[CO] Can I claim compensation for unpaid full-time care I gave my late father’s girlfriend when her family refused responsibility?

CO Legal (General)

Legal Eagle

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Short answer:
Since there was no formal agreement for compensation, it will be very hard to sue her family for payment after the fact. You and your sister stepped in voluntarily, which courts usually see as a personal choice rather than a contract. You still have options to protect yourself going forward and to report the abandonment if needed.

Long answer:
Right now, your biggest hurdle is that there was no written agreement promising money for your care. Courts in Colorado generally require either a contract or proof that the family agreed to pay you before you started providing care. You can certainly ask for reimbursement directly from the family, but without something in writing, your case is weak.

Where you do have leverage is with state agencies: if her family abandoned her and left you with the burden, that can be reported as neglect, and the county Adult Protective Services can step in.

Here’s what you can do legally, step by step:

Write down everything that happened, including dates, who said what, the days you provided care, and the hospital visit. Keep this record safe.
Send the family a written demand letter asking for reasonable compensation for the 11 days of care you provided. Even if they refuse, it documents that you tried.
Contact Larimer County Adult Protective Services to report the abandonment. They are the proper agency to investigate whether her family neglected her. (CO Rev Stat § 26-3.1-101)
If you want to pursue money, you could file a small claims case in Colorado (up to $7,500), but your chance of winning without a clear agreement is low. Sometimes the pressure of a lawsuit gets people to settle. (CO Rev Stat § 13-6-403)
If you continue caring for someone in the future, always get a written agreement before taking on the role. A simple contract setting your hourly rate and responsibilities will protect you.

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My dad died. His girlfriend lived in his house. Her family abandoned her to let me and my sister care for her with no compensation.

Lexi, Chatbot

I'm really sorry to hear about your dad's passing and the difficult situation with his girlfriend. Can you tell me if there are any legal documents, like a will or power of attorney, that your dad left behind?

I don't know.

Lexi, Chatbot

Have you and your sister had any discussions with the girlfriend about her living situation and what support she might need?

There was a will but nothing to do with her. We told her she could live there after my dad died, but we never agreed to be her 24-hour caregivers.

Lexi, Chatbot

Is there anything else the lawyer should know before I connect you? Rest assured they'll be able to help with your caregiving situation.

Yes.

Legal Eagle

Hello! Legal Eagle here, and I am an attorney specializing in your area of law. I am more than happy to help you with your situation!

Have you or your sister looked into whether she qualifies for any kind of public assistance or in-home care services so the responsibility doesn’t all fall on you?

Her family got her last night after I told them we would charge for her care. We would help before that, but they left her with us 24/7. We finally said we wouldn't do it for free and they came to get her. We want compensation for the 11 days we provided total care for her. Her son came over here and said she could not live with him and left. She fell, and my sister and I had to go to the hospital to be with her because he would not.

Legal Eagle

I'm sorry to hear about the challenges you're facing. It sounds like a tough situation. Could you let me know where you're located? This can help me understand the legal context better. Also, was there any formal agreement or understanding with her family about the care you were providing?

Loveland, CO.

Legal Eagle

Thanks for letting me know you're in Loveland, CO. Was there any formal agreement or understanding with her family about the care you were providing?

They abandoned her there with no care. Me and my sister had to step up.

Legal Eagle

Understood! So you're just wondering what your rights are here, correct?

I want to sue them for compensation and the stress it added to my life after my dad died. They only came to get her when I said I was charging $40 an hour. Before that, they said she could not live with them.

Legal Eagle

Ok! Did you need to tell me anything else? If not, I can start with answering your question.

No, you got it.

Legal Eagle

Ok! I've been working on an answer while we've been chatting, so it'll just be a moment.

I'm so sorry about this situation! I want to address your situation with a detailed response, so if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask, because this law stuff can get complicated.

Legal Eagle

Where you do have leverage is with state agencies: if her family abandoned her and left you with the burden, that can be reported as neglect, and the county Adult Protective Services can step in.

Here’s what you can do legally, step by step:

Write down everything that happened, including dates, who said what, the days you provided care, and the hospital visit. Keep this record safe.
Send the family a written demand letter asking for reasonable compensation for the 11 days of care you provided. Even if they refuse, it documents that you tried.
Contact Larimer County Adult Protective Services to report the abandonment. They are the proper agency to investigate whether her family neglected her. (CO Rev Stat § 26-3.1-101)
If you want to pursue money, you could file a small claims case in Colorado (up to $7,500), but your chance of winning without a clear agreement is low. Sometimes the pressure of a lawsuit gets people to settle. (CO Rev Stat § 13-6-403)
If you continue caring for someone in the future, always get a written agreement before taking on the role. A simple contract setting your hourly rate and responsibilities will protect you.

Legal Eagle

Does that help clarify things? I want to make sure I didn’t leave anything out.

Ok.

Legal Eagle

For sure! Did I thoroughly address your question? Did I provide top-tier service to you? If the answer is no to either, please let me know so I can help! I know it's a lot.

I have not gotten any advice.

Legal Eagle

Thank you so much! Did you happen to see what I posted up above?

There are no answers provided.

Legal Eagle

Let me repost:

Where you do have leverage is with state agencies: if her family abandoned her and left you with the burden, that can be reported as neglect, and the county Adult Protective Services can step in.

Here’s what you can do legally, step by step:

Write down everything that happened, including dates, who said what, the days you provided care, and the hospital visit. Keep this record safe.
Send the family a written demand letter asking for reasonable compensation for the 11 days of care you provided. Even if they refuse, it documents that you tried.
Contact Larimer County Adult Protective Services to report the abandonment. They are the proper agency to investigate whether her family neglected her.
If you want to pursue money, you could file a small claims case in Colorado (up to $7,500), but your chance of winning without a clear agreement is low. Sometimes the pressure of a lawsuit gets people to settle.
If you continue caring for someone in the future, always get a written agreement before taking on the role. A simple contract setting your hourly rate and responsibilities will protect you.

Thank you.

Legal Eagle

I'm very sorry about that! I want to ensure you feel completely satisfied with our conversation. Were there any details I missed? Did you have any concerns about this issue that still need to be addressed? I'm happy to help.

Thank you.

Legal Eagle

I really appreciate the chance to help. If something else comes up, big or small, coming back to me saves you time since I’m already familiar with your situation.

Legal Eagle

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