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Your Centennial Personal Injury Attorney
The short answer. In Colorado most injury claims must be filed within two years, and three years for injuries from a motor vehicle (C.R.S. §§ 13-80-102 and 13-80-101). The trial court for Arapahoe County sits in Centennial, at 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112. To talk it through, send the form on this page and we will work to connect you with an attorney in our network.
After an injury, ordinary life gets heavy. There are appointments to keep, bills arriving, and a claim that nobody explained to you. If another person’s carelessness hurt you in Centennial, it is reasonable to want a clear picture before you decide anything.
We match people with attorneys; we do not advise on cases. Treat what follows as a plain language guide to Colorado law drawn from the statutes. When you want to talk to an attorney, the form at the top of this page is the way to start.
Before You Hire: Questions For A Centennial Attorney
A short list of questions can sort out who is right for you:
- If you were partly to blame. Ask what happens to your award if a jury puts a percentage on your fault. Damages are diminished in proportion to your negligence, and the court enters judgment for the defendant if your share is equal to or greater than the defendant’s (C.R.S. § 13-21-111).
- The deadline. Ask for the specific last day to file, and which Colorado limit applies to your kind of claim. Two years is the general rule for tort actions, and three years applies to motor vehicle tort actions (C.R.S. § 13-80-102, C.R.S. § 13-80-101).
- Claims against the government. Ask whether a public body could be responsible. A written notice must be filed within 182 days after the injury is discovered, and missing it can bar the claim (C.R.S. § 24-10-109).
- Fees and costs. Ask what the fee is, when it is paid, and which expenses are deducted from a settlement.
- The people. Ask who will be in touch with you and how quickly they return calls.
Personal Injury Types of Cases
Premises Liability
Many premises liability claims are from a property owner’s duty to maintain a property in the way that does not endanger others. There are may ways a property owner can violate this duty.
- Broken Stairs
- Unlit alleyways
- Slippery Floors
- Surfaces that are uneven
- Places to receive burns
- Places to receive chemical exposure
- Dog bites
- and other dangerous conditions
Motor Vehicle Accidents
As long as the person that was operating the vehicle that injured you was negligent in some way, you can could have a claim for compensation. This can include.
- Car Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- 18 wheeler Accidents
- Motorcycle crashes
- Drunk Driving
- Distracted Driving
- Aggressive Driving
- and other types of motor vehicle accidents
Work Place Accidents
These types of personal injury lawsuits involve more that just a employee and employer. If you feel like your place of employment was negligent in some way, you might have a claim for compensation. These types of accidents can include.
- Slip and Fall
- Unsafe working conditions
- Unmaintained equipment
- Auto Accidents
- Death
- Electrical Hazards
- Occupational illnesses like COPD, contagious diseases, and asbestosis
- personal injuries at work
Wrongful Death
When negligence leads to fatal injuries, a wrongful death suit can help the surviving family members hold the negligent company, persons, and or person accountable for what was done. A wrongful death case can involve different types of compensation from other personal injury claims. After a fatal accident, family members can ask an attorney to review what compensation the surviving loved ones may have a right to. These types of accidents can include.
- Auto Accident
- Maritime Accident
- Drowning
- Electrocution
- Falls
- Helicopter Accident
- Fire
- Firearm
- and other types of wrongful deaths
Injured in Centennial? Get matched with an attorney now.
When Fault Is Shared
If an insurer says the accident was partly your fault, that does not end the matter. Colorado lets you recover when your negligence was not as great as the negligence of the person against whom recovery is sought, and the award is reduced by your share (C.R.S. § 13-21-111).
Generally, no defendant owes more than the share of fault attributed to that defendant, and the jury may weigh the fault of a person who is not in the case. The defendant must give notice within ninety days after the action begins unless the court allows longer (C.R.S. § 13-21-111.5).
Special Rules To Know
Ask early whether a special rule applies, because it depends on who is responsible. For a private defendant, exemplary damages need fraud, malice or willful and wanton conduct (C.R.S. § 13-21-102) and proof beyond a reasonable doubt (C.R.S. § 13-25-127), and the amount is limited to the actual damages unless the court raises it for conduct during the case.
For a public body, the notice must be filed within 182 days after the injury is discovered, even if you did not yet know every element of a claim (C.R.S. § 24-10-109).
Filing Deadlines For Injury Claims
The standard deadline depends on the kind of claim: two years for most tort actions (C.R.S. § 13-80-102), three years for a motor vehicle tort action (C.R.S. § 13-80-101), and one year for assault, battery or false imprisonment (C.R.S. § 13-80-103).
