CO · Mixed
Colorado dog bite law
Colorado’s statute is narrower than California’s: the bite must be serious, and the statute pays economic losses, not every category of harm.
- Liability
- Strict liability for serious bites
- Statute
- Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-21-124
- Deadline to file
- 2 years · C.R.S. § 13-80-102
- Bites only?
- Primarily bites
If the wound is not “serious” under the statute, negligence and common-law theories remain. A posted warning sign can cut off statutory liability for bites on the owner’s property.
Exceptions insurers will mention
Trespassing; warning sign on the owner’s property; provocation; veterinarians and groomers; working dogs on the owner’s property. Recovery is limited to economic damages, and the injury must be serious.
Compare the national split in strict liability vs one-bite, and confirm your clock on statute of limitations.
Similar liability rules
This page is general information, not legal advice, and is not a substitute for a lawyer licensed in your state. Statutes change. Confirm the current rule and your deadline with counsel before you rely on a date.