Can I sue for being shot or stabbed in Colorado?
Often, yes. Colorado property owners owe a duty to take reasonable steps to protect people on their premises from foreseeable crime. When a business or landlord ignores a known danger and someone is shot or stabbed as a result, Colorado law can hold the owner financially responsible — through a negligent-security claim. You are not suing for the crime itself; you are suing the property owner for the security failures that made a foreseeable attack possible. This is separate from any criminal case against the attacker.
How Colorado decides if a crime was “foreseeable”
Colorado negligent-security claims are brought under the Premises Liability Act, the exclusive remedy. For business customers, the owner is liable for failing to use reasonable care to protect against dangers it knew or should have known about; a business has a duty to take reasonable measures against generally foreseeable criminal acts (Taco Bell v. Lannon) — for example, in a high-crime area with prior robberies.
Deadlines in Colorado
- Negligence / personal injury: generally two years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident.
- Wrongful death: generally two years from the date of death.
Evidence like surveillance footage disappears fast, so it’s important to act quickly.
Fault sharing in Colorado
Colorado follows modified comparative negligence and bars recovery if you are 50% or more at fault.
What you can recover
Colorado is unusual: it caps non-economic damages even in ordinary negligence (currently $1.5 million for personal injury for cases filed on or after January 1, 2025, and $2.125 million in wrongful death — with no cap when the death results from a felonious killing). Economic damages such as medical bills and lost income are not capped. For families, a wrongful-death claim can recover funeral costs and the loss of support and companionship.
Why Colorado victims choose The Haggard Law Firm
The firm has handled nearly 500 negligent-security cases nationwide and secured the largest negligent-security verdict in U.S. history ($102.7 million). We help Colorado crime victims and their families with no fee unless we win.
How we handle a Colorado case — working with local counsel
The Haggard Law Firm is based in Coral Gables, Florida, and Michael A. Haggard is licensed to practice law in Florida. Mr. Haggard is not licensed in Colorado. Negligent security and crime-victim litigation is the firm’s core focus, and because of the national reputation the firm has built in this specific area, Mr. Haggard regularly works on Colorado cases as co-counsel with a locally licensed Colorado attorney, seeking admission pro hac vice (for the individual case) where the court’s rules permit. Any Colorado matter would be handled together with local counsel admitted in Colorado.
If you were shot, stabbed, or lost a loved one to a preventable crime in Colorado, you can still reach out to us directly. We will review your case for free and, where appropriate, associate with a qualified Colorado attorney to pursue it.
This page is attorney advertising and general information only; it is not legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship. Michael A. Haggard is licensed in Florida. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Frequently asked questions
Can I sue for being shot in Colorado?
Often, yes. If you were shot on a Colorado property that failed to provide reasonable security against a foreseeable risk, you may be able to sue the property owner for negligent security — separately from any criminal case against the shooter. Colorado claims go through the Premises Liability Act; owners must take reasonable measures against generally foreseeable crime (Taco Bell v. Lannon). A free case review will tell you whether you have a claim.
Can I sue if I was stabbed on someone's property in Colorado?
Possibly. A stabbing on a Colorado property with inadequate security is handled the same way as a shooting — if the attack was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, the owner may be liable. The claim is against the property owner, not only the attacker.
How long do I have to file a negligent-security claim in Colorado?
Generally two years from the date of the incident from the date of the incident for a negligence claim, and two years from the date of death for wrongful death. Confirm your specific deadline with a lawyer quickly.
Is Michael Haggard licensed to practice in Colorado?
Mr. Haggard is licensed in Florida, not in Colorado. Because negligent-security litigation is his firm's core focus and the firm has a national profile in these cases, he regularly serves as co-counsel with a locally licensed Colorado attorney and, where the court permits, appears pro hac vice for the individual case. You can contact the firm directly, and where appropriate it will associate with qualified local counsel in Colorado.
How does Colorado decide if a property owner is liable?
Colorado claims go through the Premises Liability Act; owners must take reasonable measures against generally foreseeable crime (Taco Bell v. Lannon). If the crime was foreseeable and the owner failed to provide reasonable security, they can be held responsible.
What does it cost to hire the firm?
Nothing up front. We work on contingency — no attorney's fees unless we recover compensation for you.