Denver Wrongful Death Lawyers

Denver Personal Injury Lawyers » Denver Wrongful Death Lawyers

Wrongful Death Attorneys in Denver, CO

The preventable death of a loved one is an unimaginable loss and an injustice to the family members of the deceased person. If someone else’s reckless actions caused the death of your loved one, you may be able to bring a wrongful death claim against the negligent party to secure fair compensation. Consult with a Denver wrongful death lawyer at Fuicelli & Lee during a free consultation for more information. We are a compassionate team of personal injury lawyers focused on pursuing full, fair, and complete compensation for every client.

Let our Denver wrongful death lawyers help you seek justice on your loved one’s behalf. We are available to answer any questions you may have and provide you with support during this challenging time.

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Why Choose Our Denver Wrongful Death Lawyers?

Fuicelli & Lee is an accomplished Denver personal injury law firm, representing clients who have suffered catastrophic injuries as a result of someone else’s reckless or careless actions.
As a boutique law firm, we do not measure our success by the volume of wrongful death cases we handle, but by the difference we make in our clients’ lives.
Many firms are intimidated to go to trial and don’t have the experience needed to win in court. Several of our attorneys are former prosecutors with 20+ years of experience.
We truly care about our clients. We specifically limit our case docket to ensure every client receives our undivided attention.

If your family member’s death was caused by another person’s wrongful act, talk with a Denver wrongful death attorney lawyer Fuicelli & Lee.

Understanding Wrongful Death

Wrongful death occurs when someone dies due to the negligence, recklessness, or intentional wrongdoing of another person or entity. Imagine the deceased could have sued for their injuries had they survived. In such cases, surviving family members can file a wrongful death lawsuit to recover damages. This type of legal claim is also called a wrongful death action.

These damages typically include:

Economic losses: lost income, medical expenses, and other financial support the deceased would have provided.
Emotional distress: the pain and suffering caused by the loss of a loved one.

However, it’s important to note that some states, like Colorado, limit the amount of compensation for emotional distress unless the death resulted from a serious crime.

What Makes a Colorado Wrongful Death Case?

A wrongful death claim is a civil lawsuit that’s based on negligence or carelessness; the claimant must prove the wrongful death occurred through another person’s negligence. When proving negligence, the claimant must show that:

The defendant owed the deceased a duty of care
The defendant breached their duty of care to the deceased
The breach caused the death

In negligence per se, the defendant’s violation of a law or regulation that was enacted to protect a class of persons, including the deceased, is proof of an existing duty of care and breach of that duty.

Colorado’s wrongful death law outlines who is eligible to file a wrongful death claim and the essential elements that must be established in such cases.

Types of Wrongful Death Cases

A wrongful death can occur in different situations. The circumstances surrounding the death of the deceased person will help determine what type of action the claimants can pursue.

Motor Vehicle Accidents

In a recent year, 745 people died on Colorado roadways—the most traffic fatalities in the state since 1981, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. If you lost a family member in a car accident that was the fault of the other driver, you may have grounds to file a wrongful death claim provided you can show that the other driver’s negligence caused the crash.

This is similar to a personal injury case, in which claims for damages are made, but with the added complexities of wrongful death claims emphasizing the importance of maximum compensation for clients.

For example, if the at-fault driver was driving recklessly or driving under the influence of alcohol, and that wrongful act caused your loved one’s death, you may have grounds for a Colorado wrongful death lawsuit.

Fatal car accidents and truck accidents in Denver are often tied to the dynamic local weather patterns. Winter in Denver and the Front Range brings icy roads and snowstorms, which demand motorists to slow down and drive with extra care and attention.

Negligent drivers who fail to adjust to these conditions by speeding, tailgating, or failing to maintain their vehicles often cause fatal accidents. Distracted driving in poor weather can cause a driver to lose control if they suddenly have to stop or avoid a road hazard.

