Can you still recover if you slipped at a Glendale restaurant or bar after a drink or two?Often, yes. Colorado’s Premises Liability Act (C.R.S. § 13-21-115) holds a business responsible for dangers it knew or should have known about, like a wet floor. A drink doesn’t erase that duty, though the business may argue it played a part. Video and witness accounts often decide it. A Glendale personal injury attorney could review both with you. |
The snow stopped overnight, but by morning the walkway outside a Glendale shop has glazed over. With a single step, your footing is gone. Your wrist takes the initial impact, followed quickly by your hip. Beyond the physical pain, a fall often leaves you feeling embarrassed. That reaction is completely natural, and while many people instinctively blame themselves, property conditions are often the true cause.
Understanding your rights early is essential, especially given Colorado’s strict legal timeline and specific rules regarding what property owners should know about hazards. For instance, Glendale’s municipal code requires property owners, managers, or tenants to clear public sidewalks within 24 hours after an inch of snowfall or any ice accumulation. At Levine Law, a dedicated Glendale slip and fall lawyer can listen to your story, evaluate who controlled the property, and clearly explain your legal options. As you consider your next steps, we invite you to learn more about our firm. Here are a few key points that set us apart:
- Experience handling challenging personal injury claims. Levine Law represents clients facing disputed liability, serious injuries, and difficult insurance negotiations. For example, the firm secured a $392,000 verdict for a tenant who fractured her ankle on defective stairs after the insurer initially offered just $500. This is one example of our work, not a guarantee of future results. Explore our case results and verdicts and client reviews to learn more.
- One fee arrangement across injury cases. Like a car accident claim, a fall claim is taken on contingency, and the attorney fee comes from any recovery.
- Two years for most falls. In most fall cases, Colorado allows two years to bring a lawsuit. Contact our Denver office to confirm your deadline.
- Recognized by legal peers. Martindale-Hubbell’s AV Preeminent rating for Jordan S. Levine is listed with his other honors under awards and recognition.
Whether the business knew about the hazard, and whether you’d had anything to drink, are often the first things an insurer asks about. The records and video that answer those questions can be erased or lost. Here’s where to start.
What should you do after a slip and fall in Glendale?
Many people pop back up after a fall, embarrassed, and insist they’re okay. It helps to slow down, tell the business, and get your injuries checked before pain sets in. If the fall happened on a city sidewalk or other public property, mark the exact spot, because different rules may apply. After a fall:
- Tell a manager and ask for an incident report. Write down the manager’s name and the time. If the business won’t give you a copy, take a photo of the report or of your own notes.
- Photograph what made you fall. Capture the spill or ice, a curled mat, a missing warning sign, and the lighting. Pictures taken before cleanup can show what the floor looked like.
- See a doctor, even for a “minor” fall. Adrenaline can mask a broken wrist, a hip injury, or a concussion. HCA HealthONE Rose, a short drive from Glendale on East 9th Avenue, has an emergency room.
- Hold on to your shoes and clothes. Leave them unwashed. The soles and fabric can show what you stepped in.
- Ask about security cameras. Many businesses record over their video after a set period. Ask that the footage be saved, and note which cameras faced the spot.
- Give yourself time before any statement. The property’s insurer may want your account on a recording soon after the fall. You can wait, and you don’t have to guess about details you can’t recall.
What happens after a slip and fall claim starts in Glendale?
The weeks after a fall can feel slow, especially when bills show up first. Most fall claims move through the incident report, treatment, the insurer’s investigation, and a demand. If the claim doesn’t settle, a lawsuit would go to Arapahoe County District Court, since Glendale belongs to Arapahoe County. Stage by stage:
- The incident report. The business records the date, time, and what you said happened.
Why it matters: It helps show the fall happened there and that the business knew about it.
- Treatment. Care may range from imaging and a cast to surgery and therapy.
Why it matters: Your medical record connects the injury to the fall and shows how serious it is. We need a comprehensive health check so that we aren’t surprised by unexpected medical bills after the case is settled.
