Aurora Premises Liability Lawyer

Being seriously hurt on someone else’s property — whether by a broken stairwell, falling merchandise, or an assault in a poorly secured apartment complex off Peoria Street — is unsettling, and the danger that injured you was never something you should have had to guard against. Premises liability is much broader than a slip-and-fall, and you have every right to be safe when you walk into a store, park, or building. After an injury like this, an Aurora premises liability lawyer can take on the insurer for you while you concentrate on recovering.

• Two decades of Colorado experience: Levine Law was founded by Jordan S. Levine more than 20 years ago, and our team carries that experience into every Aurora case. Learn about our firm and who would represent you.
• Millions recovered for our clients: Our multi-million-dollar case results, verdicts, and client reviews speak for themselves.
• Every kind of personal injury case: From car accident and premises liability cases involving negligent security to falling merchandise, broken stairs, and related Aurora slip and fall accidents.
• A free, no-pressure call: Reach us by contacting our Denver office — consultations are free, and we work on contingency, so you pay no fee unless we win. See the awards and recognition our attorneys have earned.

Don’t wait to act. Colorado gives you just two years to file most premises liability claims (C.R.S. § 13-80-102). That’s one year less than you’d get after a car crash. Evidence like security video can disappear long before that deadline hits. And under Colorado’s current cap, you may be able to claim up to $1.5 million in pain-and-suffering damages. The sooner you act, the more proof you can save.

How should you respond right away after a premises liability injury in Aurora?

Alert whoever runs the property, get checked out medically, and capture photos of the hazard before it disappears — cleaned up, repaired, or removed. Ask for a written incident report from the business, landlord, or property manager, and keep your own copy. That document frequently becomes the earliest evidence in your claim.

Your initial actions determine the strength of your claim. To safeguard your rights:

• Put your complaint in writing. Email or text the store, landlord, HOA, or property manager describing the hazard, and note who you spoke with and when.
• Take pictures immediately. Take pictures of the broken railing, the unlit stairwell, the spilled product, the jammed escalator — hazards like these often get repaired or removed within hours.
• See a doctor right away. Serious injuries send Aurora patients to UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital on the Anschutz Medical Campus, a Level I trauma center, or to The Medical Center of Aurora. Quick records tie the injury to the hazard.
• Save evidence and get witness names. If you were assaulted because of poor security, call 911 so the Aurora Police Department documents it. That report becomes key evidence in a negligent-security claim. Independent witness contact info matters most when your account and the owner’s conflict later.

What actually happens after a premises injury in Aurora?

Property owners have a head start on erasing what happened. Security videos such as from an apartment complex off Mississippi Avenue or a parking garage near the Anschutz campus are routinely recorded over in a matter of days. Broken fixtures get repaired, and maintenance records stay in the owner’s hands. So proof of the hazard can be gone before you ever speak to a lawyer.

Meanwhile, the property’s insurer isn’t waiting around. Expect a call from a risk manager or claims adjuster within a day or two, often fishing for a recorded statement or floating the idea that you weren’t careful enough. Whatever you say before you fully understand your injuries can resurface later to argue you share the blame. Stick to basic facts and hold off on any recorded statement until you’ve spoken with a lawyer. A prompt evidence-preservation letter puts the property owner on formal notice not to destroy the footage that could make your case.

What are the most common causes of premises liability accidents in Aurora?

Premises liability accidents trace back to a dangerous condition the owner failed to fix, secure, or warn about — and in Aurora they turn up everywhere from dense apartment corridors to the retail strips along Havana Street. The most serious causes:

• Unsecured or poorly lit properties — assaults, robberies, or shootings in poorly lit or unsecured apartment complexes, parking garages, and venues where the owner ignored known risks. This is called negligent security which means the owner failed to provide reasonable safety, like working locks or lighting.
• Deferred maintenance — broken locks and gates, burned-out lights, and neglected common areas.
• Unsecured store shelving — merchandise that falls or gets knocked loose in warehouse and big box stores such as along the I-225 corridors.
• Stairway and railing hazards — along with elevator and escalator malfunctions.
• Pool and spa hazards —drownings and injuries at unfences or unsupervised pools in apartment complexes and hotels.
• Snow, ice, and uneven surfaces — the basis of most Aurora slip and fall claims.
• Dog bites and animal attacks —- on home or rental property, covered by Colorado’s dog-bite law on top of premises rules.