Claims against a public body add a notice step, a written notice within 182 days after the injury is discovered (C.R.S. § 24-10-109). Because the limits differ by claim, ask early which one fits your facts.
What Auto Policies Must Cover
Colorado requires liability coverage of at least $25,000 for bodily injury or death to any one person in an accident, $50,000 to all persons in one accident, and $15,000 for property damage (C.R.S. § 10-4-620). Those are minimums, and a serious injury can cost far more.
Your own policy matters too. A motor vehicle liability policy must provide uninsured motorist coverage in the limits set in C.R.S. § 42-7-103, unless the named insured rejects it in writing (C.R.S. § 10-4-609).
The Court and Hospitals Behind a Centennial Claim
The Census Bureau places Centennial in Arapahoe County. Arapahoe County’s 18th Judicial District court is listed in Centennial, at 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112. In Centennial, the state trauma list names HCA HealthONE Centennial, a part of Aurora Hosp as a Level IV trauma center.
The three Colorado acute care and critical access hospitals nearest Centennial in the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital General Information file, measured in a straight line from the town’s coordinates, are Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree, 4.3 miles, an acute care hospital; AdventHealth Parker in Parker, 5.9 miles, an acute care hospital; and AdventHealth Littleton in Littleton, 6.4 miles, an acute care hospital. The street address of Sky Ridge Medical Center is 10101 Ridgegate Pkwy, Lone Tree, CO 80124. Sky Ridge Medical Center is in Douglas County, outside Arapahoe County.
These figures are straight line distances, so the drive from Centennial is longer. Whichever provider treated you, request your complete records and an itemized bill, and keep a list of every appointment.
Fourth and fifth on the list are The Medical Center of Aurora & South Hospital in Aurora, 7.1 miles, and HCA-HealthONE dba Swedish Medical Center in Englewood, 7.3 miles. Within 10, 25 and 50 miles of Centennial the file shows 7, 18 and 29 Colorado acute care and critical access hospitals, by straight line.
Closest to Centennial among the places this site covers are Highlands Ranch, 6.4 miles southwest; Englewood, 7.7 miles northwest; and Littleton, 8.0 miles west. Denver is 12 miles north of Centennial and Colorado Springs is 50 miles south.
Beginning Your Case Review In Centennial
Fill in the form at the top of this page. NeedAnAttorney.net reviews your details and works to match you with an attorney in our network who may handle cases in Colorado. The form is free to use, and sending it does not mean you have hired anyone.
Until someone calls, make a simple record: what happened, the date and time, names of anyone who saw it, the treatment you have had, and the days you missed from work. Keep every bill and letter in one place.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are Colorado’s minimum auto insurance limits?
At least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury or death, and $15,000 for property damage (C.R.S. § 10-4-620).
Which hospital is closest to Centennial?
Sky Ridge Medical Center in Lone Tree is the closest Colorado acute care or critical access hospital on the federal hospital list, 4.3 miles away in a straight line, an acute care hospital. AdventHealth Parker in Parker is 5.9 miles away and AdventHealth Littleton in Littleton is 6.4 miles away. In an emergency call 911 first; not every hospital has an emergency room.
What other places near Centennial have their own page here?
Highlands Ranch is 6.4 miles southwest of Centennial, Englewood is 7.7 miles northwest and Littleton is 8.0 miles west, by straight line from the Census coordinates.
Are there special rules for claims against the government?
There are. Notice to the public entity within 182 days of discovery is a jurisdictional prerequisite, and missing it forever bars the action (C.R.S. § 24-10-109).
Which court would hear an injury case from Centennial?
An attorney will tell you which court has jurisdiction in your situation. The state judiciary’s court listing, described above, shows where its local courts are.
How long do I have to file an injury lawsuit in Colorado?
For most injury claims, two years (C.R.S. § 13-80-102). For a car, truck or other motor vehicle claim, three years (C.R.S. § 13-80-101). Assault, battery and false imprisonment have one year (C.R.S. § 13-80-103).
Does Colorado count my share of the blame?
Yes, the jury states a percentage for each party (C.R.S. § 13-21-111). You can recover only when your share is less than the share of the person you are suing, and the award is reduced by your percentage.
Can I recover punitive damages in an injury case?
Sometimes. Colorado calls them exemplary damages. You must show fraud, malice or willful and wanton conduct (C.R.S. § 13-21-102) and prove it beyond a reasonable doubt (C.R.S. § 13-25-127).
Help Elsewhere in Colorado
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