Lakewood Premises Liability Lawyer

A fall down a stairwell that’s been dark for weeks. A pool accident at a condo community, the kind of place where you assumed someone was watching. A dog bite while checking the mail at a Belmar apartment complex. None of it feels like something you should have to explain or justify. Colorado law groups these under one umbrella: the property owner’s duty to keep the people who come onto their land reasonably safe. What that duty requires, and how much proof it takes, changes with each one.

A lawyer who already knows where those differences lie keeps you from wasting time on the wrong argument. What that looks like in practice at Levine Law:

• More than 20 years across Colorado injury claims. Founder Jordan S. Levine has grown the Levine Law practice well beyond ordinary slip and fall work into the fuller range of premises cases.
• A track record spanning several kinds of claims. The firm’s case results and verdicts include multi-million-dollar recoveries across premises, dog bite, and other injury matters — more on that further down.
• One practice, many hazard types. The firm handles dog bites, negligent security, and property-hazard claims on the same contingency terms as everything else it takes on. More about the firm.
• Don’t assume you have three years — you likely don’t. Most Lakewood premises claims must be filed within two years, a full year short of the deadline tied to a car accident. Contact us for a free consultation while there’s still time.

The three-year deadline most people associate with an injury claim applies only to car accidents. Premises claims run on a shorter clock, and that gap trips people up more often than you’d think. Here’s where to start.

What kinds of premises liability claims come up in Lakewood?

“Premises liability” covers any injury caused by a dangerous condition on someone else’s property, which in practice spans a wide range of situations. A few show up more often than others in a city built the way Lakewood is, with dense apartment stock, an aging retail corridor, and a busy entertainment district in Belmar.

• Negligent security. A broken gate, a dead light in a parking structure, or a missing security presence despite a known pattern of trouble can make a property owner responsible for what happens next. That risk runs highest around apartment complexes and nightlife areas.
• Dog bites and animal attacks. Common wherever dogs and dense housing mix, which describes most of Lakewood’s apartment corridors.
• Swimming pool and water-feature accidents, frequent at apartment and condo communities that maintain a shared pool for residents.
• Structural failures and falling objects. A collapsed balcony railing, unsecured signage, or shelving that gives way in an older strip-mall storefront.
• Toxic exposure. Mold or carbon monoxide from deferred maintenance in Lakewood’s older rental housing stock.

A fall caused by a wet floor or icy sidewalk is technically a premises liability claim too. See our Lakewood slip and fall page if that’s closer to what happened to you.

What injuries come up most often in these claims?

Dog bite wounds, assault-related trauma, near-drowning, fractures, and respiratory illness from toxic exposure account for most of what we see, though which one you’re facing depends heavily on the hazard involved. Here’s how that breaks down by hazard type:

• Puncture wounds, lacerations, and nerve or tendon damage from a dog bite, sometimes serious enough to need reconstructive surgery.
• Infection, a real risk with any bite wound that isn’t treated and monitored properly.
• Traumatic brain injuries and other trauma from an assault a property failed to reasonably guard against.
• Near-drowning and other water-related injuries, most often involving children at an unsupervised or inadequately fenced pool.
• Fractures and crush injuries from a structural failure, a collapsed railing or shelving that gives way without warning.
• Respiratory illness or poisoning from mold or carbon monoxide exposure tied to deferred building maintenance.

A bite wound or a smoke-free carbon monoxide exposure can look far less serious than it is in the first day or two. Get evaluated even when the injury seems to be healing fine on its own, and mention every symptom that shows up later, however minor.

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What should you do after a premises liability injury in Lakewood?

Regardless of which kind of hazard caused it, the same four things matter in the first few days: get medical care, report what happened to whoever’s responsible, document the scene while it’s still there to document, and hold off on giving a recorded statement.

Start here:

• Get medical care, even for a dog bite that looks minor. A bite can carry infection risk well beyond what the wound looks like, and a full medical record matters for any claim.
• Report the incident to whoever’s responsible. The property manager, the dog’s owner, the pool operator. Ask for a copy of whatever report they generate, if one exists.
• Photograph everything relevant. The dog, the broken gate, the pool area, the collapsed shelving. Conditions get fixed or removed faster than most people expect.
• Get contact information for witnesses, including anyone who can speak to how long a hazard existed or whether similar incidents happened before.
• Avoid a recorded statement until you’ve talked to a premises liability lawyer. An insurer’s early questions are rarely as neutral as they sound.

