stairs, and apartment common areas. The duty depends on why you were there. We get the incident report, the records from Denver Health, and we file in Denver District Court when the insurer will not pay a fair number.
A premises-liability claim rests on what the property owner knew—or should have known—about a dangerous condition. Colorado law distinguishes between invitees (customers, guests), licensees, and trespassers. If you were lawfully on the property, the owner owed you a duty of reasonable care. That duty includes maintaining safe conditions, warning of hidden hazards, and inspecting regularly. A slip on spilled liquid at a Five Points retail location, a fall from unlit stairs in a RiNo building, or ice that was not salted on a Federal Boulevard parking area can all trigger liability if negligence is shown.
Many property owners and their insurance companies dispute liability immediately. They argue the hazard was "obvious," the injured person was careless, or the condition existed too briefly to notice. We push back by gathering facts before they vanish. Surveillance footage from the day of your fall, maintenance logs showing when the property was last inspected, weather records proving conditions were severe, and witness statements all matter. In Denver District Court and settlement negotiations, this evidence wins cases.
Evidence That Proves Premises Liability
The first 48 hours after a fall or injury are critical. We immediately request incident reports from the property manager or business, demand preservation of surveillance video, and interview witnesses while their memory is sharp. A cleaning log showing the floor was last swept hours before your fall, or a maintenance record revealing known loose carpet, can be decisive. We also obtain medical records from Denver Health Medical Center or your treating provider to document the injury, and photographs of the hazard taken as soon as possible.
Weather records and prior-complaint data strengthen your case. If you fell on ice in Denver, we pull National Weather Service records to prove the dangerous condition existed. If prior complaints about the same hazard have been filed, we obtain them. We also inspect the property ourselves, noting lack of adequate signage, poor lighting on I-25 off-ramps or underlit parking structures, or failure to use salt or other anti-slip measures. Police or Colorado State Patrol accident reports may exist and are used to establish the exact cause and location of your injury.
Local investigations may involve Denver Police Department or Colorado State Patrol, scene conditions at businesses, parking lots, or sidewalks near Capitol Hill or Five Points.
After a fall, slip, or injury from an unsafe condition on someone else's property in Denver, preserve evidence immediately. Property owners and managers often destroy or lose crucial records within days or weeks.
- Scene photographs: Take photos of the dangerous condition (ice on stairs, spill on floor, poor lighting, broken handrail, uneven pavement on Colfax Avenue, Federal Boulevard, or other Denver streets) from multiple angles and distances, including wide shots showing the area context.
- Your condition: Document visible injuries with dated photos and medical records from Denver Health Medical Center or your provider.
- Witness information: Collect names, phone numbers, and email addresses of anyone who saw the fall or unsafe condition. Note their relationship to the property owner.
- Surveillance footage: Ask the property manager or owner for video from security cameras. Request it in writing and specify the date, time, and location.
- Incident report: Obtain a copy of any written report filed with the property owner, manager, or if police responded, the Denver Police Department or Colorado State Patrol.
- Maintenance and inspection records: Request logs showing when the area was last checked, cleaned, or serviced.
- Prior complaints: Ask whether other people reported the same hazard before your injury.
- Weather and condition records: Save weather reports and road condition data for the date and time of your fall.
- Medical records and bills: Compile all treatment records, imaging, prescriptions, and invoices from your healthcare provider.
- Communications: Keep emails, text messages, or letters from the property owner, manager, or their insurance adjuster.
Medical Records and Injury Documentation
Your medical record is the foundation of damages. Whether you were treated at Denver Health Medical Center, an urgent-care clinic, or a hospital emergency room, we obtain all records, imaging studies, and provider notes. These documents prove the injury was caused by the fall and quantify its severity. A broken bone, spinal injury, or head trauma from a slip on Capitol Hill ice or a tumble down unlit stairs at a Cherry Creek commercial property will be documented in detail.
We also work with medical experts to establish the link between the dangerous condition and your injury. If a property owner claims your fall was unrelated to their negligence, our medical team counters with expert testimony. Long-term consequences—chronic pain, mobility loss, or ongoing therapy—must also be documented to support the full value of your claim.
