Colorado's burn-injury treatment infrastructure centers on the UCHealth Burn and Frostbite Center at the University of Colorado Hospital in Aurora, a burn center and a regional referral destination for the Rocky Mountain west. Pediatric burn care is anchored at Children's Hospital Colorado, also in Aurora. Survivors typically require multi-stage skin grafting, infection-control admissions, rehabilitation, and long-tail reconstructive care.
Severe burns in Colorado arise from wildland-urban-interface fires across the Front Range and western slope, residential fires in the Denver, Colorado Springs, and Boulder metros, motor-vehicle collisions involving fuel ignition along I-70 and I-25, industrial incidents in the state's oil-and-gas operations in Weld County and the DJ Basin, recreational burns from camping and propane mishaps, and electrical arc-flash exposures on construction sites. Colorado's civil statutes, not editorial commentary, govern filing deadlines.
Colorado's two-year statute of limitations
Colorado Revised Statutes § 13-80-102(1)(a) states: "The following civil actions, regardless of the theory upon which suit is brought, or against whom suit is brought, must be commenced within two years after the cause of action accrues, and not thereafter: (a) Tort actions, including but not limited to actions for negligence, trespass, malicious abuse of process, malicious prosecution, outrageous conduct, interference with relationships, and tortious breach of contract …" Source: Colorado Revised Statutes 2024 (official), C.R.S. § 13-80-102.
We compile this for reference. Motor-vehicle tort claims have a separate three-year limitation under C.R.S. § 13-80-101(1)(n). Accrual rules, the discovery rule, tolling for minors, and notice provisions under the Colorado Governmental Immunity Act for claims against public entities can change the practical deadline. For advice on your specific case, consult a licensed Colorado attorney.
Comparative fault in Colorado
Colorado follows a modified comparative-fault rule under C.R.S. § 13-21-111, under which a claimant whose negligence is equal to or greater than the combined negligence of the defendants is barred from recovery (a 50% bar); below that threshold, damages are reduced by the claimant's percentage of negligence. Allocation of fault in any specific matter is a question for the trier of fact. For advice on your specific case, consult a licensed Colorado attorney.
Where Colorado burn cases are typically filed
Civil personal-injury actions in Colorado are generally filed in the District Court of the county where the injury occurred or where the defendant resides. The District Court has general jurisdiction over tort claims; County Court handles claims at or below the limited-jurisdiction threshold. Denver, Arapahoe, Jefferson, Adams, El Paso, and Boulder counties handle the majority of the state's higher-value personal-injury caseload by volume.
This page lists Colorado attorneys whose website disclosures indicate burn-injury or catastrophic-injury practice. Listing facts come from firm websites or from the firms themselves; nothing on this page should be read as legal advice or as an endorsement of any individual attorney. For advice about your specific situation, consult a licensed Colorado attorney directly.