Does it matter whether the property owner knew about the danger?

For most premises hazards, yes, and it’s usually the whole case. Colorado’s Premises Liability Act (C.R.S. § 13-21-115) generally requires showing the property owner actually knew, or reasonably should have known, about the dangerous condition. For negligent security specifically, that usually means showing the property was on notice of the risk. A history of similar incidents nearby usually does that. One isolated crime on its own usually doesn’t.

Dog bites work differently. Colorado’s dog bite statute (C.R.S. § 13-21-124) imposes liability for a serious bite regardless of whether the owner had any prior reason to think the dog was dangerous. There’s no notice requirement to clear at all. The tradeoff is that the statute carves out real exceptions. A trespasser, someone who provoked the dog, a posted “Beware of Dog” sign, or a professional role like veterinary staff can each defeat a claim that would otherwise succeed.

Knowing which framework applies to your situation, the notice-based one or the strict-liability one, changes what evidence actually matters.

Who can be held responsible after a Lakewood premises liability injury?

The person or entity responsible for a Lakewood premises liability injury depends largely on who controlled the area where the injury occurred and what responsibility they had for the condition that caused it. That could be a property owner, landlord, property manager, commercial tenant, HOA, dog owner, or, in some circumstances, a government entity. The important question is not simply who owns the property, but who has responsibility for the condition and whether the available evidence supports liability.

Here is how that can break down:

• Property owner or manager: An owner or manager may be responsible for a dangerous condition on property they control when the requirements of Colorado’s premises liability law are met. That can include conditions involving walkways, stairs, entrances, lighting, parking areas, or other parts of the property.
• Landlord or HOA: Responsibility for common areas may fall on a landlord, property management company, or HOA depending on the property’s ownership structure and the duties assigned to each party. Stairwells, parking structures, sidewalks, pools, and shared entrances can involve different layers of control.
• Commercial tenant: A business may have responsibility for an unsafe condition inside the space it occupies or controls, even when someone else owns the building. The lease and the parties’ actual responsibilities matter when determining who was responsible for maintaining the area.
• Dog owner: Dog-bite claims involve a separate Colorado statute. Under C.R.S. § 13-21-124, a dog owner can be liable for certain injuries caused by a bite when the person was lawfully on public or private property, including serious bodily injury or death, regardless of whether the owner knew about the dog’s dangerous tendencies.
• Government entity: A city, county, or other public entity may potentially be responsible for certain dangerous conditions on public property, but government claims involve additional requirements under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act. The CGIA generally requires notice within 182 days of the injury, and the Colorado Supreme Court recently reaffirmed the importance of timely notice in Mostellar v. City of Colorado Springs.

Why liability gets complicated fast

A premises liability injury may happen in one location, but responsibility for that location can be divided. A landlord may own the building while a tenant controls the area where the injury occurred. A property manager may handle inspections, while a contractor is responsible for snow removal or maintenance. In a Lakewood apartment complex, for example, identifying who controlled a particular stairwell, parking area, or walkway may require looking beyond the property’s ownership records.

The condition itself is only part of the question. Under Colorado’s premises liability framework, the circumstances surrounding the condition, the injured person’s status on the property, and the responsibilities of the person or entity being sued can all affect the claim. That makes evidence such as photographs, surveillance footage, inspection records, maintenance records, incident reports, leases, and witness statements particularly important.

Your own actions can also become part of the analysis. Colorado’s modified comparative negligence rule under C.R.S. § 13-21-111 can reduce a recovery according to the injured person’s share of fault, and the statute bars recovery when the person’s negligence is equal to or greater than the negligence of the party or parties from whom recovery is sought. The specific application can depend on the facts and the parties involved.

For that reason, determining who is responsible after a Lakewood premises liability injury is rarely just a matter of identifying the property owner. A Lakewood premises liability attorney can investigate who controlled the area, what condition caused the injury, what the responsible party knew or should have known, and what evidence supports each part of the claim.

What can you recover after a Lakewood premises liability injury?

