Maximum Compensation for Slip and Fall Injuries: Understanding Colorado’s New Damage Caps

You’re just walking through a grocery store, minding your own business, when suddenly your feet fly out from under you. One second you’re reaching for cereal, the next you’re flat on your back with searing pain shooting through your spine. Sound familiar? If you’ve been through something like this in Colorado, you’re probably wondering what your injury is actually worth – and, more importantly, what limits might exist on your compensation.

Here’s the thing that catches most people off guard: Colorado has specific rules about how much money you can get for certain types of damages. These “damage caps” can really impact your settlement or jury award, and honestly, they’re pretty confusing if you don’t deal with this stuff every single day.

I’ve seen too many folks get blindsided by these limitations after they’ve already invested months or years in their case. That’s why we’re going to break down everything you need to know about Colorado’s damage caps for slip and fall injuries. No stuffy legal talk, no confusing statutes – just straight talk about what these rules mean for your wallet.

What Exactly Are Damage Caps in Colorado?

Think of damage caps like a ceiling on certain types of compensation. Even if a jury wants to award you $2 million for your pain and suffering, Colorado law might step in and say, “Hold up – the most you can get for that category is actually $642,180.”

It’s kind of like having a coupon that says “maximum discount $20” – even if the math works out to a $50 discount, you’re still capped at twenty bucks. Except in this case, we’re talking about your compensation for serious injuries, which makes these limits way more significant.

Colorado’s damage caps don’t apply to everything, though. They specifically target what lawyers call “non-economic damages” – things like pain and suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Your medical bills, lost wages, and other out-of-pocket expenses? Those aren’t capped. You can get full compensation for those.

The Current Numbers You Need to Know

As of 2024, here’s what Colorado’s damage caps look like for most slip and fall cases:

Non-economic damages: $642,180 (this number gets adjusted annually for inflation, so it goes up a little each year)
Medical malpractice cases: $300,000 (different rules apply here, so don’t mix these up!)

Now, before you panic thinking that’s all you can ever get, remember – this cap only applies to one category of damages. Your medical expenses, rehabilitation costs, lost income, and future earning capacity aren’t subject to these limits. So, your total compensation can still be much higher.

How Colorado’s Slip and Fall Laws Actually Work

Let me paint you a picture of how these cases typically unfold. You slip on that wet floor at the grocery store, and suddenly you’re dealing with a herniated disc that requires surgery. Your total damages might break down like this:

• Medical expenses: $85,000
• Lost wages: $30,000
• Future medical costs: $40,000
• Pain and suffering: $400,000

In this scenario, only that last item – the $400,000 for pain and suffering – would be subject to Colorado’s damage cap. Since it’s under the current limit of $642,180, you’d be fine. But if a jury awarded you $800,000 for pain and suffering, that would get reduced to the cap amount.

When Property Owners Are Actually Responsible

Here’s something that trips up a lot of people: just because you fell doesn’t automatically mean the property owner owes you money. Colorado follows what’s called “premises liability” law, which means you’ve got to prove a few key things:

• The owner knew or should have known about the dangerous condition. If someone spilled milk in aisle 7 thirty seconds before you walked by, that’s different from a leaky pipe that’s been creating a puddle for three days. They need time to discover and fix it.
• They had a reasonable opportunity to fix it. Property owners aren’t expected to be everywhere at once, but they do need to conduct regular inspections and address hazards promptly.
• The condition was unreasonably dangerous. A small crack in the sidewalk might not cut it, but a gaping hole covered by a loose mat probably would. It has to be something a reasonable person wouldn’t expect.
• You were legally allowed to be there. If you were trespassing, different rules apply. This law generally protects customers, guests, and people invited onto the property.

Colorado’s Comparative Fault Rules

This one’s a big deal, and a lot of people don’t see it coming. Colorado uses what’s called “comparative negligence,” which means if you’re partially at fault for your accident, your compensation gets reduced accordingly.

Let’s say you were texting while walking and didn’t notice the “Wet Floor” sign. A jury might decide you’re 30% responsible for what happened. If your total damages were $200,000, you’d only receive $140,000 (70% of the total).

The good news? As long as you’re less than 50% at fault, you can still recover something. But if the jury decides you’re 50% or more responsible, you get nothing. Zero. Zilch. So, paying attention to your surroundings is always a good idea!

