Child Injury and Wrongful Death

The Preeminent Child Injury and Wrongful Death Attorneys

There are no words to describe the agony of losing a child or the hurt of knowing they have been seriously injured. This unimaginable pain is even harder to grasp when it is unexpected or due to neglect or abuse. Sixty percent of child and adolescent deaths in this country are from injury-related causes. Most of which could have been avoided.

If the unthinkable happens, you need an experienced child injury and wrongful death attorney by your side who understands the complexities that come with litigating a case involving a child. State laws differ throughout the country. It is vital to have an attorney in your corner, who knows how to effectively navigate this legal landscape. You need an attorney with first-hand experience who can not only be your voice, but also your child’s. Dollar, Burns, Becker & Hershewe is the voice of victims. We fight for justice. Our team wants to ensure what happened to you, never happens to another parent or guardian ever again.

Our drive and perseverance come from years spent as prosecutors litigating child murder and abuse cases. Tim Dollar, Jill Kanatzar and Lauren Dollar have witnessed first-hand what this indescribable loss does to families. They have made it their mission to protect the innocent, provide support to those left behind and bring justice to those at fault.

Leading Causes of Child Injury and Wrongful Death

Our attorneys at Dollar, Burns, Becker & Hershewe have experience litigating cases involving the leading causes of accidental child injury and deaths including:

  • Car and/or Tractor Trailer Crashes
  • Child neglect or abuse
  • Child sexual abuse
  • Defective product
  • Medication error
  • Childbirth injury
  • Medical malpractice
  • Suffocation and strangulation
  • Burns
  • Dangerous condition on private or public property

When an institution, such as a church, school, day care provider or group home is responsible for the injury or death of your child, we are here to help. You trusted these institutions to safely care for your child. It is vital for the safety of our community that these institutions, including those who directly caused the injury or death, are held accountable for their actions and stopped from harming other children in the future.

The same goes for any company or organization who does not take the proper precautions when doing their job. Whether this be improperly installing a sign at an airport that later fatally fell on a child or a truck driver who didn’t follow the FMSCA’s guidelines, the organization and/or person responsible for the accident must be held accountable for their actions. Your child’s life is far too precious. Their safety cannot be left to chance.

Compassionate and Effective Litigators

Child injury and wrongful death cases are handled much differently than catastrophic injury or wrongful death cases of an adult. No matter the cause, these accidental deaths and injuries should not have occurred. Our team of experienced child injury and wrongful death attorneys will work closely with your family to make sure others hear your voice and understand the extent of your loss.

Having a competent, experienced team in this area is vital to navigate these cases. Tim Dollar, Jill Kanatzar and Lauren Dollar are committed to handling all the details of your case so you can focus on healing and recovery. Our extensive courtroom experience and work as prosecutors, makes us powerful advocates and persuasive negotiators.

Our attorneys have been by our client’s side on the absolute worst day of their lives. Whether it be when Tim Dollar prosecuted and put the father of Erica Green, better known as Precious Doe, behind bars for life. Or when Jill Kanatzar successfully prosecuted one of the numerous jury trials surrounding child abuse she has overseen. Or when Lauren Dollar, skillfully lead a mother through describing the abuse her two little girls had endured. Our attorneys have seen and handled it all.

We know our work and actions won’t bring your child back or make their injuries go away. We will tirelessly work to ensure justice is served, and meaningful changes are made not only at the organization or company in question, but also legislatively. We have been behind safety reforms at national, state and local levels. We will not stop being the voice of victims.

Settlements and Verdicts

Platte County Missouri Jury Verdict

Lawyers against Child Injury and Wrongful Death

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Tim Dollar

Founding Partner
Tim is considered one of the top trial lawyers in America.

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Jeff Burns

Founding Partner
Jeff is one of the preeminent truck crash attorneys in the country.

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Tim Becker

Founding Partner
Tim is known and revered as one of this nation’s leading truck crash attorneys.

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Tom Hershewe profile image

Tom Hershewe

Partner
Tom is one of the Midwest’s leading bad faith insurance litigators.

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J.J. Burns

Partner
J.J. has a reputation nationally as a go-to-expert on truck crash litigation.

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Jill Kanatzar

Partner
Jill is one of the more experienced sexual assault attorneys in the region.

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Rachel Stahle

Rachel Stahle

Partner
Rachel has significant experience litigating cases involving nursing home neglect.

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Josh Becker

Partner
Josh has a comprehensive knowledge of personal injury.

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Lauren Dollar

Attorney
Lauren is a gifted attorney with experience prosecuting sexual abuse, and child injury and death cases.

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Jordan Dollar

Attorney
Jordan has wide-range of litigation experience in insurance bad faith, wrongful death and catastrophic injury.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is wrongful death?

Wrongful death is exactly what one would think. It is the death of a person as the result of a wrongful act by another. Examples include negligence like a truck driver not following the speed limit and crashing into another vehicle, an airport sign falling on a family causing catastrophic injuries or an anesthesiologist not following proper safety procedures and recognizing a dental patient Is In distress leading to a death of a young patient. In short, it is a death that was preventable, but occurred due to lack of oversight and carelessness.

How is a child wrongful death suit different than an adult?

They are very different. Each state has different laws and statutes surrounding a child wrongful death suit. In addition, these cases vary based on the age of the child. Special consideration is given in these cases as the victims are generally dependent on their parents or guardians for many, if not all, of their needs. The damages a parent can recover differ from state to state, often being nontraditional.

Is my child’s school, church, daycare, responsible for my child getting hurt or killed?

This all depends on what occurred. Our firm handles cases where an institution such as a church, school, day care or group home was negligent and put your child in a perilous position that resulted in their tragic passing or injury. This is a parent’s worst nightmare. You selected these institutions to keep your child safe. If they fail to do that, they should be held accountable. We work hand in hand with our clients to bring these organizations and individuals to justice. We work to ensure what happened to you never happens to another family again by changing organization and government policies and procedures for the better.

Can I bring a lawsuit on my child’s behalf?

Yes, you can bring a lawsuit on behalf of your child. As their legal guardian it is within your rights to be their voice and fight for their best interest. If you are considering bringing suit, it is important to have an experienced attorney, like our team, on your side who has handled these types of cases. Lawsuits involving children are handled much differently than adult wrongful death or catastrophic injury cases. You need someone who understands the different laws and statutes surrounding this type of case.

How does a wrongful death lawsuit work?

A wrongful death suit can be brought by a representative the class of individuals entitled under the statute or sometimes on behalf of the estate of the deceased. In filing the suit, one must prove that negligence by an organization, institution and/or individual caused the unexpected death or injury. Our experienced team of child injury and wrongful death attorneys know how to effectively navigate these types of cases. We have seen first-hand the devastation and heartache these types of accidents occur. We are the voice of victims.