Wrongful Death Attorney in Highlands Ranch, CO

No matter the circumstances, the loss of a loved one is a tragic event. When your loved one’s death was caused by someone else’s negligence, you may be dealing with anger on top of your grief. Our Highlands Ranch wrongful death attorneys can help you pursue justice through financial compensation.

At The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm, LLC, we know that you’re likely struggling with financial stress from the loss of a loved one’s financial support or medical bills due to their accident, alongside the trauma of your loss. Our Highlands Ranch personal injury lawyers can pursue fair compensation and handle your case from beginning to end. Contact us today for a free review of your case.

After a loved one’s passing, you should have the space and time to grieve on your own terms. However, when you still need to afford daily expenses and face an uncertain future, it can be hard to find time for yourself. Hiring dedicated and compassionate legal representation can relieve you of some of your burdens.

We can:

Investigate to Determine All Liable Parties

We thoroughly investigate to establish who is to blame for your loved one’s passing. Our legal team can also gather evidence that supports your wrongful death claim.

Handle Communications and Paperwork

When we take on your case, we handle it from start to finish. Our attorneys file all necessary paperwork, handle communications with the insurance company and the liable party’s legal team, and represent your case in court if needed.

Fight for Fair Compensation

Our lawyers listen to your story and carefully examine your economic and non-economic losses so we can pursue the maximum compensation you qualify for.

Work on a Contingency-Fee Basis

We know that affording a lawyer may seem out of reach. However, our personal injury attorneys work on a contingency-fee basis, so there are no upfront costs to you. Instead, you only pay our fees if we recover compensation for you.

Why Choose The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm, LLC?

In addition to the fact that our team is empathetic and committed to protecting your future, several of our attorneys previously worked for insurance companies. So, we know how they may try to deny or undervalue your claim and can combat these tactics.

We are available 24/7, and we’ll keep you updated throughout your case’s progress. We promise to always be honest with you.

We know that no amount of money can bring your loved one back. However, compensation can help give you the time and space to grieve with your family. It can also relieve the financial pressures that a death causes. You may qualify for compensation that accounts for losses like:

• Financial support
• Medical expenses related to your loved one’s accident or end-of-life care
• Cremation or burial costs
• Funeral expenses

You may also be able to recover compensation that accounts for non-financial losses, such as:

• Loss of companionship
• Loss of parental guidance, for children who have lost a parent
• Your loved one’s pain and suffering

Your ability to pursue a wrongful death claim depends on your relationship to the decedent. In Colorado, spouses are the only parties who can file a wrongful death claim in the first year. If there is no spouse, then heirs or a designated beneficiary can file the claim during the first year. If there is no spouse, heirs, or designated beneficiary, parents can file a claim.

In the second year, spouses, heirs, siblings, and designated beneficiaries are all eligible to pursue a claim or to join the existing claim.

To successfully pursue a wrongful death claim, your lawyer must prove that your loved one’s death was due to someone else’s negligence. Doing so can be complicated, depending on the circumstances, and may require a thorough investigation.

There are four key elements which must be proven to establish that negligence occurred. These four elements are:

Duty of Care

Duty of care refers to the legal responsibility of one party to keep another party safe. Some examples of duty of care include:

• A motor vehicle driver obeying traffic laws
• A trucking company training its drivers
• A property owner removing hazardous conditions from their property

Breach of Duty of Care

Breaching duty of care means a person takes an action (or fails to take an action) that would keep others around them safe. The following actions all represent a breach of duty:

• Speeding
• Driving while intoxicated
• Ignoring (or not paying attention to) traffic signs
• Ignoring reports of hazards on their property

Causation

This breach directly leads to an accident or injury. For example:

• An intoxicated driver falls asleep at the wheel and hits another vehicle
• A careless owner allows their dog to attack someone 
• A business owner fails to clear tripping hazards from a store and someone falls

Damages

Finally, your lawyer must also prove that there were losses because of the breach. This can be proven through documentation like medical records which link your loved one’s passing to the accident.

How Your Lawyer Will Prove These Elements

The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm, LLC, can gather evidence to support your claim. Important evidence can include:

• Witness statements
• Surveillance footage
• Accident scene photos
• Medical records
• Driving records, phone records, police reports, and other official documents
• Expert testimony, such as from an accident reconstructionist

The sooner we can begin our investigation, the easier it may be for us to gather helpful yet time-sensitive evidence like witness testimony and surveillance footage.

Under CO. Rev. Stat. § 13-80-102, you typically only have two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit. It’s essential to understand the timeline of your case, as failing to file on time can prevent you from recovering compensation.

Exceptions apply to the time limit, so discuss any concerns or questions you have with your lawyer. Our team works to move quickly and file within the time limit whenever feasible.