Recent Changes to Colorado’s Damage Cap Laws

Colorado’s legislature has been pretty active lately when it comes to personal injury law. The most significant change happened in 2020 when they raised the non-economic damage cap and started adjusting it annually for inflation.

Before 2020, the cap sat at a measly $468,010 for years. The new system ties the cap to inflation, which means it goes up a bit each year. For 2024, we’re looking at $642,180, and it’ll likely be higher in 2025.

Why These Changes Matter for Your Case

If you’re dealing with a slip and fall injury right now, timing actually matters. Cases that were filed before the 2020 changes might still be subject to the old, lower caps. Cases filed after the changes get the benefit of the higher limits.

This is one of those technical details that can literally cost you hundreds of thousands of dollars if your attorney doesn’t stay on top of the current rules. I’ve seen cases where lawyers used outdated cap amounts in their settlement negotiations, leaving money on the table for their clients. You want someone who knows the latest figures by heart.

Types of Damages Available in Colorado Slip and Fall Cases

When you’re hurt in a slip and fall accident, Colorado law recognizes several different categories of compensation. Understanding these categories helps you get a clearer picture of what your case might be worth.

Economic Damages (No Caps Apply)

These are your out-of-pocket losses – the stuff you can point to on a receipt or pay stub:

• Medical expenses include everything from the ambulance ride to ongoing physical therapy. Don’t forget about future medical costs if you’ll need additional treatment down the road.
• Lost wages cover the income you’ve already missed, plus any vacation or sick time you had to use for medical appointments.
• Loss of earning capacity comes into play if your injuries prevent you from doing your job the same way you used to. Maybe you were a construction worker who can’t lift heavy objects anymore, or a teacher who struggles with chronic pain that affects your performance. This can be a big one.
• Property damage might apply if your phone, glasses, or clothing were damaged in the fall.

Non-Economic Damages (Subject to Caps)

This is where things get more subjective, and where Colorado’s damage caps come into play:

• Pain and suffering covers the physical discomfort you’ve experienced and will continue to experience. A broken wrist that heals in six weeks is usually worth less than a back injury that causes daily pain for years.
• Emotional distress recognizes that serious injuries often come with anxiety, depression, or PTSD. Some people develop a fear of certain situations or locations after a traumatic fall.
• Loss of enjoyment of life compensates you for activities you can no longer participate in. If you were an avid hiker before your injury and now you can barely walk around the block, that’s a real loss that the law recognizes.
• Loss of consortium applies to married couples when the injury affects the relationship between spouses – things like companionship, affection, and sexual relations.

Punitive Damages (Rare but Possible)

Colorado allows punitive damages in cases where the defendant’s conduct was especially reckless or malicious. These are meant to punish truly bad behavior rather than just compensate you for losses.

For slip and fall cases, punitive damages are pretty rare. You’d need to show something like a property owner who knew about a dangerous condition, was repeatedly warned about it, but deliberately chose to ignore it because fixing it would be expensive. It’s a high bar to clear.

Factors That Affect Your Maximum Compensation

Not all slip and fall cases are created equal. Several factors can dramatically impact how much compensation you might receive, even within the bounds of Colorado’s damage caps.

Severity and Permanence of Your Injuries

This one’s obvious, but worth spelling out. A sprained ankle that heals completely in a few weeks isn’t going to generate the same compensation as a traumatic brain injury that affects you for life.

Colorado courts look at:

• How long your recovery took
• Whether you have permanent limitations or disabilities
• The impact on your daily activities – like if you can no longer pick up your kids or enjoy your favorite hobbies
• Your age and life expectancy (younger victims typically receive more for permanent injuries because they’ll live with the impact longer)

Your Income and Career Impact

A slip and fall that forces a surgeon to retire early is going to generate more compensation than the same injury to someone who was already retired. Colorado law allows you to recover for lost earning capacity based on your specific situation.

But here’s something people don’t always think about: even if you’re unemployed at the time of your accident, you might still have a claim for lost earning capacity if the injury prevents you from getting back into the workforce at all.

Quality of Evidence and Documentation

The strength of your case plays a huge role in how much you’ll ultimately receive. Strong cases with clear responsibility and good documentation tend to settle for higher amounts, while weak cases might not even be worth pursuing.

