To put together this 2026 list of Denver wrongful death firms, we looked at their practice focus, published results and client reviews, along with experience.
Bachus & Schanker leads this list, with a published $38 million hospital negligence result and a history dating to 1996. Before you call, find out whether the firm handles deaths involving care or accidents like yours. Ask how costs work and who would manage your file. If medical care was involved in the death, use the Colorado law guide to find rules to discuss with a lawyer.
4.71,976 Google reviewsRated 4.7 out of 5 on Google from 1976 reviews
Best for: Hospital negligence and wrongful death
Bachus & Schanker's own site publishes a $38 million hospital negligence result. That gives families something concrete to ask about when discussing a death connected to medical care. The firm was founded in 1996 and lists wrongful death and medical malpractice within a broad injury practice.
Stood out in our review for its years of experience and what its clients say.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
5.0313 Google reviewsRated 5.0 out of 5 on Google from 313 reviews
Best for: Fatal truck accident claims
If a death involved a commercial vehicle, Treviño Law's focus on truck accidents makes it a relevant firm to consider. Along with wrongful death, the firm's site lists medical malpractice among the cases it handles. The firm lists Jaime Treviño as its attorney; its affiliations include the Colorado Trial Lawyers Association and American Association for Justice.
Stood out in our review for the recognition it has earned and what its clients say.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.81,485 Google reviewsRated 4.8 out of 5 on Google from 1485 reviews
Best for: Deaths involving medical treatment
Morgan & Morgan's cited medical result involves a delayed C-section: a Hillsborough County jury awarded $37.8 million in 2007 after Brendan Dixon suffered severe brain injury. It was a birth injury case, not a wrongful death result. The firm's site shows wrongful death as well as surgical errors and misdiagnosis, so its medical practice is relevant to families questioning treatment.
Stood out in our review for what its clients say and how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
Not sure who to call first?
Tell us what happened. A malpractice lawyer who serves Denver can look at it with you, and it costs nothing.
4.9377 Google reviewsRated 4.9 out of 5 on Google from 377 reviews
Best for: Families seeking responsive communication
One client puts it briefly: “They listen”, a comment that echoes what others say in CGH's reviews. When describing a difficult process, families also say the firm answered their questions and kept them updated. Alongside wrongful death and medical malpractice, CGH's broader injury practice includes cases involving vehicle collisions as well as premises liability.
Stood out in our review for what its clients say and how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
4.7259 Google reviewsRated 4.7 out of 5 on Google from 259 reviews
Best for: Hospital and nursing home deaths
Alongside wrongful death, Ramos Law's site lists hospital negligence and nursing home neglect. If your family is concerned about a death in institutional care, ask how those practices overlap. The firm was founded by Dr. Joseph Ramos, and its listed attorneys include Paige Singleton and Jessica Schlatter.
Stood out in our review for what its clients say and how much of its work is medical malpractice.
We order firms by how much of their work is medical malpractice, the results they publish, what their clients say, their experience, their standing with the regulator and the recognition they have earned, all from public records and the firms' own sites. How lists are made
When explaining what happened, include when your family learned there might be a treatment problem. With exceptions, Colorado medical malpractice claims generally must meet a 2-year filing deadline as well as a 3-year outer limit. Ask a lawyer to assess which rules govern your situation.
Review the medical care
When reviewing the treatment facts, the lawyer considers whether the alleged error caused the death. Find out who will review the records and which ones they need. To meet Colorado's certificate requirement, an expert in the field must review the facts.
File and serve the complaint
If the lawyer accepts the claim and moves forward, they'll state the allegations in a complaint. To formally deliver the lawsuit to the opposing party, the complaint is served. Rather than rely on the date of death alone, ask your lawyer to explain the filing deadline.
File the certificate of review
Within 60 days after serving the complaint, the plaintiff's attorney must file a certificate of review. To confirm the claim does not lack substantial justification, that certificate states that an expert in the field reviewed the facts and reached that finding. That means there's a supportable basis for it.
Assess resolution and recovery rules
When discussing how the claim could be resolved, ask your lawyer what limits affect possible damages. Under HB24-1472, Colorado's medical malpractice caps changed according to a schedule based on the act or omission. If public employees or public health care entities are involved, a different law applies.
Malpractice claims in Denver: the rules that matter
The filing deadline in Colorado
The clock startsWhen you found out, or should have
Time to start a claim2 yearsMiss it and the claim is usually lost.
At the very most3 yearsafter the treatment, with a few exceptions
Limits on damages in Colorado
Pain and sufferingCapped at $530,000
All damages togetherCapped at $1,000,000
Expert paperworkThe plaintiff's attorney must file a certificate of review within 60 days after serving the complaint, confirming an expert in the field has reviewed the facts and found the claim does not lack substantial justification.
A written agreementThe share the lawyer takes, set out before work starts.
If you recover moneyThe agreed share and the case costs come out of it.
If the claim failsNo legal fee on a contingency agreement. Ask about costs.
According to every listed firm, it works on contingency. If the claim fails, there's no lawyer's fee; otherwise, the lawyer takes a share of the recovery. Free consultations are offered by each firm. Separate from that fee, case costs cover records and medical opinions, along with charges from the court. When you read the firms' listed information, you won't find who advances those expenses or pays them if a claim fails. Before signing, get those terms in writing. Ask whether any expense needs your approval and how paying costs would change the amount your family has left.
According to all five firms on this list, consultations are free and cases are handled on contingency.
What to bring to your first call
Treatment or accident dates, along with the date of death
What happened, written down in a brief account
Any relevant delivery notes among the medical records you already have
Who was involved, including names of clinicians and the hospital
Receipts and bills from the care involved
Messages or letters sent by the hospital or insurer
Any photos that might help you explain what happened
When you first suspected an error, noted down
Questions to ask a lawyer
1When handling wrongful death cases, how many have involved circumstances like ours?