These dangers can be everywhere from a Southlands retail center to a shop or restaurant at Stanley Marketplace.

What types of injuries are common in Aurora premises liability cases?

Premises injuries range from minor cuts to lasting, and life-changing harm. How severe the injury is usually drives both the medical timeline and the value of the claim. These are the injuries we see the most:

• Fractures and broken bones — falls alone cause an estimated 3 million ER visits and 319,000 hip-fracture hospitalizations among older adults every year, on top of breaks from falling merchandise or defective stairs.
• Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) — from a fall, a falling object, or an assault. The CDC identifies falls as the leading cause of TBI nationwide.
• Spine and back injuries — falls cause roughly 32% of traumatic spinal cord injuries, second only to vehicle crashes, and the damage can mean lasting pain or paralysis.
• Assault injuries — gunshot or stab wounds, broken bones, and lasting emotional trauma from a negligent-security attack. The federal data puts the national ED-visit rate for nonfatal assault injuries at roughly 497 per 100,000 people a year.
• Drowning and near-drowning injuries — including brain damage from lack of oxygen in a pool accident. The CDC counts an average of 11 drowning deaths and 22 nonfatal drownings every day nationwide.

Head, spinal, and internal injuries have a way of getting worse before they get better, often over the days that follow the incident. Seeing a doctor quickly — at a trauma center like Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge — protects your recovery and creates the record your claim depends on.

Find Out How Much Your Case in Worth

Call us for a FREE consultation. No Fee Unless We Get You Money.

Schedule a FREE Consultation

Call At 303-333-8000

Who is liable for a premises liability injury in Aurora?

Whoever controls the property and lets a hazard go unaddressed is generally the party who owes you compensation for the damages under the Colorado Premises Liability Act (C.R.S. § 13-21-115). But the law doesn’t treat every visitor the same. A judge first classifies you into one of three categories, and that classification decides exactly how much care the owner was legally required to show:

• Invitee — you were there as a customer or member of the public invited onto a business. This is the strongest protection: the owner must fix or warn you about any danger he/she knew about, or reasonably should have discovered.
• Licensee — you were a social guest or otherwise on the property with the owner’s permission for your own purposes. Here the owner only answers for hazards it actually knew about and failed to flag.
• Trespasser — you were on the property without permission. The owner’s duty shrinks to avoiding harm caused intentionally.

The party who actually owes you may be a business, a landlord, a property-management company, or an HOA, depending on who controlled the property. 

Attorney insight: what makes Aurora premises liability cases complex?

Winning a premises claim is hard because a judge decides the legal rules, and the property owner controls the evidence. This makes it tougher to win than a normal injury case.

What makes Aurora premises liability claims complex:

• A judge, not a jury, decides your visitor status. Under the Colorado Premises Liability Act (C.R.S. § 13-21-115), a judge determines if you were a customer, a social guest, or a trespasser. This decision sets the rules for how much the owner had to look out for you before your case ever gets to a jury.
• Proving the owner knew about the danger is key. To win, you must show the owner knew or should have known about the hazard but didn’t fix it or warn you. Records such as cleaning logs and repair orders often determine whether you win or lose.
• Safety claims require proof the crime could have been expected. In an assault case, you must show that the owner should have seen the danger coming, usually because of other nearby crimes. This is a common issue in busy apartment areas off Havana Street.
• Multiple people might be to blame, and the court location can change. An owner, a renter, and a manager could all be responsible. Since Aurora is in Arapahoe, Adams, and Douglas counties, your case might be heard in the 18th District (Arapahoe) or the 17th District (Adams).
• Injuries on city property have a very tight deadline. If you were hurt on City of Aurora or RTD property, the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act says you must send a written notice within 182 days. If you miss this short window, you can’t sue at all.