Key evidence includes:

• Incident reports filed at the time of your fall
• Photos of the hazardous condition
• Witness statements
• Security camera footage (if available!)
• Medical records that clearly link your injuries to the accident
• Documentation of how the injury has impacted your life (like a daily journal)

The Defendant’s Insurance Coverage

Here’s an uncomfortable truth: sometimes the amount of available insurance coverage becomes the practical limit on your recovery, no matter what Colorado’s damage caps say.

If you suffer $500,000 in damages but the property owner only has $100,000 in liability coverage, you might only recover $100,000 unless they have significant personal assets (which is rare for a regular person or small business). This is why experienced attorneys investigate insurance coverage early in the process – it helps set realistic expectations.

How Insurance Companies Handle Damage Caps

Insurance companies absolutely know about Colorado’s damage caps, and they use this knowledge to their advantage during settlement negotiations. Understanding their tactics can help you avoid getting shortchanged.

Early Settlement Pressure

Don’t be surprised if the insurance company comes to you pretty quickly after your accident with what seems like a generous settlement offer. They’re hoping you don’t know about damage caps (or how they truly apply) and will accept less than what your case is actually worth.

I’ve seen insurers offer $50,000 for cases that could easily be worth $300,000 or more. They’re betting that you’ll take the quick money rather than go through the hassle of a lawsuit. It’s a common trick.

Using Caps as Negotiation Tools

Even when your non-economic damages fall well below Colorado’s cap, insurance companies will often bring up the caps during negotiations. They might say something like “well, even if this goes to trial, you can’t get more than $642,180 for pain and suffering.”

This is misleading because:

1. Your total recovery includes economic damages that aren’t capped.
2. Most cases settle for less than what a jury might award anyway.
3. They’re trying to anchor your expectations at an artificially low number. Don’t fall for it.

The “Nuisance Value” Game

For smaller cases, insurance companies sometimes offer what they call “nuisance value” settlements – basically, they’ll pay you a few thousand dollars to go away, even if they think they might win at trial. They just want to avoid the hassle and cost of defending the claim.

While these settlements can make sense for minor injuries where the cost of litigation outweighs the potential recovery, be careful not to accept nuisance value for a case that’s actually worth significant money.

Working with Experienced Colorado Personal Injury Attorneys

Look, I get it – you might be thinking you can handle this yourself. After all, you fell down, you got hurt, and someone should pay for it. How complicated can it be?

The reality is that Colorado’s personal injury laws are full of traps for the unwary. Between damage caps, comparative fault rules, statute of limitations issues (more on that later!), and insurance company tactics, there are a lot of ways to accidentally torpedo your case.

What to Look for in a Slip and Fall Attorney

Not all personal injury lawyers are created equal. Here’s what you should look for:

• Experience with premises liability cases specifically. Slip and fall law is different from car accident law, which is different from medical malpractice law. You want someone who knows the ins and outs of premises liability cases.
• A track record of taking cases to trial. Insurance companies keep track of which lawyers actually go to court and which ones always settle. If your lawyer never tries cases, the insurance company knows they can lowball you.
• Knowledge of current Colorado law. Those damage cap changes I mentioned earlier? Your lawyer should know about them without having to look them up. They should be able to explain them clearly.
• Resources to properly investigate your case. Good slip and fall cases often require expert witnesses, accident reconstruction, and thorough investigation of the property owner’s maintenance records. This costs money, and a good firm will invest it.

Questions to Ask During Your Consultation

When you’re meeting with potential attorneys, here are some questions that will help you separate the pros from the pretenders:

• How many slip and fall cases have you handled in the past year?
• What was your largest settlement or verdict in a premises liability case?
• How do you typically handle cases where the client is partially at fault?
• What’s your approach to dealing with Colorado’s damage caps?
• Can you give me a realistic range of what my case might be worth?

The Contingency Fee Structure

Most personal injury attorneys in Colorado work on what’s called a contingency fee basis. This means you don’t pay attorney fees unless they recover money for you. Pretty cool, right?

At McCormick & Murphy P.C., we handle most personal injury claims this way because we believe everyone deserves access to quality legal representation, regardless of their financial situation. If there’s no recovery through settlement or judgment, there’s no fee.

