Get medical care first, write everything down second, and call your insurer third. If the injury is serious, talk to a local lawyer before you sign anything. That's the short version for a visitor hurt on a Durango trip. This guide is general information, not medical or legal advice, and it doesn't create a lawyer-client relationship.
What should you do in the first 48 hours?
Start with your body. In an emergency, call 911. Mercy Hospital's emergency department in Durango says it's open 24/7 and treats everything from sprains and strains to complex trauma. Smaller urgent-care clinics around town can often see you faster for something that isn't an emergency.
Feeling fine isn't proof of anything. A head injury can cause symptoms right away or slowly over hours or days, MedlinePlus says, and its red-flag list includes a severe headache, vomiting more than once, a seizure and even a brief blackout. The concussion page adds that symptoms can start days or weeks later. If you hit your head, get seen.
Next, collect proof while it's fresh. Take photos of the scene, your gear, the trail marker or rapid, and the injury. Get names and contact details from anyone who saw it, such as the other rafters in your boat or the rider behind you. Keep every piece of paper, including discharge instructions, receipts and any outfitter incident report, in one folder.
How does insurance work for out-of-state visitors?
Call your insurer while you're still in town. Your home plan may treat a Durango hospital as out of network, and that bill can show up weeks later. Ask what the plan covers and what paperwork it wants. A travel policy or a credit card with trip protection might help with medical costs. But "adventure activity" exclusions differ a lot. Read your policy, or call the number on the card.
Does a signed waiver end your claim?
Not automatically, but it matters. If you were hurt on a guided raft trip, a bike shuttle or a rental, you probably signed one. In a September 2026 opinion, the Colorado Supreme Court said its 2024 decision in Miller v. Crested Butte governs pre-injury waivers. Whether yours holds up depends on its wording and the facts. Have someone who reads these for a living look at it.
How long do you have to file a claim?
Not long. Most injury claims based on negligence must be filed within two years under C.R.S. 13-80-102, and claims for injuries from a motor vehicle crash get three years under C.R.S. 13-80-101. Other deadlines can apply, such as when a public entity is involved. Don't guess, because a missed deadline can end a claim before it starts.
When is it worth talking to a local attorney?
Most trip injuries end with a bill, an ice pack and a story. Some don't. A fracture that needs surgery, a head injury, missed work or real medical costs are reasons for a conversation.
Featured local option: Shannon Soignier, RN, JD, is a personal injury and workers' compensation attorney. Her website says she spent more than 35 years as a registered nurse before practicing law, and that her office is at 2855 Main Ave, Suite B101 in Durango. It also says consultations are free and that she is paid only if she wins, though clients may still owe costs or the other side's court-ordered attorney fees. This is an introduction, not an endorsement, and no lawyer can promise a result.
Whoever you pick, get the fee terms in writing. Colorado's Rule of Professional Conduct 1.5 says a contingent fee agreement must be signed by the client and the lawyer. And you can search for any lawyer in the Colorado Bar Association's Find-a-Lawyer directory.
Getting back to your trip
If yours was a scraped knee, rest up. Our rafting guide and mountain biking guide will be here when you're ready. And if the trip took a turn you didn't plan for, the quieter things to do in town are still worth your time while you sort things out.
