Helping You Recover From the Loss of a Child
When you bring a child into the world, you never imagine that you will be there when they leave this world as well. There is no greater tragedy – and no greater injustice – than the untimely death of a child. And knowing that the loss of your child could have been prevented is a burden that no parent or guardian should have to carry.
Accidents are the leading cause of death for children ages 1 to 18, according to statistics maintained by the National Institutes of Health. Sadly, there are many ways for a child to die unexpectedly. Automobile accidents, All-terrain vehicle (ATV) accidents, bike accidents, burns, scalding, falls, gun and firearm accidents, child abuse and neglect, shaken baby syndrome, defective products like car seats and strollers, drowning and swimming pool accidents, dangerous household appliances or equipment, defective toys, electrocution from unsafe sockets and electrical products, household fires, flammable clothing, poisoning from household chemicals, strangulation, suffocation in cribs, dangerous conditions on public or private property, and playground accidents are all to blame for the unexpected death of thousands of children every year. What is worse is that most – if not all – of these accidents are preventable. Somewhere, there is a company or an individual who could have prevented these accidents. You may be wondering what you can do to hold them accountable for their negligence.
Let the Keane Law Firm provide you with an overview of death during the child lifespan:
Modern answers to historical causes of death in children along the lifespan
Naturally children develop the intellectual and physical ability to explore their environment as they mature through the lifespan. As a child grows from infancy, starts to walk, ride a bike, and drive a car; the child’s risk for injury and death changes with the child’s developmental stage and lifestyle. Historically, at the turn of the century infection was the number one cause of death in children. Now that a national immunization program and improved sanitation have effectively eliminated or reduced many serious communicable diseases, infection rates have dropped considerably and mortality rates from disease has improved tremendously. Infant and child mortality from infection has decreased over the last century. Children in the United States are very rarely dying from measles, rubella, polio, plague, cholera, typhoid, paratyphoid and gastroenteritis, etc… Child mortality rate is decreased due to the progress of medical technology in providing improved support and treatment during the course of infection. Managing influenza still remains a feature of modern life. Fortunately, parents are not losing their children to infection as they once were. Other socio-economic factors such as the implementation of public health policy and industrial progress have resulted in successful distribution of preventative and curative measures through greater transportation, access to nutritional resources, improved health care delivery and social programs. Medical breakthroughs with antimicrobial therapy, such as with the use of antibiotics, anti-fungal and antiviral medications have significantly improved child mortality rates from infection. The community has benefitted considerably from emphasis on improved hygiene and modern sanitation methods as well. So there are many factors that have positively impacted the health of children in the United States. With a majority of children surviving past infancy, modern dilemmas have evolved. Infections related to lifestyle and co-existing medical conditions are currently targeted as future medical conquests. Currently infections from HIV, prions, opportunistic organisms, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and sexually transmitted diseases currently occupy the medical and social battle front and generally exert a negative effect on the health of older children. As serious as these infections are, they are not the number one cause of death in older children. Toxicity related to lead poisoning is not nearly as prevalent as it once was, but there is much work to be done within communities to reduce child exposure to lead. Modern methods of storing and processing food have reduced the amount of lead exposure that children experience. Lead has been removed or significantly reduced in paint, gasoline, plumbing products and other consumer goods. Public health professionals continue to work on programs that target reduction in exposure to lead containing products. With the exception of infants, accidents are the number one cause of modern mortality in children.
The Keane Law Firm wants to help you recover from your devastating loss, and seek justice for the unfortunate death of your child. If your child or the child of somebody you know has been the victim of a wrongful death, please contact us immediately. We will work for you on a contingency basis, so there is absolutely no fee to you for our services. We only earn a fee if we win the case. In addition, any professional referring a case to The Keane Law Firm may choose a charity to which twenty-five percent (25%) of our attorney’s fees will be donated.
The Wrongful Death of a Child– What Can You Do?
It is cliché, but true – there is nothing that can bring your child back. However, there are many reasons to take action and talk to a knowledgeable law firm about your options. First of all, it is important for the company or individual at fault to know that they were negligent and to be held accountable for their mistakes. Second, you may be left to struggle financially after the loss of your child – a struggle you should not have to suffer through in addition to your terrible loss. Third, you may wish to be compensated for the child’s pain and suffering, and your own anguish as the result of your child’s death. And finally – there are other families to think of, other children. You may want to take action to ensure that the terrible tragedy that befell your child will never happen to another family, never take the life of another child.
Wrongful death laws exist for a reason. They are designed to hold the persons who caused a death responsible in several ways. The laws force the responsible party to pay for burial expenses, funeral expenses, and for the medical expenses incurred by the child before their death. The laws also allow for compensation of the pain and suffering caused to the child before their death, the loss of companionship of the child and, in some cases, the loss of the value of the child’s life. Finally, the laws also allow for punitive damages to punish the persons or institution that caused the death. You should know that there are some factors that could affect the compensation you may receive. These include your relationship to the child, your own circumstances (including your health and your age), the child’s earning potential, and the child’s gender, age, life expectancy, work expectancy, and state of health. A knowledgeable law firm can help you thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding your child’s death, navigate through the complex laws, and ensure that you receive the compensation that you deserve.
It is also important for you to know that in every state there are statute of limitations for wrongful death cases, and there are exceptions to these statutes in most states as well. The State of California maintains a 2 year statue of limitations for wrongful death cases, so you have 2 years from the date of the accident to file your claim. However there are exceptions. For example, if the wrongful death was the result of medical malpractice then the statute of limitations is a shorter time period, and if you are seeking damages from a government agency then the statute of limitations is even shorter. All this means that if you wait too long, you will lose your right to seek compensation for the wrongful death of your child.
The laws surrounding wrongful deaths are complex and are constantly evolving. In order to ensure that your case is handled properly and in a timely manner, it is imperative that you consult with an experienced and knowledgeable law firm as soon as possible.
The Keane Law Firm and You
The Keane Law Firm has the experience and resources to handle even the most complicated wrongful death cases. While Attorney Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm specialize in cases from San Francisco and the State of California, they may also accept worthy cases from other states. If your child or the child of somebody you know has been the victim of a wrongful death, we can work with you hold the responsible parties accountable for their negligence.
No matter where the wrongful death occurred, please don’t hesitate to contact us for a no-cost evaluation of your case. And remember, if you are a professional referring a case to us, 25% of our fee will be donated to the charity of your choice. Contact Attorney Christopher Keane and The Keane Law Firm today, and we can help you start to recover from the devastating loss of your child.
The Keane Law Firm
530 Jackson Street, 2nd Floor
San Francisco, California 94133
Phone: (415) 398-2777
Toll free: (888) 592-KIDS (5437)
Fax: (415) 520-2282
E-mail: [email protected]
California wrongful death lawyers are available to help if you know a family whose child has died through someone's fault. The Keane Law Firm has been recognized as having an AV rating - the highest legal ability and ethics rating available, and Christopher Keane has been rated as one of the leading plaintiff's lawyers and attorneys in America as a "tireless advocate for injured children". Contact him today to see if he can help your child.