El Paso County · Off-leash and dog-park attacks
Old Colorado City Off-Leash Dog Attack Lawyers
An off-leash attack in Old Colorado City can still be a real claim. Free consultation. No attorney fee unless we recover for you.
Attacks Away From the Owner's Home
A bite doesn't have to happen at a house to count. If you were lawfully in a public place in Old Colorado City and the dog caused a serious injury, that can meet the standard set out in C.R.S. § 13‑21‑124, regardless of whether the attack happened along Colorado Avenue, near 21st Street, or elsewhere in the neighborhood.
An off-leash dog also raises a separate negligence question. An owner who lets a dog run loose in an area where leashes are expected may not have acted with reasonable care, and that failure can support a claim even outside the statute. We look at where the attack happened and whether the owner had control of the dog at the time.
Dog parks sit in a different spot. People who bring dogs to a dog park accept some amount of normal dog-to-dog contact, and an incident there isn't automatically a claim. But it isn't automatically excluded either. What matters is whether the owner's conduct, or the specific dog's behavior, went beyond what a person visiting a dog park should reasonably expect.
Building the Off-Leash Case
Location details matter more in these cases than in a typical home-bite claim. We want to know exactly where the dog was when the incident happened, whether it was on a leash or running loose, and whether the area was posted or understood as an on-leash zone. Photos of the scene, including any leash or fencing nearby, help establish what conditions actually looked like.
Witnesses carry extra weight in public-place and dog-park cases because there's often no address or homeowner's insurance file to fall back on. We ask for names and contact information from anyone who saw the dog beforehand, saw the attack, or saw the owner afterward. That kind of firsthand account can be the difference between a disputed claim and a supported one.
- Note the exact location: trail, street, or park area
- Write down whether the dog was leashed or running loose
- Get names and phone numbers of anyone who witnessed it
- Take photos of the scene, including any posted signs
- Photograph your injuries as soon as possible after the attack
Old Colorado City Cases
Old Colorado City has a mix of foot traffic along Colorado Avenue, crossings near U.S. Highway 24, and residential streets around 21st Street and 25th Street. Dogs off leash in these areas can end up in contact with pedestrians who have no way to see it coming. We look closely at where along this stretch the attack occurred and what that location tells us about how the dog got loose.
Serious injuries from these incidents are often treated at UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central, and those records become part of the evidence we gather. Claims that end up in litigation are filed in El Paso County Combined Courts. Our office is at 929 W Colorado Ave, a short distance from the neighborhood, and we meet with clients from Old Colorado City and nearby areas including Manitou Springs.
What You Can Recover
- Medical treatment for the bite or attack injuries
- Follow-up care and any scar treatment
- Lost income if the injury kept you from working
- Pain and suffering from the attack
- Related out-of-pocket costs tied to your recovery
What clients say about McCormick & Murphy
Real outcomes and reviews. Check Google reviews for the office that serves Old Colorado City — and read client testimonials.
A passenger suffered traumatic brain, neck, and back injuries in a Colorado Springs intersection collision. After the carrier refused a fair number, a jury awarded $295,000 including interest and costs.
El Paso County jury verdict
Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case depends on its facts, coverage, venue, and evidence.
Old Colorado City Off-leash and dog-park attacks FAQ
I was bitten on a public trail, not at someone's house. Can I still file a claim?
Yes. Being in a public place doesn't disqualify you as long as you were lawfully there and the injury was serious. We look at where you were and whether the dog was under the owner's control at the time.
Does it matter if the dog was off leash?
It can matter a great deal. An off-leash dog in an area where leashes are expected supports a negligence argument, separate from the main statutory claim, because it points to a failure to control the animal.
What if the attack happened at a dog park?
Dog parks are still public places, but people who visit them accept some level of normal dog interaction. A dog park incident isn't automatically a claim, and it isn't automatically excluded either. It depends on what the owner did or didn't do to control the dog.
What proof do I need if there's no address tied to the attack?
Location details become your evidence. We want to know exactly where the dog was, whether it was leashed, and who saw what happened. Witness names and photos of the scene often carry more weight in these cases.
Where would my case be handled if it doesn't settle?
Claims from the Old Colorado City area that proceed to litigation are filed in El Paso County Combined Courts. We handle that process for you and keep you updated throughout.
Discuss a Old Colorado City dog bite
Free consultation. No attorney fee unless we recover for you.