To be trial ready, you have to lock down physical and digital evidence early, bring in medical and security experts as the case demands, document how the injury has changed your daily life, and build the file as though a jury will eventually see it.

What damages can you recover after an Aurora premises liability injury?

Colorado law splits recoverable damages into two buckets: economic damages, the losses you can put a dollar figure on, and non-economic damages, the harder-to-quantify human toll like pain and suffering. Economic damages are uncapped, while non-economic damages are limited by statute C.R.S. § 13-21-102.5.

Economic damages typically include:

• Medical costs — costs from the emergency room through physical therapy and any future treatment.
• Lost wages — loss in finances and any hit to your future earning power.
• Out-of-pocket expenses — expenses from home modifications, mobility equipment, and similar costs tied to your recovery.

Non-economic damages include:

• Emotional distress — the fear, anxiety, and psychological aftermath of the incident.
• Pain and suffering — the physical toll your injuries have taken.
• Scarring and disfigurement — lasting marks left by the injury or by surgery.
• Loss of companionship — the toll on your relationships with the people close to you.
• Loss of enjoyment of life — missing out on the hobbies and routines that mattered to you before the incident.

Non-economic losses may be less tangible, but they still carry a price tag — trauma therapy and pain management both cost money, and disfiguring scars can affect your ability to earn a living. Colorado lets you pursue economic damages to cover those costs on top of non-economic damages for the personal toll the incident took.

SCHEDULE A FREE CONSULTATION TODAY

 

Levine Law Is Here
To Support You

CONTACT US

Legal note on Colorado’s damage caps

For claims filed on or after January 1, 2025, Colorado raised its cap on pain-and-suffering (non-economic) damages to $1.5 million under HB 24-1472. This is the cap for an injury claim. Money losses like medical bills and lost wages stay uncapped. In cases of extreme or reckless conduct, extra “punitive” damages may be available under C.R.S. § 13-21-102. Thorough documentation is usually the difference between an insurer’s first lowball number and a settlement that actually covers what you lost.

How long do you have to file a premises liability claim in Colorado?

Colorado usually gives you two years from the date you were hurt to file a lawsuit for a premises liability claim under C.R.S. § 13-80-102. This is the usual time limit for most injury cases, which is one year less than you get for car accidents. Do not wait to take action.

Talking with an insurance company does not pause this deadline — only filing a lawsuit does. There are a few rare exceptions, such as when the injured person is a minor, so it is smart to check your specific deadline early instead of assuming the general rule applies to you.

Pitfall alert: the 182-day deadline on public property

A different, much shorter clock applies if the property is government-owned — a City of Aurora park or building, or a Regional Transportation District (RTD) R Line station: the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act (C.R.S. § 24-10-109) requires written notice within 182 days, separate from and far shorter than the standard two-year filing window.

What if you did not report the incident or the evidence is gone?

In a premises case, “reporting” means telling the property and, in an assault, calling the police. If you never reported the incident and the video is erased, your claim gets harder to prove. But it is not always lost. The common gaps:

• No incident report. If you did not tell a manager or file a report, an insurer will likely argue the injury did not happen the way you say. A lawyer can still rebuild proof from medical records, receipts, and witnesses.
• Erased surveillance. Aurora property owners commonly overwrite their video systems on a short cycle, sometimes within 48 to 72 hours. A quick evidence-preservation letter tells the owner to save it, and it can be the strongest proof of the hazard.
• No police report in an assault. In a negligent-security case, an Aurora Police report helps prove the assault and the danger. Even without one, prior-crime records near the property can show the harm was foreseeable — meaning the owner should have seen the risk coming.

The takeaway: report the incident in writing, call 911 for any assault, and act fast so a lawyer can lock down the video and records before they disappear.

Why do you need a premises liability lawyer in Aurora?

Property insurers are built to pay as little as they can get away with, and an attorney is what forces them to negotiate honestly. That matters most in premises cases, where the main fight is proving the owner’s notice of the hazard — and, in negligent-security cases, that the harm was foreseeable (the owner should have seen the risk coming). Here is why that fight is uneven:

• Property insurers protect their bottom line. They often argue the danger was “open and obvious” or that you were partly to blame.
• Adjusters sometimes try to close the file with a lowball number before you’ve finished treatment, banking on the fact that you don’t know yet the full cost of your injury.
• Security video, incident reports, maintenance and inspection logs, and prior-crime data for negligent-security claims all stay in the property owner’s hands, and none of it is guaranteed to survive without a lawyer stepping in fast.

