Wrongful Death for Family of Four

As reported by the Denver Post, three members of the Lofgren family filed a suit alleging the wrongful death of their extended family, parents and their two children, that perished while on vacation in an Aspen luxury home rental due to carbon-monoxide poisoning. 

In 2008, the Lofgren family, Caroline, 42, Parker, 39, Owen, 10 and Sophie, 8, all died due to the fault of manufacturers, contractors and Pitkin County inspectors failing to do their jobs, alleges the suit filed in Denver District Court.

Portraits of the smiling young family bundled up in ski jackets surrounded by snow, were enlarged for a display during the news conference at the Westin Tabor Center in Denver.

Caroline Lofgren's sister, Maria Dempsey, said, "It's not about the money; it's not about the politics.  It's about change and hope - hope that lives will be saved in the future and for the change that will save those lives."

Per Caroline's mother, Jean Rittenour, the Lofgren's gained the rental, at 10 Popcorn Lane, at an auction at their children's school and used it for their Thanksgiving vacation.  

The rental home, three-years-old and four miles southeast of Aspen, was sold for $8 million last year, per the Aspen Times.

Caroline's father, Frederick Feuerbach Jr., in describing the conditions of the home said, "Indeed, it was an expensive home.  But little did they realize when they walked in that they were walking into a death trap."

The gas-fired boiler, that is used to melt snow off patios and walkways, allowed gas to flow freely throughout the house.  Carbon-Monoxide is both odorless and colorless, thereby allowing no warning to the family of its deadly consequences.

Pitkin County codes, that have been found in violation since the tragedy, include a disconnected exhaust vent and intake vent to a defective boiler, a poorly installed HVAC system and, what has sparked the most interest to the Lofgren family, the lack of a carbon-monoxide detector.

Rittenour contended, "If they were alive today, Parker and Caroline would make sure they knew why this happened and how to prevent it from happening again."

The 13 defendants named in the lawsuit include Pitkin County, Aspen's city building inspector, the Roaring Fork Plumbing and Heating Company of Glenwood Springs and the manufacturer of the boiler.

Less than a month ago Pitkin County's grand jury found two building inspectors and one contractor guilty of reckless endangerment and criminally negligent homicide in this case.

The complaint was filed by the family's attorney, William Hansen, of the Denver law firm of McDermott, Hansen & McLaughlin.

Remaining relatives of the Lofgren family have since pushed for laws that hope to require carbon-monoxide detectors not only in Colorado but also in Oregon, Maine and Washington.  They have even begun a program in Weston, Connecticut, for the installation of monoxide detectors in every home.

If you, or your loved one was injured or killed due to a faulty product, click here for a personal injury attorney to learn more about your rights and options.