2If you handle our file, who would review the medical records?
3When must we file our family's claim?
4Before you decide whether to accept the case, what do you need?
5How is your contingency fee worked out?
6If there's no recovery, who pays the case expenses?
7When we need to reach the attorney, how do we do that, and how will you provide updates?
8For this claim, what damages limits might apply?
Choosing a Denver lawyer after a death
What concerns you is the starting point. If someone died after hospital treatment, your questions will differ from those about a fatal truck collision. Although all these firms list wrongful death, they handle different cases alongside it: Treviño Law focuses on truck accidents, and Ramos Law lists hospital negligence and nursing home neglect. When you ask about past cases, look for circumstances like your family's.
When a firm publishes a result, you've got a specific case to discuss, not a price for your claim. A hospital negligence result appears on Bachus & Schanker's site. Unlike that result, Morgan & Morgan's cited verdict involved a child who survived with severe brain injury. Ask whether your records show the same issues that made the cited case viable.
Use the consultation to check the fit
Before proceeding, ask who would review the chart and remain your main attorney contact. Find out how the firm returns calls and keeps you updated.
Use your own words to describe the treatment or accident. Before the lawyer decides whether to accept the case, which additional records will they need?
When discussing past work, ask about similar wrongful death claims, not just injuries. If a review concerns a car settlement, it may tell you little about the firm's handling of a medical death.
Before signing, get a copy of the fee agreement. If the claim fails, what could you owe, and who pays for the records and medical opinions?
According to all listed firms, consultations are free and they charge contingency fees. Although you can talk about possible representation without paying for the consultation, the conversation alone doesn't mean the firm has agreed to take your case. If there's a recovery, the contingency fee comes from it; if the claim fails, you don't owe a lawyer's fee. Have the firm explain case expenses separately from its fee.
If someone promises a result or leaves fee terms unclear, pause. How they communicate matters too. Because some Bachus & Schanker and Morgan & Morgan reviews mention delays or trouble making contact, ask the firm how it actually keeps clients updated. This isn't legal advice, just general information. Ask a Colorado lawyer how these rules apply to your family's circumstances.
Questions people ask
Which Denver firm leads this wrongful death list?
This list puts Bachus & Schanker first. Since its founding in 1996, the firm has listed wrongful death and medical malpractice among its practices, and its site publishes a $38 million hospital negligence result. How another case turns out can't be predicted from that result. Before hiring, ask who would assess your family's claim, including whether that attorney has handled similar deaths.
How soon should we contact a lawyer after a death involving medical care?
To get the deadline assessed, contact a lawyer promptly. Under Colorado's general medical malpractice rule, claims must be filed within 2 years after accrual, meaning when you knew or should have known of the injury and its cause. Unless an exception applies, there's also a 3-year outer limit measured from the act or omission. Ask a Colorado lawyer how those rules work alongside the rules governing your wrongful death claim.
Can we speak with a lawyer without paying for the consultation?
According to all five listed firms, their consultations are free. When you speak, explain what happened and find out whether the firm would consider representing your family. Simply speaking with you doesn't mean it has accepted your case. Before moving ahead, ask what happens next, including whether the firm would charge for a later review of records.
What does a contingency fee mean for our family?
According to all listed firms, they work on contingency: if there's a recovery, the lawyer takes a share, but there's no lawyer's fee if the claim fails. Expenses need a separate discussion. For medical records and expert opinions, who pays the charges? If there's a recovery, do those costs come out of it, and if there isn't, what could you still owe?
What does a medical malpractice case need before it can proceed?
Within 60 days after serving the complaint, Colorado requires the plaintiff's attorney to file a certificate of review. To confirm that the claim does not lack substantial justification, it states that an expert in the field reviewed the facts and reached that finding. Before the lawyer assesses the care and whether it caused the death, ask which records they'll need.
How long will a wrongful death claim take?
For these firms or your claim, there's no supported estimate of a completion date. How long a claim takes isn't answered by its filing deadline. Before discussing updates once a lawsuit begins, ask the attorney what has to happen for the firm to decide whether to file. Delays or unanswered calls appear in some listed firms' reviews. How you'd stay in touch is worth asking directly.
Are the deadlines different for children?
If a child was under 6 when the act happened, Colorado's medical malpractice rule allows a lawsuit before the child's eighth birthday. For other minors, the general disability statute applies. The normal deadline runs against the child if a parent or legal representative is in place. A child's own claim is what these rules address. After a child's death, ask a Colorado lawyer to explain which rules govern the claim.
Is there a limit on damages for a medical death in Colorado?
When HB24-1472 raised Colorado's medical malpractice caps, it set a schedule based on when the act or omission occurred. If public employees or public health care entities are involved, the Governmental Immunity Act applies instead. Given your treatment dates and the defendants, which rules govern your case? A firm's published verdict isn't a measure of what your family might recover, so don't use it that way.
What should we do first if we think hospital care caused a loved one's death?
When you write down the treatment dates, include when you first suspected something was wrong. Before contacting a Colorado lawyer about the deadline, gather any hospital messages along with the records you already have. A hospital negligence result appears on Bachus & Schanker's site, and Ramos Law's site lists hospital negligence among its practices. To understand how either firm would assess the treatment, ask. A claim isn't proved by a poor outcome alone.
Who in the family can bring a wrongful death claim?
To find out who may file in your family's circumstances, ask a Colorado lawyer. Who's eligible isn't answered by the medical malpractice deadline or certificate rules. When you explain your relationship to the person who died, also tell the lawyer if another family member has already contacted an attorney. Before signing a representation agreement, clarify who can bring the claim.
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