The compensation available after a Lakewood premises liability injury depends on the injuries you suffered, the financial losses they caused, and the evidence supporting the claim. A case may involve medical expenses and lost income, as well as compensation for pain, emotional effects, and lasting physical impairment or disfigurement. Colorado law also places a statutory limit on certain noneconomic damages in civil actions filed on or after January 1, 2025. (C.R.S. § 13-21-102.5), (HB 24-1472).

• Medical expenses and other financial losses. This can include emergency treatment, hospital care, surgery, medication, rehabilitation, and future medical care related to the injury. If the injury kept you from working, lost income or reduced earning capacity may also be part of the claim.
• Pain and other non-economic losses. A serious premises injury can affect more than your finances. Depending on the evidence, compensation may account for pain and suffering, emotional distress, inconvenience, and the ways the injury interferes with your usual activities. Colorado’s statutory limitation applies specifically to noneconomic loss or injury. 
• Physical impairment or disfigurement. Some injuries leave lasting changes, such as permanent mobility limitations or significant scarring. Colorado law separately addresses compensatory damages for physical impairment or disfigurement when applying the limitation on noneconomic damages.

Why calculating damages can be complicated

The value of an injury claim is not determined by adding up medical bills alone. A serious injury may involve treatment that continues for months, time away from work, changes to everyday activities, or permanent physical effects that are difficult to capture in a single number.

The source of the claim can also affect the analysis. A dog-bite claim, for example, may involve the owner’s applicable insurance coverage, while an injury at a business or apartment complex may involve different policies and potentially more than one responsible party. If a government entity is involved, additional governmental-immunity rules, notice requirements, and statutory limitations may apply.

For civil actions filed on or after January 1, 2025, Colorado’s general noneconomic-damages cap is $1.5 million, with inflation adjustments beginning January 1, 2028, under the terms of the statute (HB 24-1472). That cap does not mean every premises liability claim is worth $1.5 million. The actual recovery depends on the injuries, financial losses, liability evidence, applicable insurance coverage, and other facts of the case.

A Lakewood personal injury attorney can help identify which losses may be recoverable, document the longer-term effects of the injury, and determine which damages limitations or other rules apply to the particular claim.

How long do you have to file a claim after a Lakewood premises liability injury?

Colorado’s general personal injury statute (C.R.S. § 13-80-102) gives you two years from the date of the injury to get a lawsuit on file, whether the claim involves a dog bite, a pool accident, or any other premises hazard. That’s shorter than the three-year window that applies when a motor vehicle is involved in a crash. Lakewood sits entirely in Jefferson County, so a suit here is typically filed in the Jefferson County District Court, 1st Judicial District, in Golden.

Pitfall alert

If a government entity is involved- a public pool, a public building, a park- a much shorter deadline runs alongside the two-year one. The Colorado Governmental Immunity Act requires written notice within 182 days of the injury. Missing it generally bars the claim against that entity, even though the rest of your two years keeps running.

Why do you need a lawyer after a Lakewood premises liability injury?

Premises cases carry a wrinkle a lot of other injury claims don’t: the legal standard itself changes depending on what kind of hazard hurt you. A lawyer helps sort through a few things you likely can’t untangle alone.

Where a premises liability claim can become complicated

• Who controlled the area where you were injured. Ownership does not always tell the whole story. A landlord, property manager, tenant, HOA, maintenance contractor, or other party may have different responsibilities for the same property.
• What the responsible party knew or should have known. Depending on the circumstances, the claim may turn on evidence showing what was known about a dangerous condition and whether there was a reasonable opportunity to address it. Surveillance footage, inspection records, maintenance logs, incident reports, photographs, and witness accounts can become important.
• What caused the injury. A fall on an icy walkway, a dog bite, inadequate lighting, or another unsafe condition can raise different legal questions. Understanding the specific circumstances helps determine which rules apply and what evidence matters.
• Whether another party shares responsibility. A property owner may point to a tenant or maintenance company, while a tenant may argue that the owner controlled the area. Sorting out those relationships can require reviewing property records, leases, maintenance agreements, and other documents.
• The full effect of the injury. The initial medical bills may not show the entire impact. Treatment that continues over time, missed work, permanent scarring, mobility limitations, or changes to everyday activities can all affect the damages being claimed.