- The insurer’s investigation. An adjuster may ask for your medical history, photos, and a statement.
Why it matters: Questions about prior injuries or what you were doing are part of how the insurer weighs fault.
- The demand. Once your doctors can predict your recovery, your lawyer presents the losses in writing.
Why it matters: A demand backed by records usually carries more weight.
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What causes slip and fall accidents in Glendale?
Falls rarely come out of nowhere, even when they feel sudden. Most start with a hazard someone could have noticed and fixed, like a spill left too long or ice by a door. In Glendale, restaurants, bars, stores, and apartment towers sit close together, so heavy foot traffic crosses a small area. Common hazards include:
- Wet floors. Spilled drinks, fresh mopping without a sign, and melting snow tracked in at the door can all leave a slick surface.
- Snow and ice outside. Walkways, entry steps, and parking lots freeze after storms, and sidewalks fall under the city’s 24-hour clearing rule.
- Loose mats and torn carpet. An edge that curls up can catch a shoe, especially in a crowded entryway.
- Broken or dim stairs. A cracked tread, a missing handrail, or a burned-out bulb can turn a stairwell into a hazard.
- Uneven pavement. Potholes, raised curbs, and broken concrete in parking lots can be hard to see after dark.
- Crowded event nights. Big crowds near Infinity Park and busy bars can leave floors wet faster than staff can dry them.
What injuries are common after a slip and fall in Glendale?
Even a simple fall can cause serious injuries, especially for older adults. For people 65 and older, the CDC reports that falls cause 88% of emergency visits and hospital stays for hip fractures. Injuries that often follow a fall include:
- Hip fractures. These often mean surgery, a hospital stay, and a long rehab, and walking may not be the same afterward.
- Wrist and arm fractures. A hand thrown out to catch yourself can break, sometimes in more than one place.
- Head injuries. Striking a floor or curb can cause a concussion or a more serious brain injury, and symptoms may take days to appear.
- Back and spine injuries. Landing hard on your back can injure discs or, in serious cases, the spinal cord.
- Knee and ankle injuries. Twisting on ice or a stair edge can tear ligaments or break an ankle.
- Shoulder injuries. Rotator cuff tears are common when someone grabs a railing or lands on an arm.
Who can be held liable for a Glendale slip and fall?
It’s frustrating to be told a fall was your own fault before anyone looks at the scene. Liability usually turns on control: who ran the space where you fell, and what that person or company needed to do to keep it reasonably safe. That isn’t always the owner. Colorado’s Premises Liability Act (C.R.S. § 13-21-115) uses a broad definition of “landowner.” It covers whoever is in possession of the property and anyone legally responsible for its condition.
Why your reason for being on the property matters
Your status as a visitor changes what the property owed you:
- An invitee, such as a customer, may recover when the landowner unreasonably failed to use reasonable care to protect against dangers it actually knew about or should have known about.
- A licensee, such as a social guest, may recover when the landowner failed to use reasonable care about dangers it actually knew about, or failed to warn of unusual dangers it knew about.
- A trespasser may recover only for harm the landowner caused willfully or deliberately.
Who may be responsible
- The business that runs the space. A restaurant, bar, or store that leases its space may be the party in possession, and it may be responsible if it knew or should have known about the hazard.
- The landlord or property manager. For shared walkways, parking lots, and exterior stairs, the building’s owner or manager may control the area and its upkeep.
- A contractor. A snow removal or cleaning company that did its job carelessly may share the blame.
- A public entity. A fall on city-owned property, such as a public facility, may involve the city when the legal requirements for governmental liability are met. The Colorado Governmental Immunity Act controls those claims, and its notice period is short.
What if the business says you’d been drinking?
A business may point to a drink, your shoes, or your phone. Under Colorado’s comparative fault law (C.R.S. § 13-21-111), any fault a jury assigns to you shrinks your recovery by that percentage. It’s barred only when your negligence is equal to or greater than the negligence of the person or parties you’re seeking recovery from.