Official Denver hospital, report, crash-record, and court links →
What You Can Recover
- Medical expenses: emergency care, hospital stays, imaging, surgery, rehabilitation, and ongoing treatment at Denver Health or private providers
- Lost wages: income lost while you recovered and any reduction in earning capacity due to permanent injury
- Pain and suffering: compensation for physical pain, emotional distress, and reduced quality of life
- Disability and scarring: permanent functional loss or disfigurement from the accident
- Future medical care: anticipated treatment, therapy, or medication needed as a result of the injury
- Property damage: cost of personal items damaged in the fall
Denver District Court juries are familiar with premises cases and understand that property owners must maintain safe conditions; we present clear evidence of what went wrong and what you are owed.
What clients say about McCormick & Murphy
Real outcomes and reviews. Check Google reviews for the office that serves Denver — 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.
Denver Premises Liability Lawyers FAQ
Do I need Denver premises liability lawyers after a fall?
Call Denver premises liability lawyers when the injury needs medical care, fault is disputed, or an insurer delays, denies, or offers less than the medical bills. The Denver office is in Denver, CO.
How much time do I have to file a premises-liability claim in Denver?
Colorado law generally allows two years from the date of injury to file a civil lawsuit. However, if the dangerous property is owned or controlled by the City and County of Denver or a government entity, you may be required to send written notice much earlier—sometimes within days or weeks of the injury. The deadline depends on whether the property is private or public and specific circumstances of your case. Contact McCormick & Murphy promptly to confirm the applicable deadline and protect your right to recover.
Who is responsible for a slip-and-fall injury on a sidewalk along Colfax Avenue or Federal Boulevard in Denver?
Responsibility depends on who owns or maintains the property. If the sidewalk is on private property, the owner or tenant may be liable. If it is a city sidewalk or public right-of-way in Denver, the City and County of Denver may be responsible, but governmental immunity and notice requirements apply. An investigation is necessary to determine ownership and what the property owner knew or should have known about the hazard. We can help identify the responsible party and any notice requirements.
What if the property owner says the dangerous condition was 'open and obvious'?
Colorado premises-liability law does recognize an 'open and obvious' defense, but it is not automatic. Even if a hazard is visible, the property owner may still be liable if they had reason to know the condition posed an unreasonable risk of injury and failed to warn or repair it. Factors include the nature of the condition, how long it existed, the owner's maintenance history, and whether warnings or barriers were in place. We analyze whether this defense applies to your specific injury and location.
How much will it cost to pursue a premises-liability claim?
McCormick & Murphy represents injury clients on a contingency-fee basis. That means the firm earns an attorney fee only if your case is settled or you win at trial. You pay no attorney fee out of pocket if we do not recover compensation. Costs advanced by the firm for investigation, medical records, court filings, and expert reports are separate from the attorney fee and are discussed in your representation agreement.
What happens if surveillance video from the incident is deleted or lost?
Property owners and managers often record over security footage within days. That is why it is critical to request video immediately after your injury and, if necessary, ask that it be preserved by court order. We can send written preservation notices and, if litigation begins, pursue discovery to obtain or identify missing video. However, if video is destroyed before we can secure it, we work with other evidence—photographs, witness statements, maintenance records, and incident reports—to build your case. Early action is essential to prevent evidence loss.
Related legal guides
City pages for this practice area
Denver premises claims
Colorado premises liability law
Landowner duty under C.R.S. § 13‑21‑115 based on why the person was on the property.
Snow and ice falls
Sidewalks, entrances, and outdoor walkways, including how long the ice was there.
Store and restaurant falls
Spills, wet floors, and missing warnings inside stores and restaurants.
Apartment and common-area injuries
Stairs, ice, railings, and lighting in areas the landlord controls.
Parking lot injuries
Potholes, wheel stops, poor lighting, ice, and people hit in the lot.
Stairs and poor lighting
Broken steps, missing handrails, and dark stairwells.
Negligent security
Assaults where lighting, locks, or security were part of the danger.
Child injuries on someone else's property
Pools, play equipment, and other conditions where a child is hurt on private property.
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