How a Lakewood personal injury attorney can help

A lawyer can investigate the property condition and work to preserve evidence before it disappears. That may include identifying who controlled the area, requesting relevant records, documenting the condition, locating witnesses, and examining whether prior complaints or incidents help explain what happened.

A lawyer can also help organize the medical and financial evidence so the claim reflects more than the immediate cost of treatment. If an insurer disputes responsibility, questions your account of the incident, or points to your own actions, having the relevant evidence organized can make it easier to address those issues based on the facts.

For a Lakewood premises liability claim, the useful work is often in the details: who controlled the property, what they knew, what happened before the injury, and how the injury has affected you since. An attorney for premises liability cases can help work through those questions and explain how they may affect your claim.

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How does a premises liability claim work in Colorado?

A premises claim in Lakewood generally works through four steps before it’s resolved. It starts with reviewing the case, then building evidence around the hazard and whichever legal framework fits, then a documented demand with negotiation, and, for the minority that need it, filing suit. Most never reach that last step.

1. Case review. We sort out what happened, what it’s cost you, and whether the notice-based standard or the strict-liability dog bite statute fits your facts.
2. Evidence gathering. Incident reports, photos, medical records, witness statements, and any record of similar past incidents on the property all get collected.
3. Demand and negotiation. A documented demand goes to the responsible insurer once the file is built, and negotiation proceeds from there.
4. Filing suit. In the minority of claims where it’s necessary, that means the Jefferson County District Court.

What can change the course of your case?

A few specific facts tend to steer a Lakewood claim onto a different track. Whether the dog bite statute or the general notice-based standard governs your claim decides what actually has to be proven. And whether a private owner or a government entity controls the property changes both how long you have to file and which damages cap applies. Getting a lawyer looking at these questions early tends to make the biggest difference.

How do you choose a lawyer for a premises liability claim?

Before signing with anyone, it’s worth checking how well a firm actually knows Colorado’s premises and dog bite law, and what its track record shows. Here’s how Levine Law holds up:

• Is there an actual track record behind the pitch? 

Levine Law’s premises work includes a $ 392,000-plus interest verdict for a tenant hurt by a defective staircase (full case results). A past verdict doesn’t guarantee a future one, but it’s a more honest signal than marketing copy.

• Has the firm actually handled cases beyond a basic wet-floor fall? 

Premises liability covers far more ground than most people assume. Ask whether a firm you’re considering has taken on a dog bite or negligent-security claim specifically, not only a slip and fall.

• Is the assigned court actually familiar ground for this firm? 

Local familiarity with judges and procedure tends to move things faster. Levine Law’s attorneys have a steady presence in Denver-metro courts, the Jefferson County District Court among them, where Lakewood claims are typically filed.

• Does anyone outside the firm actually vouch for it? 

A peer-reviewed rating or an outside legal directory carries more weight than a firm’s own copy. Levine Law’s attorneys hold Martindale-Hubbell’s AV Preeminent rating and separate recognition from Super Lawyers and the National Trial Lawyers.

• What’s the cost exposure if nothing comes of the claim? 

None. Levine Law’s premises liability cases run on contingency — a free consultation up front, and we take a percentage of the settlement as attorney fees after the case settles.

What do clients say about working with Levine Law?

Levine Law’s reviews sit under the firm’s real name on Google, Yelp, Avvo, and Lawyers.com, open for anyone to read in full. 

“I just wanted to say thank you for all of your assistance in bringing a resolution to this matter. This injury has impacted my life in ways that I never could have imagined, and to have some closure to at least the legal end of things brings my family and me great peace. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated all of the times you answered my questions in a speedy manner or took the time to explain things I was confused about. It really did make a very scary and intimidating process seem manageable. From the moment we met, I felt you thought I deserved justice, and that gave me hope throughout a very difficult time in my life, so again, thank you for that. I wish you all the best in your career and life.” — Kim M.

More verified reviews are posted on our site.

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

What results has Levine Law obtained in similar cases?

Premises liability covers a wide range of injuries, and the value of a claim depends heavily on which of them you’re dealing with. Here’s one example from the firm’s own record:

• $392,000 plus interest verdict — a tenant fell down an interior staircase with defective steps, breaking her ankle. The landlord’s insurer initially offered $500 to settle. 
• $2,695,000.00 settlement for a workers’ compensation case — a mentally disabled individual was in a supervised work program. The individual was left unsupervised and ended up diving into an above-ground pool, which caused partial paralysis.

