Colorado injury rights, deadlines, and help

If you were hurt in Colorado, you probably want one answer first: how long do I have to act? This page gives you Colorado's main injury deadlines, what to do right now, and where free help is.

We are the injured person's advocate. Our help is always free to you.

The deadline box: Colorado's key time limits

Colorado has one of the strictest government notice rules in the country, and a car-crash exception that gives drivers extra time. Here are the main clocks.

• Personal injury lawsuit: 2 years, but car crashes get 3. Under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102(1)(a), most injury lawsuits must be filed within 2 years. This is the statute of limitations (the legal deadline to file a lawsuit). Tort claims arising out of the use or operation of a motor vehicle get 3 years under § 13-80-101(1)(n). (Source, Source)
• Work injury, report to your employer: 10 days, in writing. Under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-43-102(1)(a)(I), you must give written notice within 10 days of the injury. A late report can cost you up to one day's compensation for each day you are late, unless the employer already knew or you had good cause. Occupational disease: 30 days from the first clear sign. (Source)
• Work injury, file the claim: 2 years. Under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-43-103, a workers compensation claim (the state system that pays for work injuries) must be filed within 2 years after the injury or death. It can stretch to 3 years with a reasonable excuse if the employer is not harmed by the delay, but do not plan on that. (Source)
• Injury involving the government: 182 days, no mercy. Under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-109(1), written notice within 182 days after you discover the injury is a jurisdictional requirement. Miss it and the claim is forever barred. State claims go to the attorney general; other public entities take notice through their governing body or attorney. (Source)

One more caution. Medical claims against doctors or hospitals can run on different, often shorter deadlines. Do not assume the 2-year rule covers a hospital or doctor case.

What to do first

1. Get medical care now. Your health comes first, and the records also document your injury.
2. If it happened at work, give your employer written notice today. The 10-day window is short, and each late day can cost you money. Keep a copy.
3. Write down what happened while it is fresh: date, time, place, people, road and weather conditions.
4. Take photos of the scene, your injuries, and anything involved (a vehicle, ice, a stair, a dog).
5. Get names and contact information for witnesses.
6. Do not sign anything from an insurance company before you understand your full costs.
7. Note who owns the place where you were hurt. A city sidewalk, a county road, a state plow truck: if any government body is involved, the 182-day clock is already running and it does not forgive.

Common situations in Colorado

Hurt at work. Ski resorts, construction, warehouses, and oil and gas make Colorado work injuries common. The system runs on two clocks: 10 days to report in writing, 2 years to file the claim. Report every injury the same day, in writing, even one that seems minor.

Hurt on the road. Car-crash claims get the longer 3-year clock, which helps, but Colorado also uses modified comparative fault. Under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-21-111, you can recover if your fault is less than 50 percent, reduced by your share. At 50 percent or more you recover nothing. (Source) Early photos and witness names keep the fault math honest.

Hurt on someone's property. Falls and unsafe conditions follow the 2-year clock, or the 182-day notice if the property is public. Dog bites are unusual here: under Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-21-124, the strict liability statute covers only serious bodily injury or death, and it pays only economic damages, with several exceptions. Lesser injuries usually need a negligence case instead. (Source)

A true story: two days late, case gone forever

This one happened right here in Colorado. Carmelita Gomez was hurt in a car crash on June 15, 2016. Colorado law gave her three years to file. Her deadline, June 15, 2019, fell on a Saturday. The lawsuit was filed the following Monday, June 17. Her side believed a rule that extends weekend deadlines would save the filing. The court ruled that rule does not apply to injury lawsuits. The case was dismissed as too late, the Colorado Court of Appeals affirmed in 2023, and she was ordered to pay the other side's court costs. She never got to argue about who caused the crash. (Source: FindLaw)

Courts count deadline days exactly, even weekends. The system is unforgiving about time. That is not your fault. It is simply why filing well before the last day, not on it, protects you.

What we can help with

We are on your side, and our help is free to injured people. We can help you:

• Understand which Colorado deadlines apply to your situation
• Put your work-injury notice in writing correctly, today
• Spot the 182-day government notice trap before it closes
• Organize your records, photos, and timeline
• Find the right next step: medical care, therapy, state benefits, or a licensed attorney when your case needs one
• Prepare questions to ask before you hire any lawyer

We do not give legal advice, and we never take money from injured people. We explain your rights in plain language and connect you with licensed help when you need it.

Tell us what happened

If you or someone you love was hurt in Colorado, you do not have to sort this out alone. Tell us what happened. It is free, private, and there is no pressure.

Sources

• Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102 (personal injury time limit)
• Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-101 (motor vehicle 3-year rule)
• Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-43-102 (workers comp notice)
• Colo. Rev. Stat. § 8-43-103 (workers comp claim deadline)
• Colo. Rev. Stat. § 24-10-109 (government claim notice)
• Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-21-124 (dog bite statute)
• Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-21-111 (comparative fault)

Last reviewed: 2026-08-16

This is general information, not legal advice. Deadlines can change or vary with the facts. A licensed attorney can confirm the rule for your situation.