Typical contingency fees in Colorado range from 33% to 40% of your recovery, depending on whether the case settles or goes to trial. Make sure you understand exactly what percentage applies to your case and whether there are any additional costs you might be responsible for (like court filing fees or expert witness costs – though these are usually paid out of the settlement too).

Common Mistakes That Can Hurt Your Case

Over the years, I’ve seen people make the same mistakes over and over again. Here are the big ones to avoid:

Waiting Too Long to Seek Medical Attention

I know, I know – you’re tough. You can walk it off. But here’s the thing: insurance companies love it when there’s a gap between your accident and your first medical treatment. They’ll argue that your injuries weren’t that serious, or that something else must have caused them.

Even if you feel okay immediately after your fall, adrenaline can mask pain and injury symptoms. Get checked out by a doctor within a day or two, and be honest about all your symptoms, even the minor ones. Your health comes first, but it also protects your case.

Giving Recorded Statements to Insurance Companies

The insurance company will call you within a day or two of your accident, and they’ll sound super friendly and helpful. They’ll say they just need to get your side of the story, and it’ll only take a few minutes.

Don’t do it. These recorded statements are designed to get you to say something that hurts your case later. They’ll ask leading questions and try to get you to admit partial fault or downplay your injuries.

You’re not required to give a recorded statement to the other party’s insurance company. If they keep pushing, politely tell them to contact your attorney.

Posting on Social Media

This one’s huge, and people don’t think about it. You post a picture of yourself at your kid’s baseball game three weeks after your accident, and suddenly the insurance company is arguing that you can’t be that injured if you’re out at sporting events.

The safest approach is to avoid posting anything on social media while your case is pending. If you must post, assume the insurance company will see it and use it against you. Be smart about what you share.

Accepting the First Settlement Offer

Insurance companies often make their first offer before you’ve even finished treating for your injuries. They’re hoping you’ll take the quick money and not realize how much your case is actually worth.

Don’t accept any settlement offer until:

• You’ve finished treating (or reached what doctors call “maximum medical improvement,” meaning you’ve healed as much as you’re going to).
• You understand the full extent of your injuries and any permanent limitations.
• You’ve had a chance to calculate your total economic damages.
• An experienced attorney has reviewed the offer and given you their advice.

Not Documenting Your Injuries and Limitations

Keep a daily journal of your pain levels, limitations, and how your injuries affect your daily activities. Take photos of visible injuries as they heal. Keep track of medical appointments, physical therapy sessions, and any work you miss.

This documentation becomes incredibly valuable when it comes time to present your case to the insurance company or a jury. It helps paint a clear picture of how this accident has truly impacted your life.

Maximizing Your Recovery Within Colorado’s Caps

Even with damage caps in place, there are smart strategies to maximize your compensation in a slip and fall case.

Thorough Documentation of Economic Damages

Since economic damages aren’t subject to caps, make sure you’re capturing every penny of your out-of-pocket losses:

• Medical expenses: Keep track of all medical bills, including co-pays, prescription costs, medical equipment (like crutches or braces), and mileage to medical appointments.
• Lost income: Document not just your base salary, but also overtime, bonuses, commissions, and benefits you’ve lost. Get letters from your employer.
• Future costs: Work with medical experts to project your future treatment needs and vocational experts to calculate lost earning capacity if you can’t go back to your old job.

Building a Strong Pain and Suffering Case

Since non-economic damages are capped, you want to make sure you’re getting the full value allowed under Colorado law:

• Medical testimony: Have your doctors clearly explain how your injuries cause pain and limit your activities. This isn’t just about the diagnosis, it’s about the impact.
• Day-in-the-life documentation: Show how your injuries affect everything from sleeping to showering to playing with your kids. Videos or photos can be powerful here.
• Before and after evidence: Demonstrate how your life has changed since the accident. If you used to run marathons and now can barely walk, that’s a big difference.

Exploring Multiple Defendants

Sometimes there’s more than one party responsible for your slip and fall accident. For example:

• The property owner who failed to maintain safe conditions
• A cleaning company that left floors wet without proper warnings
• A maintenance contractor who created a hazardous condition
• A tenant who spilled something and didn’t clean it up

Having multiple defendants can increase your total recovery and provide multiple insurance policies to draw from, which is always a good thing.