Opponent playbook

Insurers handling negligent-security or fall claims such as at an Aurora parking garage or an apartment complex off Parker Road tend to lean on two arguments: that the danger was “open and obvious,” or that you share the blame. Because Colorado bars recovery entirely once you hit 50% fault, even a modest share assigned to you shrinks your payout. Your attorney’s response is to move first — pulling the security video, incident reports, maintenance and lighting records, and, in an assault case, proof of prior crime near the property that made the danger foreseeable — before management has a chance to record over or discard any of it.

A third tactic shows up whenever your medical history isn’t spotless: the insurer argues a bad back, an old knee injury, or arthritis explains your symptoms better than the fall or the assault does. Colorado law doesn’t let that argument carry the day. Under the eggshell plaintiff rule (Colorado Jury Instruction 6:7), a property owner is liable for the full extent of the harm it caused, even if a pre-existing condition left you more susceptible to injury than an average person. Your attorney counters with your prior medical records, drawing a clear line between how you functioned before the incident and how you function now.

What does the premises liability claim process look like?

Most claims follow a set path: you talk to a lawyer, they look into what happened, and then they try to reach a fair deal. If the insurance company won’t pay what is fair, your lawyer will file a lawsuit in the local county court.

• A free meeting. You will talk about how you got hurt and what caused the accident.
• Finding the proof. Your lawyer will gather security videos, incident reports, cleaning logs, and medical records. They will also talk to people who saw what happened.
• Asking for payment. Your lawyer will send a formal letter to the insurance company and try to settle the case for a fair amount of money.
• Settling or going to court. If the insurance company refuses to pay, we will start a lawsuit. Most Aurora cases happen in Arapahoe County District Court at the Arapahoe County Justice Center, 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial. If you were hurt in north Aurora, your case might be in Adams County (17th Judicial District) instead.

How long this takes depends on how serious the injuries are and the court’s schedule.

How do you choose the right Aurora premises liability lawyer?

Look for real experience with premises and negligent-security cases, knowledge of the Arapahoe and Adams County courts and Front Range property insurers, clear communication, and real trial readiness — the kind of track record an ad campaign can’t manufacture.

Does the firm have real premises liability experience?

For more than 20 years, Levine Law has represented injured people across the Denver metro in serious injury claims, including premises and negligent-security cases. A track record with cases like yours matters far more than advertising.

Does the firm know Colorado premises law from the inside?

Founding partner Jordan S. Levine helped set Colorado law on holding insurers accountable for mishandling injury claims in Crowell v. ICAO — the same insurer accountability that shapes many premises claims.

Is the firm actually ready to go to trial?

The best settlements often come when the insurer knows your lawyer is ready to try the case. Levine Law’s attorneys hold an AV Preeminent rating — Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer rating for a lawyer’s legal ability and ethical standards — and have been recognized by Super Lawyers and the National Trial Lawyers (each recognition reflects that group’s own selection criteria).

Are the fees clear before you sign anything?

Levine Law works on contingency, “No Win, No Fee” — no attorney’s fee unless we recover for you — and consultations are free.

Client testimonials

Levine Law’s clients often describe steady communication and close attention after a serious injury.

“Sarah Freedman and Levine Law were outstanding in providing me legal services in my slip and fall case. I highly recommend Sarah to anyone seeking justice concerning personal injury.” — Lawyers.com review

You can read more verified reviews on our Levine Law Reviews page.

Disclaimer: Client reviews are individual experiences and are not a guarantee of any particular result.

Case results that reflect real experience

Levine Law has secured real results for clients hurt by dangerous property conditions and related negligence, working to recover money for medical care, lost income, and long-term recovery. Representative results include:

• $392,000 verdict (plus interest) — A renter broke her ankle when she fell on a broken staircase at her apartment. The insurance company first offered only $500 to settle the case.
• $960,000 settlement — A worker slipped on ice while opening a gate and had to have surgery on his back.
• $80,000 settlement, plus $56,000 for future care — A client fell because of a danger on a property and broke an ankle, which required surgery to fix.