Similarly, summer thunderstorms in the Front Range create slick roads and reduce visibility. Drivers who do not slow down or use proper lights during these conditions put others at risk. These examples illustrate how negligence, not the weather itself, leads to tragic losses.

Product Liability

A product liability action may be appropriate when the cause of injury or death is a defective product. It is presumed that all products are safely manufactured. The manufacturer’s negligence and product defect can be proven by showing that:

The manufacturer did not conform to existing required standards in the manufacturing of the product; or
The manufacturer did not comply with existing government codes, standards, and regulations in effect at the time the product was manufactured and sold.

If the product caused injury or death within 10 years after it was sold to a consumer, then it is presumed that the product was not defective or negligently manufactured.

The burden is on the claimants to prove that the product was defective and the manufacturer was negligent.

Premises Liability Accidents

Premises liability refers to the legal responsibility of property owners and managers to maintain safe conditions on their property. When they fail to meet this obligation, their negligence can lead to dangerous accidents and, in severe cases, wrongful deaths. Families who lose loved ones due to unsafe premises may be entitled to file a wrongful death claim against the property owner or manager responsible for the hazardous conditions.

Premises liability accidents can result in fatal injuries, and these incidents often arise from a property owner’s failure to maintain a safe environment. Common examples include:

Slip and Fall Accidents: Property owners who fail to address dangerous conditions on stairs, walkways, aisles, parking lots, and other areas put visitors at risk of a slip and fall accident. For example, an elderly individual may slip on untreated snow or ice, suffer a severe fall, and experience a fatal brain bleed or other catastrophic injuries. Seasonal weather changes in Denver and the Front Range create challenges for property owners. Neglecting these responsibilities can lead to deadly accidents:
Negligent Security: Inadequate security measures, such as broken locks, poorly lit areas, or the absence of security personnel, can invite violent crimes, including assaults or robberies. If a property owner’s negligence creates an environment conducive to crime, they can be held liable for fatal injuries caused by violent acts on their premises.
Poor Maintenance: Unsafe conditions such as broken stair railings, loose floorboards, or defective elevators can lead to fatal accidents. Property owners are responsible for identifying and repairing these hazards in a timely manner to protect visitors.
Drowning Accidents: Unsecured swimming pools or lack of proper safety measures like fencing or signage can lead to drowning accidents, especially involving children.

In a wrongful death case arising from premises liability, claimants must prove that the property owner or manager was negligent and that their negligence directly caused their loved one’s fatal injuries. Examples of evidence that can support these claims include maintenance records, surveillance footage, and witness statements.

Medical Malpractice

A medical malpractice action arises when a physician or other licensed medical professional provides substandard care, which causes the death of a person.

To succeed on the basis of medical malpractice, the claimants must show, through expert testimony, the physician’s duty of care and how the physician breached that duty. Expert testimony can only come from a physician with training and experience in treating the disease or performing the medical procedure that is the subject of the wrongful death claim.

Typically, to prove medical negligence on the part of the accused, expert witnesses must practice the same subspecialty of medicine as the defendant physician.

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Time Limits to File Wrongful Death Claims

Colorado’s wrongful death statute of limitations within which to file a wrongful death suit is generally two years. Under certain circumstances, such as death caused by a motor vehicle accident, the time limit for filing a wrongful death claim is three years. Colorado state law stipulates who can make a claim within that time.

Two or three years may sound like a long time to file a wrongful death case. However, it takes a while to build a strong case to ensure you get maximum compensation. And if you miss this deadline, you won’t be able to file a claim on your loved one’s behalf.

Contact a Denver wrongful death attorney today to ensure you don’t miss any important deadlines for filing wrongful death claims.