Consider a hypothetical. A jury finds your losses total $75,000 and decides that a drink before the fall made you 20% responsible. You would recover $60,000. If the jury found the floor was wet with no warning, that may weigh far more heavily than one drink.
What can you recover after a Glendale slip and fall?
Beyond the first ER bill, a fall can mean surgery, missed work, and weeks of help at home. Under Colorado’s damages law (C.R.S. § 13-21-102.5), a fall claim can seek economic losses, non-economic losses, and damages for physical impairment or disfigurement, depending on the injuries and evidence. Here’s what each can cover:
- Economic losses. These can include medical bills now and later, lost wages, and paid help while you recover.
- Non-economic losses. These can include the pain itself, the stress, and the activities you had to give up.
- Physical impairment or disfigurement. These can include a lasting limp or surgical scars, and Colorado counts them separately.
Colorado’s general non-economic damages cap is $1.5 million for civil actions filed on or after January 1, 2025, under HB 24-1472, subject to the statute’s terms and future inflation adjustments beginning in 2028. The cap applies to non-economic losses. It does not eliminate the ability to seek supported economic damages.
When the property is public
Whether the property was public or private can also change what’s recoverable. A fall at a city facility calls for its own review under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act. Immunity may decide whether the city can be held responsible at all, and any limits depend on which public entity is involved and the injury date. Notes on your treatment and daily struggles, kept from the start, help with either kind of claim.
How long do you have to file after a Glendale slip and fall?
Deadlines can slip past while you’re focused on healing. Under Colorado’s general injury deadline (C.R.S. § 13-80-102), the deadline for most slip and fall lawsuits is generally two years from the fall. Talks with an insurer don’t pause that clock. Some situations follow other rules:
- A fall on public property. Notice in writing is generally due within 182 days after you discover the injury, under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act.
- A child who was hurt. The timing for a minor’s claim may differ under Colorado’s disability statute (C.R.S. § 13-81-103), especially if no legal representative has been appointed.
Although Glendale is surrounded by Denver, it sits in Arapahoe County. A Glendale fall case would be filed with the Arapahoe County courts in Centennial, and claims above $25,000 go to district court rather than county court.
Pitfall alert
Leaving without telling anyone can make a strong fall claim harder to prove. Without an incident report, a business may later question whether you fell there at all, and its video may be recorded over. If you’re able, report the fall before you leave, even if you feel fine. If you couldn’t, write down the date, time, and place as soon as you can, and ask the business to preserve its footage.
Why might you need a lawyer after a Glendale slip and fall?
Not every fall needs a lawyer. A claim with an obvious hazard and a quick recovery can sometimes be resolved directly with the insurer. The harder questions often involve what the business knew, who controlled the area, and how an injury will affect you over time. Help from someone who knows Colorado’s premises rules can tie those threads together.
Where the claim can become complicated
- Proving what the business knew. A claim often turns on whether staff saw the hazard or should have found it on a routine check.
- Video that disappears. In the firm’s experience, footage may be kept for only a short time unless someone asks for it.
- Questions about your own conduct. An insurer may point to a drink, your footwear, or your phone to shift part of the fault.
- Several possible defendants. A tenant, a landlord, and a snow contractor may each argue the area was someone else’s job.
- An earlier injury. An insurer may say your pain comes from an old back or knee problem rather than the fall.
Evidence answers most of these questions, and the sooner it’s gathered, the better.
How can a Glendale slip and fall lawyer help?
A lawyer can find out who controlled the property, what they knew, and what the fall has cost you. That often starts with a letter asking the business to keep its video and inspection logs.
A lawyer may also:
- Look into the cause. A Glendale slip and fall attorney can request cleaning logs, maintenance records, and incident reports for earlier falls.
- Identify every responsible party. A premises injury lawyer can review leases and contracts to see who handled floors, stairs, and snow removal.
- Track the deadlines. An Arapahoe County slip and fall lawyer can confirm the two-year deadline and whether the notice rule in the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act applies.