Timing Your Settlement or Trial

The timing of your case resolution can impact your recovery in several ways:

• Wait until maximum medical improvement: Don’t settle until you know the full extent of your injuries and future treatment needs. Settling too early means you could miss out on compensation for future care.
• Consider tax implications: Personal injury settlements are generally not taxable, but the timing of your recovery might affect other tax considerations. Your attorney can advise on this.
• Account for inflation adjustments: Colorado’s damage caps increase annually, so a case resolved in 2025 will have a higher cap than one resolved in 2024. This can be a factor for long-running cases.

When to Consider Going to Trial vs. Settling

Most slip and fall cases settle out of court, but sometimes going to trial is the right call. Here’s how to think about this decision:

Cases That Might Be Worth Taking to Trial

• Clear responsibility with significant damages: If it’s obvious the property owner was at fault and their settlement offer is way too low compared to your damages, a jury might award much more.
• Lowball settlement offers: If the insurance company is offering “nuisance value” for a case worth significant money, trial might be your best option to get fair compensation.
• Principle matters: Sometimes property owners engage in conduct that’s so egregious that holding them accountable publicly is worth the risk and time of a trial.

Cases Where Settlement Usually Makes Sense

• Questionable responsibility: If there’s a real chance you might lose at trial (maybe you were also partly at fault), a reasonable settlement offer starts to look pretty good.
• Modest damages: The cost and time involved in a trial might not be worth it for smaller cases. You might spend more fighting than you’d win.
• Financial pressure: If you need money now for medical bills or living expenses, waiting for a trial might not be practical. A settlement offers faster resolution.

The Reality of Trial Outcomes

Here’s something they don’t tell you in law school: juries are unpredictable. I’ve seen cases that seemed like slam dunks result in defense verdicts, and cases I thought were weak result in huge awards. It’s truly a roll of the dice sometimes.

Colorado juries tend to be fairly conservative, especially outside of Denver and Boulder. They don’t like to give away other people’s money unless they’re really convinced the defendant truly messed up.

That said, when juries do find in favor of plaintiffs in slip and fall cases, they often award significant damages. The key is making sure they understand how the accident has truly impacted your life, not just financially, but emotionally and physically.

Real-World Examples of Colorado Slip and Fall Settlements

While every case is different, it helps to see how Colorado’s damage caps play out in real situations.

Case Study 1: Grocery Store Slip and Fall

The Accident: A 45-year-old teacher slipped on grapes in a grocery store aisle. The grapes had been on the floor for over an hour, and several customers had complained to staff.
Injuries: Fractured hip requiring surgery, six months of physical therapy, ongoing mobility issues.

Damages:

• Medical expenses: $125,000
• Lost wages: $35,000
• Future medical costs: $50,000
• Pain and suffering: $400,000
• Total award: $610,000

Since the pain and suffering award was below Colorado’s cap, the full amount was recoverable.

Case Study 2: Restaurant Slip and Fall

The Accident: A 30-year-old construction worker slipped on a wet floor in a restaurant bathroom. There was no “wet floor” sign, and the floor had been mopped 20 minutes earlier.
Injuries: Severe back injury requiring spinal fusion surgery, permanent work restrictions.

Damages:

• Medical expenses: $200,000
• Lost wages: $80,000
• Loss of earning capacity: $500,000
• Pain and suffering: $800,000 (reduced to cap of $642,180)
• Total award: $1,422,180

In this case, the damage cap saved the defendant about $160,000. It shows how even with a cap, the overall compensation can still be substantial due to economic damages.

Case Study 3: Apartment Complex Slip and Fall

The Accident: A 65-year-old retiree slipped on ice in her apartment complex parking lot. The property management company had failed to salt the lot despite knowing about the icy conditions.
Injuries: Broken wrist and shoulder, requiring multiple surgeries.

Comparative fault: The jury found the plaintiff 20% at fault for wearing inappropriate shoes for the icy conditions.

Damages:

• Medical expenses: $75,000
• Pain and suffering: $200,000
• Total award before reduction: $275,000
• Final award after 20% reduction: $220,000

This case shows how comparative fault can reduce your final payout, even if the property owner was mostly to blame.

Understanding Colorado’s Statute of Limitations

Here’s something that can completely destroy your case if you’re not careful: Colorado’s statute of limitations for slip and fall cases is generally two years from the date of your accident.

