Do I need a lawyer after a car accident in Denver?
The local steps are quoted from Denver agency pages and the Colorado rules from state law, each with a link. Checked September 17, 2026.
The short answer
Denver is a combined city and county, so a crash case from Denver stays in Denver's own courts. Denver County Court hears money claims up to $25,000, its small claims division takes claims up to $7,500 that you can file yourself, and anything bigger goes to Denver District Court. Before any of that, the insurer will want the Denver crash report, and if your car was towed the storage bill is growing while you decide. Nobody who is paid to take your case can tell you honestly whether you need one, so this page shows you the three things that actually decide it: what your own paperwork says, what Colorado does about fault, and how much time is left.
Before you call anyone, get the report
Every insurer and every lawyer will ask for the crash report first. It is the document that says who the officer believed caused it. In Denver you get it here.
Where your report comes from
Denver crash reports are sold online through the CRASHDOCS portal that the Police Records page links. Search with the report number, the last name of someone involved and the date of the crash.
“The Records Unit provides a six-page crash report that is typically needed for insurance purposes.”
How long you wait for it
A Denver crash report is usually ready 5 to 7 days after the case is closed.
“Crash reports typically take 5-7 days to become available after they are closed.”
Whose name is on it
The Denver Police Department works crashes inside Denver city limits. Call 911 for an emergency, or the non emergency line at (720) 913-2000.
The bill that grows while you decide
Towing and storage in Denver
A car impounded in Denver goes to the city Vehicle Impound Facility at 5160 York Street, phone (720) 865-0470. Expect $120 towing plus $20 a day storage for a vehicle under 6,000 pounds, and you get 30 days to claim it.
“Once all holds on a vehicle have been dropped, the owner has 30 days to recover the vehicle.”
Storage is charged by the day, and an impound lot can sell a car that nobody claims. That clock runs whether or not anyone has admitted fault, so deal with the car first and argue about blame after.
Where a Denver case is filed, and when you don't need a lawyer at all
The court that would hear it
Denver is a combined city and county, so a crash case from Denver stays in Denver's own courts. Denver County Court hears money claims up to $25,000, its small claims division takes claims up to $7,500 that you can file yourself, and anything bigger goes to Denver District Court.
“Money Claims up to $25,000 Disputes exceeding $25,000 must be filed in the Denver District Court Small Claims For claims not exceeding $7,500”
A small claim you file yourself costs a filing fee and an afternoon. A claim worth more than the small claims limit, or one where you are hurt, is the kind people bring a lawyer into. Neither choice is ours to make for you.
How fault changes what you get
If you were partly at fault
Colorado uses modified comparative negligence. You can only recover damages if your share of fault is less than the other party's. If your fault is equal to or greater than theirs, you recover nothing.
“if such negligence was not as great as the negligence of the person against whom recovery is sought”
How long you have
- 3 years
- to sue for injuriesC.R.S. 13-80-101(1) intro and (1)(n)(I)
- 3 years
- to sue for car or property damageC.R.S. 13-80-101(1)(n)(I)
- 2 years
- for a family to sue after a deathC.R.S. 13-80-102(1) intro and (1)(d); see also 13-21-204
- 182 days
- to notify the government if a public vehicle or road was involvedC.R.S. 24-10-109(1) (Colorado Governmental Immunity Act)
How injury lawyers charge in Colorado
Contingency fee rules
Colorado does not cap the percentage a lawyer can charge in a personal injury contingency fee case. The fee must be reasonable, and the contingent fee agreement must be in writing with specific disclosures.
“A lawyer shall not make an agreement for, charge, or collect an unreasonable fee or an unreasonable amount for expenses.”
Questions to ask any lawyer before you sign
- What percentage do you charge, and does it change if the case goes to trial?
- Who pays case costs like records and expert fees if we lose?
- Will you handle my case yourself, or pass it to someone else?
- How long do cases like mine usually take here?
- What is the deadline for my claim, and when will you file?
Other Colorado rules that can change what you get
- If a Denver vehicle or a road defect was involved
If a state or local government vehicle or road caused your crash, you must send a written notice of claim within 182 days of discovering the injury, or you lose the right to sue.
C.R.S. 24-10-109(1) (Colorado Governmental Immunity Act)- If the insurer is the problem
To file a complaint against an insurance company in Colorado, use the Division of Insurance's online Consumer Portal.
Colorado Division of Insurance (DORA), File a Complaint
Sources on this page
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
The state law behind these steps
Each one was opened and checked on September 17, 2026.
Know My Claim is not a law firm or a government agency, and this page is not legal advice. Laws change, so check the linked source before you rely on a deadline.