Statute of Limitations for Product Liability in Colorado

Overview

Run this scenario in DocketMath using the Statute Of Limitations calculator.

In Colorado, the statute of limitations for most product liability claims is 2 years under C.R.S. § 13-80-108(1). That 2-year deadline typically starts when the claim “accrues,” which in practice usually means when the person is injured and knows (or reasonably should know) that the injury was caused by a product.

Product liability cases often involve timelines that are easy to miss—especially where symptoms develop slowly, where medical records are needed to identify the cause, or where a product is replaced or repaired after an initial incident. This guide focuses on Colorado’s general limitation rule for product-related personal injury claims and highlights common situations that affect when the countdown starts or can be adjusted.

Limitation period

Colorado generally uses a 2-year limitations period for personal injury actions connected to defective products. The core rule is in C.R.S. § 13-80-108(1), which provides that actions for injuries to a person must be brought within two years.

What triggers the clock?

Most disputes turn on accrual—i.e., when the claim is considered to have started. In Colorado, accrual is commonly tied to when the injury occurs and when the injured person knew or should have known the essential facts supporting the claim (including that the product likely caused the injury).

Because product issues can unfold over time, you’ll often see different “key dates” in practice, such as:

• Date of injury (event date): when harm first occurs (for example, an injury during an incident involving the product)
• Date of discovery: when you knew or reasonably should have known the product likely caused the harm
• Date of diagnosis: sometimes relevant where symptoms are not immediately understood or linked to the product

How to think about “2 years” for real cases

A practical approach is to work backward from the date you believe your claim accrued:

• Start with the last day you could file (two years from the applicable accrual date).
• Then sanity-check whether you actually have a defensible basis for that accrual date, because Colorado often turns on what you knew and when.
• Confirm the claim type and theory you’re using (tort vs. contract framing can change what statute applies and how time limits operate).

Checklist: inputs you’ll want to identify

These questions help you organize the information that typically drives the limitations analysis:

Key exceptions

Colorado’s basic 2-year rule can be affected by exceptions that either delay accrual or extend the filing period.

Tolling for certain protected statuses

Colorado law includes tolling rules for specific circumstances, such as when a claimant is under a recognized legal disability. In those situations, the start of the limitations period—or the end date—may be adjusted.

Common examples people ask about include:

Because tolling depends heavily on the claimant’s status and the precise legal requirements, it’s important to verify which tolling provision applies before assuming an extended deadline.

Accrual nuances that commonly arise in product cases

Even without formal “tolling,” product cases often raise accrual questions that effectively shift the start date, such as:

• Latent injuries: symptoms may appear long after the product was used
• Cause identification delays: the product’s role might not be clear until medical testing or expert review
• Ongoing exposure/progressive harm: repeated use can create factual disputes about when the claim should be considered to have accrued

Contract-based product claims vs. tort claims

Not every product-related dispute is “product liability” in the tort sense. If a claim is primarily framed as a warranty or contract matter, different statutes and time limits can apply. A practical way to sort this early is to check:

• whether the case seeks personal injury damages,
• whether the claim is pled primarily in tort (e.g., negligence/strict liability) or contract (e.g., breach of warranty),
• and which Colorado statute best matches the specific cause of action.

Statute citation

The primary limitations period for many personal injury product liability claims in Colorado is:

• C.R.S. § 13-80-108(1) — 2 years for actions for injuries to a person (including product-caused injuries, depending on claim characterization and accrual timing)

If you’re mapping dates for filing readiness, treat § 13-80-108(1) as your main anchor, then adjust using applicable accrual principles and any tolling/exception facts supported by the case.

Quick reference table (Colorado)

Use the calculator

Use DocketMath’s Statute of Limitations calculator to estimate the last filing date using Colorado’s limitations period. Start with the best-supported accrual/trigger date for your situation.

Open: /tools/statute-of-limitations

What to enter

You’ll typically provide:

• Jurisdiction: **US-CO (Colorado)
• Claim type category: product liability / personal injury
• Start date for the countdown: the date you believe the claim accrued (often the injury date or the discovery/notice date, depending on the facts)
• Optional adjustments (if prompted): any tolling-related selections that match your facts

How outputs change based on inputs

• If you use an earlier start date (e.g., first injury symptoms), the estimated deadline moves earlier.
• If you use a later start date (e.g., discovery/notice), the estimated deadline moves later.
• If the calculator includes a tolling option you select, the “end date” typically extends accordingly.

Quick workflow (practical)

1. Pick your best-supported accrual date (injury vs. discovery/notice).
2. Run the DocketMath estimate.
3. Re-run with an alternate accrual date if your facts reasonably support multiple interpretations (for example, “symptoms began” vs. “diagnosis linked to the product”).
4. Plan conservatively using the earlier, better-supported deadline.

If you’re organizing multiple deadlines, you can also explore DocketMath tools (see /tools in your workflow) before finalizing your filing plan.

Sources and references

Start with the primary authority for Colorado and confirm the effective date before relying on any output. If the rule has been amended, update the inputs and rerun the calculation.

• Colo. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-101

Related reading

• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Vermont — How to choose the right calculator
• Statute of limitations in Singapore: how to estimate the deadline — Full how-to guide with jurisdiction-specific rules
• Choosing the right statute of limitations tool for Connecticut — How to choose the right calculator