Miss that deadline, and it doesn’t matter how strong your case is or how badly you were injured. The court will dismiss your case, and you’ll get nothing. Zero. Zilch. It’s a hard deadline.

When the Clock Starts Ticking

For most slip and fall cases, the two-year clock starts running on the date of your accident. But there are some exceptions:

• Discovery rule: In rare cases where you don’t immediately realize you were injured, the clock might start when you discover (or reasonably should have discovered) your injury.
• Minors: If the injured person is under 18, the statute of limitations doesn’t begin until they turn 18.
• Mental incapacity: The statute of limitations may be paused for people who are mentally incapacitated and unable to pursue a claim.

Government Entities Have Different Rules

If you slip and fall on government property (like a city sidewalk, a public park, or a county building), you might have as little as 180 days to file a notice of claim. These cases have special procedures that must be followed exactly, or you’ll lose your right to sue. Don’t mess around with these deadlines!

Don’t Wait Until the Last Minute

Even though you have two years, don’t wait to get started on your case. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget details, and security camera footage gets deleted. The sooner you begin investigating your case, the better your chances of success.

At McCormick & Murphy P.C., we’ve been handling personal injury cases in Colorado Springs since 1995. We know how quickly evidence can disappear, and we start investigating cases immediately.

Steps to Take After a Slip and Fall Accident

If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident, here’s what you should do to protect your rights and maximize your potential recovery:

Immediate Steps at the Scene

• Get medical attention: Even if you think you’re fine, get checked out. Some injuries don’t show symptoms immediately, or they might worsen over time.
• Report the accident: Make sure the property owner or manager knows what happened and files an incident report. Get a copy if possible.
• Document everything: Take photos of the hazardous condition (the wet spot, the broken step, etc.), your injuries, and the surrounding area. Get contact information for any witnesses.
• Don’t admit fault: Be polite and factual when reporting, but don’t say things like “I should have been watching where I was going” or “I’m so clumsy.” Just stick to the facts of what happened.

Follow-Up Steps

• See a doctor: Get a thorough medical evaluation within a day or two of your accident, even if you went to the ER. Follow all their recommendations.
• Keep detailed records: Document your injuries, medical treatment, missed work, and how the accident has affected your daily life. A simple journal works wonders.
• Don’t give recorded statements: Politely decline to give recorded statements to insurance companies until you’ve spoken with an attorney.
• Preserve evidence: Keep the clothes and shoes you were wearing when you fell. Don’t delete photos from your phone. Put them in a safe place.

When to Contact an Attorney

You should consider contacting a personal injury attorney if:

• Your injuries required medical treatment (beyond a simple band-aid).
• You missed work because of your injuries.
• The property owner’s insurance company is pressuring you to settle quickly.
• There’s any question about who was at fault for the accident.
• Your medical bills are adding up, and you’re worried about how to pay them.

Most personal injury attorneys offer free consultations, so there’s no risk in getting a professional opinion about your case. It’s a chance to get your questions answered and understand your options.

How McCormick & Murphy P.C. Can Help

Kirk McCormick and Jay Murphy have been handling personal injury cases in Colorado since 1990. With over 60 years of combined legal experience, they’ve seen how Colorado’s laws have evolved, including the recent changes to damage caps.

Our Approach to Slip and Fall Cases

We understand that slip and fall accidents can turn your life upside down. One minute you’re going about your normal routine, the next you’re dealing with serious injuries, medical bills, and insurance companies that seem more interested in protecting their bottom line than helping you recover.

Our approach is simple: we treat you like family, and we fight like hell to get you the compensation you deserve.

What Sets Us Apart

• Experience that matters: We’ve been practicing personal injury law since before many of our competitors were even born. We’ve handled thousands of cases and recovered millions of dollars for our clients.
• We actually go to trial: A lot of personal injury lawyers settle every case because they’re afraid of the courtroom. Insurance companies know this, and they adjust their settlement offers accordingly. We’re not afraid to take your case to trial if that’s what it takes to get you fair compensation.
• Personal attention: When you call our office, you’ll talk to Kirk or Jay, not some paralegal or case manager. We limit the number of cases we take so we can give each client the attention they deserve.
• No fees unless we win: We handle most personal injury claims on a contingency fee basis. If there’s no recovery through settlement or judgment, there’s no fee. It’s that simple.