More outcomes are listed on our Cases & Verdicts page.

Disclaimer: Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome; every case is decided on its own facts.

Areas served

Levine Law represents premises liability victims throughout Aurora and the wider Denver metro, including:

• Aurora
• Denver
• Lakewood
• Glendale
• Arvada
• Boulder
• Colorado Springs
• Fort Collins

We also handle related Aurora injury claims, including slip-and-fall accidents and dog-bite injuries, backed by our experience in Denver premises liability and slip-and-fall cases.

Local resources

Hospitals & trauma care (Aurora)

• UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital — Level I trauma center, Anschutz Medical Campus, 12605 E 16th Ave, Aurora, CO 80045
• The Medical Center of Aurora (HealthONE) — major Aurora hospital and emergency room

Agencies & records

• Aurora Police Department Records — incident documentation; Records Section 303-739-6320, 15001 E. Alameda Pkwy
• City of Aurora — public-property and parks claims (CGIA notice)

Courts

• Arapahoe County District Court (18th Judicial District) — Arapahoe County Justice Center, 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112; clerk (303) 645-6600
• Adams County District Court (17th Judicial District) — for incidents in north Aurora

Disclaimer: We provide these resources for convenience only; we do not endorse or profit from them.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I have to file a premises liability claim in Aurora?

You usually have two years from the date of injury under C.R.S. § 13-80-102 — shorter than the three-year rule for car crashes. If you were hurt in a City of Aurora park or on an RTD R Line platform, you must give written notice within 182 days, so your real deadline can be far shorter.

What is negligent security and can I sue in Aurora?

Negligent security is a premises claim for an assault or crime that an owner’s lack of reasonable safety allowed — like broken locks or poor lighting. Under C.R.S. § 13-21-115, you must show the harm was foreseeable, often through prior crime at an apartment complex such as off Iliff Avenue or a garage near the Anschutz campus.

Who is liable if I am hurt on Aurora rental or apartment property?

Liability may fall on the landlord, property-management company, or HOA that controlled the area where you were hurt. Under the Colorado Premises Liability Act (C.R.S. § 13-21-115), how much the owner owed you depends on your visitor status, which the court decides. Many Aurora apartment claims are filed in Arapahoe County District Court.

What if I was partly at fault for my injury?

You can still recover if you are 49% or less at fault under Colorado’s rule on how blame is split (C.R.S. § 13-21-111). Your payment is cut by your share of blame. At 50% or more, you get nothing — which is why insurers raise “open and obvious” arguments.

How is premises liability different from a slip and fall?

Slip and fall is just one category under the premises liability umbrella. The broader claim also covers negligent security, falling merchandise, defective stairs, and pool-related injuries, all governed by C.R.S. § 13-21-115. Both types face the same two-year filing deadline and the same invitee, licensee, or trespasser framework.

Contact an Aurora premises liability lawyer today

If you or a family member was hurt on someone else’s property in the Aurora area, Levine Law is available 24/7 to review your claim and explain your options at no cost.

Contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation.

Attorney Review Disclosure

This content has been reviewed by the attorneys at Levine Law to help ensure its accuracy and compliance with applicable Colorado law. Legal services are provided by attorneys licensed to practice in the State of Colorado.

Denver Office
Levine Law LLC
4500 Cherry Creek S Dr #400
Denver, CO 80246
24/7 Hotline: (303) 333-8000

Other Cases We Take On

Beyond premises liability, Levine Law helps injured Coloradans across many practice areas:

• Slip & Fall Accidents (Aurora)
• Dog Bite Injuries (Aurora)
• Car Accidents (Aurora)
• Uber & Lyft / Rideshare Accidents (Aurora)
• Truck Accidents (Aurora)
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Wrongful Death

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes; every case is evaluated on its own facts. This content has been prepared for review by Colorado-licensed attorneys at Levine Law.