Larimer County · Apartment and Common-Area Injuries
Fort Collins Apartment Premises Lawyers
Fort Collins apartment premises lawyers for people hurt on property in Fort Collins. Free consultation. No fee unless we recover for you.
Fort Collins Apartment Premises Lawyers For Common-Area Injuries
McCormick & Murphy are Fort Collins apartment premises lawyers for people hurt in a common area a landlord controls. We file in Larimer County Justice Center.
Apartment complexes in Fort Collins are made up of individual units and shared spaces the landlord controls: stairwells, entryways, walkways, parking areas, and shared lighting. When a landlord possesses or is responsible for maintaining a common area, that landlord can be treated as a landowner under Colorado's premises liability law for conditions in that space.
That does not mean a landlord answers for every hazard on the property. A tripping hazard from a tenant's own furniture inside a leased unit is a different question than a broken step on a shared exterior staircase or a patch of ice left on a common walkway. We look closely at who actually controlled the area where the injury happened, because that control is often what decides whether the landlord is the right party to pursue.
Your legal status when you were hurt still matters, even in a common area. Colorado's premises liability statute, C.R.S. § 13‑21‑115, classifies people as invitees, licensees, or trespassers, and that classification shapes what duty the landlord owed. Whether you were a tenant, a tenant's guest, or a delivery person on the property can affect the strength of the claim, and we work through that early.
Preserving Evidence Before Repairs Erase It
Apartment common-area cases often turn on conditions that get fixed or cleared quickly. A broken handrail gets repaired, ice gets salted or melts, and a burned-out light gets replaced within days of an incident. Photos of the actual condition, taken as close to the fall as possible, are some of the most valuable evidence in these claims.
We also look for maintenance requests, prior complaints to management or a leasing office, work orders, and any records showing the landlord knew or should have known about the hazard. Incident reports filed with the property manager, witness statements from neighbors, and records from a visit to UCHealth Poudre Valley Hospital or another provider all help establish what happened and how serious the injury was.
- Photograph the stairs, railing, ice, or lighting condition right away
- Report the incident to the landlord or property manager in writing
- Get the names of any neighbors or witnesses who saw the area
- Save maintenance requests or prior complaints about the same hazard
- Keep records from any medical visit connected to the fall
Landlord Control Of Common Areas Near College Avenue And Harmony Road
Fort Collins has a large rental population near College Avenue, Harmony Road, and Mulberry Street, along with complexes serving Colorado State University students and commuters heading toward Loveland or Wellington. Common-area hazards show up across all of these properties, from icy parking lots in winter to poorly lit stairwells in older buildings.
When an apartment premises claim needs to be filed in Larimer County, it's handled at the Larimer County Justice Center. Our office is based in Denver, and we work with Fort Collins tenants and their families by phone, video, and email so distance from our office doesn't get in the way of the case.
Investigating Fort Collins Apartment Premises Cases & Client Office Access
McCormick & Murphy are Fort Collins apartment premises lawyers for people hurt in common areas a landlord controls. We file in Larimer County Justice Center and work with Fort Collins tenants by phone, video, and email from our Denver office.
- Preserving Evidence Before Repairs Erase It: Apartment common-area cases often turn on conditions that get fixed or cleared quickly. A broken handrail gets repaired, ice gets salted or melts, and a burned-out light gets replaced within days of an incident. Photos of the actual condition, maintenance requests, prior complaints to management, work orders, and incident reports filed with the property manager help establish what happened.
- Landlord Control Matters: When a landlord possesses or is responsible for maintaining a common area—stairwells, entryways, walkways, parking areas, and shared lighting—that landlord can be treated as a landowner under Colorado's premises liability law. A tripping hazard from a tenant's own furniture inside a leased unit is a different question than a broken step on a shared exterior staircase or a patch of ice left on a common walkway.
What Your Fort Collins Apartment Injury Claim May Cover
- Emergency and follow-up medical treatment
- Ongoing care or physical therapy for the injury
- Lost income while you recover
- Pain and physical limitations caused by the fall
- 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 Fort Collins — 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.
Clear Answers On Fort Collins Apartment And Common-Area Injuries
Do I need Fort Collins apartment premises lawyers after an injury?
Call Fort Collins apartment premises lawyers when you were hurt, fault is disputed, or an insurer delays, denies, or offers less than the medical bills. The nearest office is in Denver, CO.
Is my landlord automatically responsible if I fall in a common area?
Not automatically. The landlord has to have possession or responsibility for that specific area, and the condition has to be one they knew about or should have discovered. We look at maintenance records and prior complaints to figure out what the landlord actually knew.
What if I fell on ice in the parking lot instead of inside a building?
Parking areas and walkways are typically common areas the landlord maintains, so the same premises liability principles apply. The key question is still whether the landlord controlled that area and whether the hazard was something they should have addressed.
Does it matter whether I'm a tenant or just visiting a friend's apartment?
Yes. Colorado's premises liability statute classifies people as invitees, licensees, or trespassers, and that status affects what duty the landlord owed you. We evaluate this early so we understand the strength of the claim.
What if the hazard was inside my own apartment unit, not a common area?
Liability depends on who controlled that part of the unit. Some conditions, like a landlord-installed fixture or a structural issue, may still fall on the landlord, while others tied to the tenant's own use of the space may not.
Do I need to file a report with my leasing office before contacting a lawyer?
Reporting the incident to your landlord or property manager in writing is a good idea and helps create a record, but you do not need to wait to speak with us. We can help you understand what to document while the details are still fresh.
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