Over $50M Recovered in the Past Seven Years
At the Tenge Law Firm LLC, our goal is to achieve the best possible result for our clients as soon as possible. Each case and each client is different, so we work directly with clients to meet their needs for medical care and personal situations. We have enjoyed great success, with exceedingly high client satisfaction, using this approach.
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$3,250,000 Rollover auto accident involving defective roof and serious injuries
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$1,500,000 Tire blowout on I-70 causing serious injuries
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$1,475,000 Auto accident with head, neck and back injuries
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$1,350,000 Auto accident with orthopedic injuries to foot, ankle, and leg
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$1,250,000 Wrongful Death
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$1,250,000 Lower Leg Orthopedic Injury Resulting in Surgery
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$1,100,000 Construction site accident
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$1,050,000 Trucking accident with low back injuries
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$1,025,000 Motorcycle accident resulting in traumatic brain injury and orthopedic injuries
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$950,000 Car accident with brain injury and orthopedic injuries
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$750,000 Policy Limits – Low speed auto accident leading to minor stroke
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$533,000 Trial Verdict - Client hit by airborne patio umbrella with facial scar and concussion.
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$450,000 Pedestrian hit by car
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$300,000 Four-car accident resulting in vertebral fracture and facial injuries
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$200,000 Auto accident with facial injuries
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$120,000 Slip-and-fall at fast food restaurant
What Are Common Causes of a Wrongful Death?
Regardless of the specific circumstances surrounding your family member’s death, the experienced attorneys of the Tenge Law Firm, LLC can help your family assess its options and seek compensation. We have represented numerous individuals in wrongful death cases, and our past success is representative of our hard work and experience.
Recently, we represented a young mother whose husband was tragically killed in a car crash in Northeast Colorado. Both the husband and the other driver were speeding excessively while driving down backcountry roads, which made this claim especially difficult. The other driver’s insurance company argued “comparative fault,” that our client’s husband was more than 50 percent responsible for the accident. Despite this argument, we were able to successfully resolve the case through litigation for the full amount of both insurance policies involved ($500,000 and $25,000).
The most common causes of a wrongful death include:
- Motor vehicle accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Products liability
- Work-related accidents
- Criminal acts
- Occupational exposure and hazards
- Accidents that occur on someone else’s property as a result of the property owner’s negligence
- Supervised activities including day care, adult care, and field trips
- Abuse and/or neglect that occurs in a nursing home or other long-term care facility
Common Emotional and Financial Challenges Families Face
Losing a loved one to wrongful death is an emotionally and financially destabilizing event. The pain of sudden loss, combined with unforeseen financial burdens, can leave families struggling to cope. Some of the most pressing challenges include:
Emotional Trauma
The unexpected death of a loved one often leads to profound emotional distress. Families may experience:
- Grief: The intense sadness and sense of loss can be overwhelming, often taking months or years to process.
- Anxiety: Concerns about the future, such as how to provide for children or manage household responsibilities, can create persistent worry.
- Depression: A sense of helplessness or loss of purpose after losing a loved one may lead to long-term emotional struggles.
- Anger and frustration: Especially in cases involving negligence or wrongful conduct, family members may wrestle with feelings of injustice or unresolved anger.
Financial Strain
The financial impact of a wrongful death can be equally devastating, compounding the emotional toll. Common financial burdens include:
- Medical expenses: Costs incurred for emergency medical care, hospitalization, or other treatments leading up to the loved one’s passing.
- Funeral and burial costs: The average funeral can cost thousands of dollars, creating immediate pressure on families.
- Lost income: For households that relied on the deceased’s income, the sudden loss can leave families scrambling to pay bills or maintain their standard of living.
- Outstanding debts: The deceased may have left behind unpaid loans, mortgages, or other debts that now fall to surviving family members.
Future Uncertainty
In addition to immediate financial challenges, families often face long-term uncertainty, such as:
- Childcare and education costs: Parents who were primary caregivers or contributors to their children’s education leave a significant gap that surviving family members must fill.
- Retirement planning: Spouses may struggle to adjust plans for shared retirement goals due to reduced financial resources.
- Household management: Tasks once handled by the deceased—such as budgeting, childcare, or home maintenance—may now require outside help, adding further costs.
The Ripple Effect on Family Dynamics
A wrongful death often alters family roles and relationships in unexpected ways:
- Increased responsibilities: Remaining family members may need to take on new roles, such as caring for children or managing finances.
- Strained relationships: Grief can manifest differently among family members, sometimes leading to misunderstandings or conflicts.
- Loss of guidance and companionship: Children may lose a mentor, while spouses face the absence of emotional and practical support.
Why Addressing These Challenges Matters
Acknowledging these difficulties is crucial to understanding the importance of seeking justice through a wrongful death claim. Financial compensation cannot erase the pain of loss, but it can provide:
- Stability: Alleviating immediate financial pressures so families can focus on healing.
- Closure: Holding responsible parties accountable may bring a sense of justice to grieving families.
- Resources for recovery: Funds recovered through a wrongful death claim can support therapy, education, or other critical needs.
Learn more about how our Fort Collins wrongful death attorney can help you by contacting us online or calling (970) 510-8077 today!
Hundreds of 5-star Reviews. Exceptional Results
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"Would highly recommend to anyone!!"
Tenge Law Firm helped me out when I was in a accident that involved my whole family. They were great and fast with the entire process, and were awesome at keeping me updated throughout the entire process. Would highly recommend to anyone!!
- Zack K. -
"Definitely made it a stress-free experience"
Brenda was my attorney. She was amazing, helped me through the whole process. Definitely made it a stress-free experience, especially after going through something so traumatic! Was extremely attentive and always kept me updated on how my case was going! I would 1000% recommend them to everyone and anyone!! THANK YOU SO MUCH!