Additional results are posted on our Cases & Verdicts page.

Prior results don’t guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is decided on its own facts.

What areas does Levine Law serve near Lakewood?

We represent premises liability victims throughout Lakewood, including the Belmar district and its apartment and retail corridors along Colfax Avenue and Wadsworth Boulevard.

Our reach extends to these neighboring communities as well:

• Denver
• Aurora
• Arvada
• Glendale
• Boulder

Premises hazards aren’t the only Lakewood claims we take on — slip and fall accidents, motorcycle accidents, bicycle accidents, rideshare accidents, and other serious-injury cases too.

Local Resources

Hospitals & Emergency Care

• St. Anthony Hospital — Level I Trauma Center; 11600 W 2nd Pl, Lakewood, CO 80228.
• Denver Health Medical Center — Level I Trauma Center; 777 Bannock St, Denver, CO 80204.

Animal Bites & Reporting

• Jefferson County — Animal Bites — the county’s own reporting and quarantine requirements for a bite in Lakewood.

Courts

• Jefferson County District Court, 1st Judicial District — 100 Jefferson County Parkway, Golden, CO 80401.

Regulatory & Safety Reference

• Colorado Premises Liability Act, C.R.S. § 13-21-115 — the statute’s full text on landowner duties.
• Colorado dog bite statute, C.R.S. § 13-21-124 — the statute’s full text, including its exceptions.

We provide these resources for convenience only. We don’t endorse or profit from them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to prove a dog’s owner knew it was dangerous?

No. Colorado’s dog bite statute (C.R.S. § 13-21-124) holds an owner liable for a serious bite regardless of any prior warning signs, with exceptions for trespassing, provocation, posted warning signs, and certain professional roles like veterinary staff.

What’s the difference between this page and your slip and fall page?

A slip and fall is one specific, common type of premises liability claim, caused by a wet floor, ice, or a fall hazard. This page covers the rest: dog bites, negligent security, pool accidents, structural failures, and toxic exposure. If a fall caused your injury, our slip and fall page covers your situation in more detail.

Can I sue an apartment complex for a security failure?

Possibly. The complex has to have known, or reasonably should have known, about the risk, usually shown by prior similar incidents. It also has to have failed to fix things like broken locks or lighting. These claims are harder to prove than most premises cases, and they turn heavily on the specific facts. So, it is best to seek legal advice from trusted personal injury law firms. 

How long do I have to file a claim after a Lakewood premises liability injury?

Two years from the date of injury under C.R.S. § 13-80-102, shorter than the three-year deadline that applies when a motor vehicle is involved in a crash.

Is there a cap on what I can recover?

Only on non-economic damages against a private defendant, capped at $1.5 million for cases filed on or after January 1, 2025. A claim against a government entity is capped differently, at $505,000 per person under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act. Economic damages and physical impairment or disfigurement follow their own rules.

How much does a Lakewood premises liability lawyer cost?

Nothing upfront. Levine Law takes these cases on contingency. The fee comes out of a settlement or verdict, never out of pocket, and never unless we win. The initial consultation is free.

Talk to a Lakewood premises liability lawyer today

If you or someone in your family was hurt by a dog bite, a security failure, or another property hazard in Lakewood, Levine Law is ready to help, day or night. We’ll dig into your claim, sort out which legal framework applies, and walk you through your options at no cost.

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

Attorney Reviews and Office Information

This content has been reviewed by the attorneys at Levine Law for accuracy and compliance with Colorado law. Legal services are provided by attorneys licensed to practice in Colorado.

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

Colorado Springs Office
Levine Law LLC
102 S Tejon St #1100
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: (719) 642-6220

Other Cases We Handle in Lakewood

Premises liability claims are one part of what we handle. Our other Lakewood practice areas include:

• Car Accidents
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Bicycle Accidents
• Rideshare Accidents
• Slip & Fall Accidents
• Truck Accidents
• Pedestrian Accidents
• Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Spinal Cord Injuries
• Wrongful Death

This content is for informational purposes only and doesn’t constitute legal advice. Reading it doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship. Past results don’t guarantee future outcomes. Every case is evaluated on its own facts.