- Show how the injury changed your life. Medical records, doctors’ opinions, and your own account can show what the fall took from your daily routine.
- Deal with the insurer. A lawyer can respond to the insurer’s requests and measure any offer against your records.
Your recovery comes first. With the evidence and deadlines in hand, you can decide about the claim with a clearer picture.
What are the steps in a Glendale slip and fall claim?
A claim can feel mysterious from the outside, so it helps to see the path. Most fall claims go from investigation to negotiation, and only some turn into lawsuits. If one does, it would most likely go before an Arapahoe County judge in Centennial. The steps:
- Free consultation. At no cost, we hear how you fell, look at your injuries, and outline your options.
- Investigation. Our team gathers incident reports, photos, witness names, and any video before it’s lost.
- Organizing the proof. Once your doctors can predict your recovery, we pull together medical records, bills, and pay records.
- Demand and talks. Your losses go to the insurer in writing, backed by your records, and negotiation begins.
- Lawsuit, if needed. If talks stall, we can file suit, exchange evidence, and take depositions.
- Resolution. Many claims settle, and we build each file so it could stand up at trial.
What if the fall made an old injury worse?
It’s a fair worry if you had a bad knee or back before the fall. An insurer may argue your pain is the old problem, not the new injury. Colorado law generally lets a claim include the harm caused by making an existing condition worse, though not the original condition itself. Comparing your medical records from before the fall with those after it usually shows the difference.
How do you choose a slip and fall lawyer in Glendale?
Picking representation mid-recovery is one more decision to make. Focus on what you can check, then weigh each firm’s answers. Levine Law’s answers:
- Has the firm handled slip and fall cases successfully?
Look for a lawyer who understands how to prove unsafe property conditions, establish liability, and document the full extent of your injuries. Levine Law has experience handling contested premises liability claims. For example, the firm obtained a $392,000 verdict, plus interest, for a tenant injured on defective stairs after the insurer initially offered $500. This is one example of the firm’s work, and past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
- Does the firm understand local courts and procedures?
Your attorney should know where to file a lawsuit and which court procedures apply. Glendale is located in Arapahoe County, although the appropriate court depends on the nature and value of the claim. Levine Law handles personal injury matters in the area and can determine the proper venue, prepare the necessary filings, and guide you through the legal process.
- How does the firm charge for legal representation?
Ask whether the lawyer works on a contingency-fee basis and how litigation expenses are handled. At Levine Law, attorney fees are based on an agreed percentage of any compensation recovered. Court filing fees and other case expenses are handled separately from attorney fees. The firm also offers a free initial consultation so you can discuss your options before deciding how to proceed.
- Will the firm keep you informed about your case?
Find out who will manage your claim, how often you can expect updates, and whom to contact when questions arise. Levine Law takes a team-based approach to representation, and its phone line is staffed 24/7. This gives clients a way to reach the firm when they need assistance or have concerns about their case.
- Is the firm prepared to take your case to trial?
Some slip and fall claims involve disputed property conditions, conflicting witness accounts, or disagreements over the severity of injuries. Your attorney should be prepared to present evidence in court if negotiations do not produce a reasonable settlement. Levine Law approaches premises liability claims with litigation in mind, gathering evidence and evaluating potential challenges throughout the case.
Choosing a lawyer is about more than reviewing past verdicts. You need a legal team that understands the complications of your injury claim and can help you make informed decisions. If you were hurt in a Glendale slip and fall accident, Levine Law can review what happened, explain your legal options, and help you determine the next steps.
What do clients say about working with Levine Law?
A firm can describe itself however it likes, but a review comes from someone who hired it. This client hired the firm after a fall and wrote about the attorney who handled it.
“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’ll find more comments from clients in client reviews.
Disclaimer: Client reviews reflect individual experiences and do not guarantee a particular result.
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What results has Levine Law obtained in fall cases?
