Families in Colorado often cope with serious financial hardship as well as great emotional trauma when a loved one is lost unexpectedly. Monthly obligations may quickly become unmanageable when a relied-upon paycheck is no longer coming in, and monetary problems may be compounded by uncovered medical bills and other expenses such as funeral costs. If you have lost a loved one due to the negligent actions of others, you may be able to pursue civil remedies.
However, wrongful death laws in Colorado state that this type of litigation must be filed by dependent family members within two years. In addition to negligence, you may be able to pursue such an action if your loss was caused by misconduct. When you file a wrongful death lawsuit, you may seek compensation for lost income as well as other costs and expenses.
A wrongful death lawsuit is often brought by the families of those killed in an automobile accident caused by a distracted, drowsy or intoxicated driver. This kind of litigation may also be filed against a property owner when a person is killed due to unsafe conditions or against a doctor or hospital when a medical error causes the death of a patient. Employers may also be sued by families if a worker is killed because of defective equipment, a disregard of established safety procedures, lax oversight or inadequate training.
If you feel that a family member who you relied upon financially lost their life in a manner that could have been prevented had reasonable precautions been taken, a personal injury attorney may be able to file a lawsuit on behalf of you or your family. If you would like to learn more about pursuing a wrongful death claim in Colorado, please visit our page containing information about the subject.
Source: Purvis Thomson, “Wrongful Death“, October 30, 2014