Within the First Year After the Death

The persons who can file a wrongful death claim within the first year are:

Only the spouse of the deceased or;
The spouse and the children or heirs of the deceased with the written election of the surviving spouse. If the spouse agrees in writing, the children or heirs of the deceased can join the claim or file it together with the spouse;
The children or heirs of the deceased only with the written election of the surviving spouse. If the spouse provides written consent, the children or heirs can file the wrongful death claim without the spouse;
If there is no spouse, then the children or heirs of the deceased or the deceased’s designated beneficiary have the right to file a claim.

After the First Year of the Death

The same class of people who can make a claim within the first year can make a claim in the second year after the death. The difference is that in the second year, both the spouse and children or the children alone can file a suit without the written election of the spouse.

When Can a Parent Make a Wrongful Death Claim?

Under Colorado’s Wrongful Death Act, a parent can maintain a wrongful death claim only if the deceased had no surviving spouse and no children, and no designated beneficiary. Unlike claims concerning property, wrongful death claims cannot be assigned. For example, a deceased’s surviving children cannot assign their claim to the deceased’s parent. The deceased’s parent cannot legally make a claim when the deceased has a surviving child.

The status of the deceased at the date of their death is what determines who can make a wrongful death claim on their behalf. For example, if the deceased person was a married adult without children, and their spouse dies before a wrongful death lawsuit is filed, the parents of the deceased cannot file a claim.

To ensure that the family of the deceased gets the justice they deserve, it is important that they act quickly and consult with a wrongful death attorney as soon as possible. The law makes no exceptions for such unfortunate circumstances.

What if the Parents Are Divorced or Separated?

Generally, both parents have an equal interest in any judgment received from a wrongful death lawsuit. However, where the parents are no longer together and are either divorced, separated, or living apart, the court may have to conduct further proceedings to determine how to fairly apportion any judgment sum between the two parents.

In order to divide any judgment sum awarded in a wrongful death lawsuit between divorced or separated parents, the court will consider the following factors:

Each parent’s relationship with the deceased;
Each parent’s parental responsibility for the deceased; and
Any other factors that the court deems necessary to make a fair and equitable decision.

Types of Damages in a Wrongful Death Lawsuit

The types of damages for which surviving family members could receive monetary compensation in a wrongful death claim depend on the circumstances of the case.

Economic Damages

Economic damages represent monetary losses whose value is determined by available evidence and include:

Medical bills including hospitalization and other medical expenses
Funeral expenses
Lost wages
Property damages

Non-economic Damages

Non-economic damages represent non-monetary losses whose value will usually be determined by economics experts. Non-economic losses include:

Pain and suffering
Grief
Emotional stress
Loss of companionship.

In Colorado, non-economic damages in wrongful death claims are capped at $500,000. If the death was caused by a felonious killing, there is no limitation on the amount recoverable for non-economic damages in a wrongful death suit. A felonious killing is defined as any killing that constitutes the crime of murder or manslaughter.

Punitive Damages

Exemplary damages are additional damages that may be awarded when a person’s death is the result of fraud, malice, or willful and wanton conduct. A person’s actions will be considered willful and wanton if the person realized that what they were doing was dangerous but still chose to go act in a way that caused harm.

Exemplary damages in a wrongful death claim cannot exceed the actual damages awarded to the claimants.

Contact the Denver Wrongful Death Attorneys at Fuicelli & Lee Today

Denver Wrongful Death Lawyer, Keith Fuicelli

If have lost a loved one to a preventable death, contact the Denver wrongful death attorneys at Fuicelli & Lee. We understand that losing your loved one is one of the most difficult times in your life, and we are here to stand by you and provide any relief we can through a wrongful death settlement or verdict. Contact us today for more information on how we can help with your wrongful death case.

Client Testimonial

“Lori Tolle and her team are fantastic! They communicate well and are very compassionate. They made a complicated case go much smoother than anticipated. I highly recommend Fuicelli & Lee, P.C.” – Troy H. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Fuicelli & Lee, PC – Denver Office

1731 Gilpin Street
Denver, CO 80218
P: (303) 444-4444