Our Track Record

Over the past 30+ years, we’ve recovered significant compensation for clients injured in slip and fall accidents throughout Colorado. While we can’t guarantee specific results (every case is different, of course), we can promise that we’ll work tirelessly to maximize your recovery within the bounds of Colorado law.

We’ve handled cases involving:

• Grocery store slip and falls
• Restaurant and bar accidents
• Apartment complex injuries
• Retail store accidents
• Office building falls
• Hotel and hospitality accidents

Looking Ahead: Potential Changes to Colorado Law

Colorado’s personal injury laws aren’t set in stone. The legislature regularly considers changes that could affect slip and fall cases.

Trends to Watch

• Increasing damage caps: Colorado has shown a willingness to raise damage caps and tie them to inflation. This trend will likely continue, especially as the cost of medical care keeps rising.
• Comparative fault modifications: Some states have moved away from the 50% rule for comparative fault. While Colorado hasn’t shown strong signs of changing this, it’s something to keep an eye on.
• Premises liability standards: There’s ongoing discussion about whether property owners should have higher duties of care, especially for vulnerable populations like elderly visitors.

Staying Current

Laws change, and what’s true today might not be true tomorrow. That’s why it’s so important to work with attorneys who stay current on legal developments and understand how changes might affect your case. You don’t want someone who’s relying on outdated information!

Taking Action: Your Next Steps

If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident in Colorado, time is not on your side. Evidence disappears, witnesses forget details, and the statute of limitations keeps ticking away.

Here’s what you should do right now:

Get Medical Attention

If you haven’t already seen a doctor about your injuries, do it today. Don’t wait for the pain to get worse or hope it goes away on its own. You need a medical professional to evaluate your injuries and document them properly.

Document Everything

Start keeping a daily journal of your pain levels, limitations, and how your injuries affect your daily activities. Take photos of any visible injuries. Keep track of all medical appointments and expenses. This paper trail is your friend.

Don’t Talk to Insurance Companies

If the property owner’s insurance company calls you, politely tell them you’re still evaluating your injuries and will get back to them. Don’t give recorded statements or sign any documents until you’ve spoken with an attorney. Seriously, don’t.

Get a Free Consultation

Most personal injury attorneys offer free consultations for slip and fall cases. Take advantage of this – you can get professional advice about your case without spending a dime. It’s a no-brainer.

At McCormick & Murphy P.C., we’ve been helping Colorado residents recover fair compensation for their injuries since 1995. We know the ins and outs of Colorado’s damage caps, and we’ll fight to maximize your recovery within the bounds of the law.

You can reach us at (719) 800-9407 or visit our office at 929 W Colorado Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80905. We’re here to help you understand your rights and options.

Final Thoughts

Slip and fall accidents can change your life in an instant. One moment you’re walking through a store or down a sidewalk, the next you’re dealing with serious injuries, mounting medical bills, and insurance companies that seem more interested in saving money than helping you recover.

Colorado’s damage caps add another layer of complexity to these cases. While the caps can limit your recovery for pain and suffering, they don’t affect your ability to recover the full amount of your economic damages – your medical bills, lost wages, and other out-of-pocket expenses.

The key is understanding how these laws work and making sure you have experienced representation that knows how to maximize your recovery within the bounds of Colorado law. Don’t let insurance companies take advantage of your lack of legal knowledge. Don’t accept lowball settlement offers because you think that’s all you can get.

You have rights, and you deserve fair compensation for your injuries. But those rights come with deadlines and procedural requirements that can trip you up if you’re not careful.

If you’ve been injured in a slip and fall accident in Colorado, don’t wait. The sooner you get started, the better your chances of a successful outcome. Contact an experienced personal injury attorney today to discuss your case and learn about your options.

Remember: you didn’t ask to be injured, and you shouldn’t have to pay the price for someone else’s negligence. Colorado law provides a path to compensation, but you need to act quickly and get the right help to make sure you receive everything you’re entitled to under the law.

Your recovery – both physical and financial – starts with taking that first step. Don’t let another day go by wondering what your case might be worth. Find out for sure, and start fighting for the compensation you deserve.