Richard J. Dehncke
Attorney at Law

Richard Dehncke has the distinct honor of being recognized as one of Colorado’s Super Lawyers. Injury Attorney Richard Dehncke has proudly represented seriously injured persons and their families confidently, competently, and compassionately for 30 years. His legal practice emphasizes traumatic brain injury, spinal injuries, RSD, and wrongful death. A graduate of the University of Michigan and University of Denver College of Law, Mr. Dehncke has attended the prestigious Harvard Law School Center for Legal Negotiation. He is an instructor with the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. Memberships include the Brain Injury Association of Colorado, Colorado Trial Lawyers Association, and Colorado Bar Association. He has been awarded the highest national AV rating for legal ability and ethical standards.

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If someone you love was tragically killed, filing a lawsuit might be the last thing on your mind. But if their tragic death was the result of negligence or carelessness by another party, you may have reason to file a “wrongful death” claim. The death of a parent, spouse or child can put you and your family in immediate financial hardship as you cope to pay bills and eliminate debts. Financial compensation for lost wages, future earnings and pain and suffering can help alleviate those worries so you can attempt to put your lives back together again.

Wrongful death can be the result of an automobile accident, homicide, use of a defective product or even medical malpractice. Under Colorado law, the surviving spouse or next of kin is responsible for filing a wrongful death suit. According to the state’s statue of limitations, you only have 2 years from the time of death to file a wrongful death lawsuit and in some cases you may even have less. It is important to contact a qualified personal injury attorney immediately after the death of a loved one to determine if there is just cause to file a wrongful death claim.

You are entitled to receive fair compensation for your suffering. Under Colorado law, there may be certain limits that are placed on the amount of compensation you can receive for emotional distress or suffering. If your loved one’s death was associated with homicide or manslaughter, those limits are much greater. Your attorney will need to take into consideration all aspects of the case including both economic and non-economic damages. Loss of future earnings, medical bills, funeral expenses and loss of benefits should all be considered during the course of the suit.

Wrongful death may sometimes be due to medical malpractice. In cases of medical malpractice, a doctor, nurse or a hospital may be partly to blame for your loved one’s death. Birth injuries, misdiagnosis, surgical complications and prescription errors are all examples of instances where wrongful death may have occurred. Your personal injury attorney will be able to help sort through the medical records and speak with physicians and medical experts to determine if you have reason to file a wrongful death claim.

Some cases of wrongful death are due to defective products. Today’s drug industry is a prime example. Many of today’s new medications come with serious side effects that are not always known. If your loved one’s death was a direct result of taking a defective drug or using a defective product, the manufacturer, designer or distributor may be to blame. Several class action lawsuits occur every year due to faulty product design or distribution.

Contact a personal injury attorney immediately to determine if you have reason to file a wrongful death claim. After a loved one‘s death, the last thing you should be worrying about is paying the bills or funeral expenses. Let your attorney work for you, so you can focus your efforts on more important things---recovery.