Under Colorado law, you have two years from the date of death to file a lawsuit in court for wrongful death. Because a lawsuit is the only leverage you have in settlement negotiations, you won’t get additional time to negotiate. Instead, a defendant will have no incentive to meet you at the bargaining table if the deadline for filing a lawsuit has already passed.
To protect yourself, you should meet with an attorney right away. Your Colorado car accident lawyer can make sure that you protect your rights at the same time that they negotiate a settlement.