One result stands out for an injury on property someone else controlled:
- $392,000 verdict, plus interest — A tenant broke her ankle on defective interior stairs 18 months into her lease. Her medical bills were about $77,000, and the insurer had offered $500 to settle.
The firm’s other outcomes are on its Cases & Verdicts page.
Disclaimer: Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Every case is decided on its own facts.
What areas does Levine Law serve near Glendale?
Levine Law helps people hurt in falls in Glendale, the Denver neighborhoods that surround it, and cities across the metro area, including:
- Cherry Creek
- Hilltop
- Virginia Village
- Washington Virginia Vale
- Denver
- Aurora
- Lakewood
- Boulder
- Colorado Springs
If you aren’t sure whether your fall happened in Glendale or just over the line in Denver, the property’s address will settle it, and the firm can check it for you.
Local Resources
Emergency care
- HCA HealthONE Rose — emergency department close to Glendale — 4567 E. 9th Ave., Denver, CO 80220
- Denver Health Medical Center — Level I Trauma Center — 777 Bannock St., Denver, CO 80204
Property rules and safety
- Glendale Municipal Code § 12.04.030 — the city’s 24-hour rule for clearing snow and ice from sidewalks
- Colorado Premises Liability Act — the duties owners and occupants owe visitors.
- CDC Older Adult Fall Data — national figures on falls and fall injuries
Courts
- Arapahoe County District Court, 18th Judicial District — civil cases from Glendale above $25,000, at the Arapahoe County Justice Center — 7325 S. Potomac St., Centennial, CO 80112
Disclaimer: These resources are provided for informational purposes only. Levine Law does not endorse or have an affiliation with any listed organization or service.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I fell at Infinity Park or other city-owned property?
A claim may still be possible, but it follows different rules. Infinity Park is owned by the City of Glendale, so the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act may apply, including the notice rule in the deadline section above. A Glendale slip and fall lawyer can check whether immunity is waived for that kind of hazard.
Can a Glendale store’s security video help my claim?
Yes, often. Video can show the hazard, how long it was there, and whether staff walked past it. That matters because Colorado’s Premises Liability Act asks whether the business knew of the hazard or should have. Many systems record over footage, so asking the Glendale business to save it quickly can make a difference.
What if I didn’t report the fall before I left?
A claim may still be possible. Report it to the business as soon as you can, and write down when and where you fell. Photos, receipts, and medical records can help show you were there. Under Colorado’s general injury deadline, you generally have two years, but proof gets harder to gather over time.
Who pays my medical bills while a Glendale fall claim is pending?
Usually, your own health insurance pays first, and it may seek repayment from a settlement. Some business insurance policies also include medical payments coverage that can help regardless of fault. If the claim reaches Arapahoe County District Court, those bills become part of the proof of your losses under Colorado’s damages law.
Do I have to pay anything upfront to hire a Glendale slip and fall lawyer?
No upfront attorney fee is charged. Levine Law’s fee in slip and fall cases is contingent on the outcome and taken as a percentage of any recovery. The fee agreement lists case costs, such as filing fees, which are separate. The first consultation about a Glendale fall costs nothing.
Speak with a Glendale slip and fall lawyer.
A fall can upend weeks or months of your life, and you shouldn’t have to face the insurer by yourself. Walk us through the fall, and we’ll look at who controlled the property, what they knew, and what your claim may be worth. Consulting us is free. The attorney fee hinges on the outcome.
Contact us online for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Attorney Reviews and Office Information
This content has been reviewed by Colorado-licensed attorneys at Levine Law for 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
Colorado Springs Office
Levine Law LLC
102 S Tejon St #1100
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
Phone: (719) 642-6220
Other Cases We Handle in Glendale
Glendale clients also turn to Levine Law for:
- Car Accidents
- Truck Accidents
- Motorcycle Accidents
- Pedestrian Accidents
- Bicycle Accidents
- Premises Liability
- Dog Bites
- Wrongful Death
- Catastrophic Injuries
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Every case is different and must be evaluated on its own facts.
