Arapahoe County · Colorado premises liability law
Englewood Premises Liability Lawyers
Injured on someone else's property in Englewood? Free consultation. No attorney fee unless we recover for you.
Your Status on the Property Controls the Landowner's Duty
Colorado premises liability claims run through C.R.S. § 13‑21‑115, a statute that sets a landowner's duty according to why the injured person was on the property in the first place. Not every visitor is treated the same way under this law, and the label attached to your visit can shape what you have to prove. We start every Englewood premises case by working out where our client fits under the statute.
If you were an invitee, meaning you were there for a reason connected to the landowner's business, such as shopping at a South Broadway store or visiting a business along Hampden Avenue, the landowner owes reasonable care against dangers it actually knew about or should have known about. If you were a licensee, such as a social guest at a private home in Littleton or Sheridan, the duty is narrower. The landowner has to avoid unreasonably failing to use reasonable care for dangers it created and actually knew about, or has to warn of unusual dangers it did not create but actually knew about. That is not the same broad duty owed to a paying customer, and we do not treat it that way.
A trespasser's recovery is limited to harm the landowner caused willfully or deliberately. That does not mean every trespasser is shut out of a claim, and it does not mean there are unwritten exceptions beyond what the statute allows. We look closely at the facts of how our client came to be on the property before we tell them what kind of claim they have.
Building the Record Near Santa Fe Drive and South Broadway
Because the landowner's duty depends on actual or constructive knowledge of a hazard, we focus early on what the property owner knew and when. That means gathering incident reports, maintenance logs, prior complaint records, and any photos or video from the property. Businesses along South Broadway and Santa Fe Drive often have surveillance systems that get overwritten quickly, so we move fast to request that footage before it disappears.
We also talk to witnesses while their memories are fresh, whether the fall happened at a retail location, an apartment complex near Sheridan, or a private residence in Littleton. If our client received treatment at HCA HealthONE Swedish or another facility, we gather those records to connect the injury to the specific hazard on the property. This documentation matters because the statute asks what the landowner knew, and that knowledge has to be proven with real evidence, not assumptions.
- Report the fall or incident to the property owner or manager in writing
- Photograph the hazard, the surrounding area, and any warning signs or lack of them
- Get contact information from anyone who saw what happened
- Keep the shoes and clothing you were wearing at the time
- Save medical records connecting your treatment to the injury
Handling Premises Claims Out of Arapahoe County
Englewood premises liability cases we handle typically move through the Arapahoe County Justice Center, and we prepare every case with that venue in mind. Our office is based in Denver, and we regularly work with Englewood clients hurt in neighborhoods along South Broadway, Hampden Avenue, and Santa Fe Drive, as well as in Littleton and Sheridan.
Because the duty owed to our client depends on their status on the property, we take time early on to understand the layout of the property, who owns or manages it, and why our client was there. That groundwork shapes how we present the claim from the start.
What Injured Visitors May Recover
- Medical expenses related to the fall or hazard
- Lost income during recovery
- Pain and suffering
- Future medical care if needed
- Property damage from the incident
What clients say about McCormick & Murphy
Real outcomes and reviews. Check Google reviews for the office that serves Englewood — 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.
Englewood Colorado premises liability law FAQ
Does it matter whether I was invited onto the property?
Yes. Colorado law sets a different duty depending on whether you were an invitee, a licensee, or a trespasser. This affects what the landowner had to do to keep the property safe for you and what we need to prove.
I was a guest at a friend's home in Littleton, not a paying customer. Do I still have a claim?
Possibly. As a licensee, you can recover if 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 didn't create. It's a narrower duty than what's owed to a store customer, so the facts matter.
I was hurt on private property I wasn't supposed to be on. Is my claim automatically barred?
Not necessarily. A trespasser can recover if the landowner's conduct was willful or deliberate. Every situation is different, so we look at exactly what happened before ruling anything out.
What if the store or business says they didn't know about the hazard?
For an invitee, the landowner owes a duty for dangers they actually knew about or should have known about through reasonable inspection. We gather maintenance records, prior complaints, and other evidence to show what the property owner knew or should have known.
Where will my case be handled if I need to file suit?
Englewood premises cases we handle typically proceed through the Arapahoe County Justice Center. We prepare our cases with that court in mind from the start.
Discuss a Englewood premises injury
Free consultation. No attorney fee unless we recover for you.