- Zitlaly O. -
"They were extremely responsive and answered my questions very well."
Paige and Nina were a delight to work with. They were extremely responsive and answered my questions very well. They made me feel like I was in good hands and could trust them!
- Rachel V. -
"Everyone is extremely nice & very efficient"
I highly recommend this law firm! They take care of everything in a timely manner & alleviate any harassment while you recover from injuries. Everyone is extremely nice & very efficient...if you need an attorney, Tenge Law is the place to go!
- Betty C. -
"They treated me like family"
Todd, Liz and Nina were amazing. They handled my case very professionally. I recommend this law firm to anyone looking for a great firm. They treated me like family
- Jenn K.
Who Can Sue for a Wrongful Death?
Every state has its own laws regarding who may bring a wrongful death claim. Under Colorado law, only the surviving spouse of a deceased individual may initiate a wrongful death claim within the first year following the death. After one year, surviving children of the deceased individual are also permitted to file a claim. In the event the deceased individual does not have a surviving spouse or any surviving children, the individual’s parents are eligible to file a claim.
In addition to any claim filed by surviving family members, the representative of the deceased person’s estate may pursue a survival action claim to recover damages on behalf of the estate.
Survival Action
Under Colorado law, only the representative of a victim’s estate may file a survival action claim. If the victim did not select a legal representative prior to death, the court may appoint one.
The purpose of a survival action claim is to recover compensation for any losses the victim incurred from the date of injury to the date of death. Any monetary award secured as a result of a survival action claim must be paid directly to the victim’s estate.
Statute of Limitations
Under Colorado law, any wrongful death claim must be filed within two years from the date of the victim’s death. Hiring an experienced personal injury attorney can help ensure that you don’t miss important filing deadlines, and that your claim proceeds smoothly.
Learn more about how our Fort Collins wrongful death attorney can help you by contacting us online or calling (970) 510-8077 today!
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Reviews
When our clients are happy, they say so. Whether we’re being described for how well we communicate, our responsiveness, or the quality of our service, we’re consistently rated 5.0 out of 5.0 by those we represent.
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Ratings
As an industry leader in the field of personal injury, we're proud to maintain a superb 10.0 out of 10.0 rating on AVVO.com, have a preeminent AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and have recently been awarded Client Champion Platinum status from Lawyers.com.
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Results
In the last ten years, we've recovered $50 million on behalf of our clients. Our motto is simple - You do what you need to do physically recover, and we'll handle the rest.
At the Tenge Law Firm LLC, we feel a profound responsibility to ensure our client’s physical and emotional well being during one of the worst times of their life. We've put together a page of resources to help you gain legal expertise and education about the law.
What Are Wrongful Death Damages That May Be Available?
In a wrongful death action, economic damages are awarded as compensation for financial expenses; while non-economic damages are awarded for personal and emotional suffering that has been incurred as a result of another person’s negligence. Calculating damages can be complicated, as there is no perfect way to determine the present and future value of emotional damage.
Generally, economic factors used to calculate a damages award include:
- The age of the deceased person
- The deceased person’s prior health history
- The deceased person’s income at the time of death
- The educational background of the deceased person
- Any technical or specialized training that the deceased person had undergone
- Medical bills and expenses
- Funeral expenses
- Loss of future benefits from pensions or insurance
Under Colorado law, a surviving family member or legal representative may be entitled to seek monetary damages from an at-fault party. These damages include, without limitation:
- The deceased person’s pain and suffering prior to death
- The deceased person’s medical expenses and costs
- Funeral and burial costs
- Loss of income expected over the deceased person’s lifetime
- Loss of any inheritance that the deceased person was entitled to at the time of death or in the future
- Loss of value of the services performed by the deceased person
- Loss of care, guidance, and nurturing to the family that the deceased person would have provided
- Loss of love, companionship, and consortium that the deceased person would have provided
How Is a Wrongful Death Case Established?
A wrongful death lawsuit is a civil, rather than criminal, action, and thus the plaintiff in a wrongful death case enjoys a lower burden of proof than he or she would in other cases. The plaintiff must prove by a preponderance of the evidence (rather than beyond a reasonable doubt) that the defendant’s actions caused the death of the plaintiff’s family member.
To be eligible to seek compensation, the surviving family members must prove that:
- The deceased person would have lived but for the actions of the defendant; in other words, the defendant caused the deceased person’s death.
- Another party’s negligence caused the fatality.
- Significant and relevant evidence establishes causation by a preponderance of the evidence.
Learn more about how our Fort Collins wrongful death attorney can help you by contacting us online or calling (970) 510-8077 today!
Now, More Than Ever, You Need Help
Wrongful death lawsuits require extensive preparation, convincing evidence, and experience dealing with unexpected events that occur at trial. Proving and defending a wrongful death claim can be difficult.
Among other things, a plaintiff in a wrongful death lawsuit must establish:
- The deceased person’s expected life expectancy had they not been killed
- The amount of lost financial support as a result of the deceased person’s death
- The monetary value for lost companionship and comfort due to the deceased person’s death
The various steps involved in a wrongful death case are complex, and can confuse inexperienced plaintiffs. Individuals who have lost a loved one in a fatal accident need a zealous advocate to protect their legal rights, and to build a solid case for recovery. For over a quarter century, our experienced Fort Collins personal injury attorneys at the Tenge Law Firm, LLC have been helping individuals who have suffered the wrongful death of a family member recover from their suffering, and we are prepared to help you and your family as well.
Make sure to speak with one of our experienced attorneys soon, before the statute of limitations on your claim expires. Time may not be on your side, but we are.
If your family member has experienced a wrongful death, and you are unsure about the validity of your claim, call the Tenge Law Firm, LLC at (970) 510-8077 or online to request a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
