Thornton Wrongful Death Lawyer

Thornton Wrongful Death Attorney

The unexpected death of a loved one is never easy, but when a sudden death in the family occurs because of another party’s negligence or intentional misconduct, this can add frustration to an already strong mix of emotions. Wrongful death occurs whenever a party causes the death of another person through negligence (failure to use appropriate care) or illegal misconduct, such as driving under the influence of alcohol or intentional violence.

Helping Clients in Thornton, CO, With Wrongful Death Claims

If a family member died because of another party in the Thornton area, it is crucial to know your rights when ensuring their accountability. When one person harms another and causes economic losses and physical injury, the victim can pursue a personal injury claim. When negligence or misconduct results in death, the victim’s family can pursue a wrongful death suit, effectively taking the place of the personal injury suit the victim could have filed if they had survived. If this has happened to you or your loved one, you don’t have to face it alone.

The attorneys at Cheney Galluzzi & Howard have years of professional experience handling a wide range of personal injury claims in Thornton, and we know how challenging any wrongful death can be for the victim’s family. Our firm has helped many families recover compensation for wrongful deaths caused by negligence and illegal misconduct in the Thornton area. While money won’t replace your loved one, it can make the adjustment to your circumstances a bit easier and provide reassurance in the form of accountability. If you believe you have grounds to file a wrongful death action, we are ready to assist you with your claim.

Forming Your Wrongful Death Action in Thornton

Most of the wrongful death cases filed in Thornton pertain to acts of negligence, or failure to use reasonable care in a given situation. Every adult in the state is expected to act with reasonable care, preventing injuries to others by acting responsibly in various situations. For example, when driving your vehicle in Thornton, you have a duty of care to follow traffic signals, obey the speed limits, and refrain from consuming alcohol or drugs before driving. Likewise, if you own private property and invite others onto your property, you have a duty of care to prevent injuries to your guests and visitors by addressing foreseeable safety issues as soon as they become apparent.

When any party fails to meet a duty of care or acts with disregard for the safety of others, this negligence can easily lead to serious or even fatal injuries. Proving negligence in a civil suit requires evidence that the defendant owed the victim a duty of care, failed to meet that duty of care, and consequently caused the damages cited in the suit. To succeed with your wrongful death claim in Thornton, you must prove another party caused the death in question through some failure to show appropriate care.

Alternatively, it is possible to lose a loved one because of their illegal misconduct. Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol or drugs, intentional reckless driving, and interpersonal violent crime are just a few examples of this. If you lose your loved one due to another party’s illegal misconduct, the party at fault faces your civil suit for not only wrongful death but also criminal charges from the state. In addition, causing another person’s death can significantly increase the penalties for many criminal acts, and the defendant is likely to face many years in prison alongside their other penalties.

Claiming Compensation for Wrongful Death in Thornton

A successful wrongful death claim can yield several types of compensation for surviving family members. While personal injury claims seek repayment of the victims’ losses, wrongful death claims aim to compensate the victims’ families. Your Thornton wrongful death attorney could help your family recover:

• Funeral and burial expenses for your deceased loved one.
• Recompense for the lost value of the household services your loved one provided.
• Money for the financial support the victim can no longer provide with their income.
• Damages to the deceased’s estate, such as their final medical expenses and lost income during their final illness or injury.
• Pain and suffering compensation, awarded to the family of the deceased to reflect the emotional distress the loss of the victim caused.

Other variables could also come into play and influence your final award for a successful wrongful death suit. For example, if the death occurred because of someone’s illegal misconduct, the defendant who caused the death may be sentenced to restitution to the victim’s family alongside their other penalties. Ultimately, your wrongful death suit could be worth more than you expect, and an experienced Thornton wrongful death attorney is the optimal resource to consult when determining how you can maximize your family’s case award.

When a wrongful death claim occurs from negligence, the case may unfold through settlement or litigation. If the defendant accepts responsibility for the death, it behooves them to settle the case privately outside of court, and this will save all parties involved time and money they would otherwise expend in litigation; however, if settlement is not an option, the case will need to proceed to a trial. If a loved one dies from illegal and intentional misconduct, the defendant will face criminal prosecution, and your attorney can advise you as to how this may influence your civil claim and recovery. When you choose Cheney Galluzzi & Howard as your legal counsel, you have instant access to a responsive legal advocate ready to address any concerns that may arise throughout your case proceedings.

Wrongful Death Attorney FAQs

Q: Is It Necessary to Hire Wrongful Death Lawyers?

A: Colorado law does not require you to hire an attorney to represent you in a wrongful death claim, but you have much better chances of not only winning your case but also of maximizing your recovery when you have trustworthy legal counsel. Your Thornton wrongful death attorney will guide you through the early preliminary stages of your case and help you understand the legal mechanisms in play. They will also handle your case proceedings so you can focus on your family.

Q: How Do You Prove Liability for Wrongful Death?

A: It’s possible for a wrongful death to occur from an act of negligence or intentional misconduct of some kind. To succeed with a wrongful death claim, the plaintiff must identify the party responsible for causing the death in question, offer evidence showing how they caused the death, and prove the full financial impact of the death on the victim’s family. Your Thornton wrongful death attorney is the ideal asset to have in this situation, as they will assist you with every aspect of the claim.

Q: What Is the Highest Possible Wrongful Death Settlement?

A: It’s possible to claim a range of damages from the defendant responsible for your loved one’s wrongful death. They are liable for any direct financial losses resulting from the death, such as funeral and burial costs and lost financial support the deceased provided. They also are responsible for the pain and suffering inflicted on the surviving family. Working with an experienced Thornton wrongful death attorney offers the greatest chance of maximizing the case award you obtain from a successful wrongful death case.

Q: Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim?

A: The ability to file a wrongful death claim falls in line with the state’s intestate succession laws. This means the beneficiaries of the deceased can file a wrongful death suit before anyone else, followed by those who can prove financial dependence on the deceased. The first to be able to file a wrongful death claim is the surviving spouse, followed by their children. If they have no immediate family, their parents can file a wrongful death claim, followed by siblings, extended relatives, and finally, anyone who can prove financial dependence or a valid legal claim to the contents of the deceased’s estate.

Q: How Much Does a Thornton Wrongful Death Attorney Cost to Hire?

A: The attorneys at Cheney Galluzzi & Howard accept clients for civil suits on a contingency fee basis. This means when you choose our firm to handle your case, you will not pay any upfront legal fees, nor do we charge fees for the duration of your proceedings. Instead, we take a percentage of your total case award once we win your case, and if we are unable to secure compensation for you, there is no fee at all.

Thornton Wrongful Death Attorneys, Cheney Galluzzi & Howard

The attorneys at Cheney Galluzzi & Howard have extensive professional experience in civil law, and we have assisted many clients with a wide range of complex and emotionally charged cases. We know the challenges you are likely to face in your impending wrongful death suit, and we want to help you approach this challenging situation with confidence and peace of mind. If you are ready to learn what an experienced Thornton wrongful death attorney can do for you, contact us today and set up a consultation with us.