Child Injury Lawyer: Should I Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer for My Child?

Child injuries can occur for a number of reasons. Anything from a negligent dog owner to a negligent property owner can lead to your child suffering significant, life-altering injuries. As a parent, you do your best to make sure your children are safe. Unfortunately, children can be injured at school, daycare or in a hospital facility because of defective equipment, poor supervision or child sexual abuse. If your child suffered injuries from a negligent act, you may be able to file a lawsuit. Contacting a child injury lawyer can give you insight into whether or not negligence is the cause of your child’s injuries and potential legal paths that can help remedy your child’s injuries.

If a child is significantly injured you will have to deal with medical bills, follow-up care, and in cases where a child is disabled, lifelong care. Our compassionate team of attorneys realize that no amount of money will ever undo the injury or loss of a child. However, the only remedy our legal system provides is through financial compensation. Holding negligent parties is about more than winning a settlement or award. Filing a lawsuit can also help deter the person or business responsible from continuing its dangerous or negligent behavior.

The Carlson Law Firm has more than 40 years of experience representing innocent victims of negligence. We can help you hold at-fault parties accountable for your child’s injuries. Call a qualified Child Injury Lawyer at 800-359-5690.

What is a Child Injury?

Childhood injuries put children at risk of living with long-term consequences that can impact everything from their physical ability to emotional trauma and even future job earnings. The World Health Organization (WHO) describes child injuries as a global public health problem. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that on average in the United States, more than 12,000 children die each year from unintentional injury. Additionally, more than 9.2 million are treated for nonfatal injuries. Childhood injuries that happen because of another person’s negligence are preventable. 

What kinds of injuries can I file a child injury lawsuit for?

If your child was injured on another’s property, the person or company can likely be held responsible for your child’s injury. Further, if a product defect led to your child’s injury, you may be able to file a lawsuit against the manufacturer.

Children get hurt for many reasons. In many cases, children get hurt through regular play and activity. On the other hand, in some cases, injuries are the direct result of another person’s negligence or reckless behavior. Common situations that lead to child injuries include:

• Drowning
• Other swimming pool injuries like slip and falls
• Toxic Inhalation
• Consumption of dangerous chemicals
• Dog bites
• Choking on small parts
• Medical Malpractice
• Fire-related burns
• Falls
• Traffic accidents
• Birth Injuries

Child injury is catastrophic injuries or death to a child. Most injuries to children are a result of negligence. These injuries can devastate a family. The financial and emotional toll that comes along with an injured child facing permanent damage can make you feel hopeless. However, The Carlson Law Firm has a qualified child injury lawyer that can help you through this difficult time.

Recognizing Injuries in Children

Recognizing a child’s injury is important for many reasons. For starters, injury is a huge killer of children all over the world. It is important to note that the leading cause of death for children ages 10-19 is unintentional injuries. In fact, more than 90 percent of injuries to children are unintentional. Because they have far less coordination than adults, children are more prone to injuries. Additionally, as a child ages physical and cognitive abilities, degrees of dependence activities, and risk behaviors change. 

Children are naturally more curious than adults. And many assume a child’s curiosity ends in the preschool or primary years. However, a child’s curiosity continues to grow as they age. Children may begin dangerous experimentation with different things and push risky boundaries. Unfortunately, in many of these instances, they may not have the capacity to properly respond to danger. 

What kind of childhood incidents can lead to injuries?

Child injuries can occur for a number of reasons. While many injuries are the result of children’s curiosity, several injuries can occur because of negligence, exposure to or use of a defective toy or product, medical malpractice or birth injuries. Other accidents can include:

Amusement Park Injuries

There have been several instances of amusement park injuries that have made national headlines. A child injured in an amusement park can suffer severe injuries or, possibly, even death. Anticipating a day of fun should not have dire consequences. The negligence of ride operators or park maintenance should never be tolerated in an amusement park setting. A Child Injury Lawyer from The Carlson Law Firm can help you seek the compensation you and your child deserve after an injury that resulted from negligence.

Car and Booster Seat Failure

A car accident can lead to some of the most traumatic injuries for children. In fact, auto accidents are more likely to cause injuries to children than any other type of accident. Car accidents are a result of the negligence of drivers on the road. In addition to the accident itself, parents should also beware of the possibility of car and booster seat failure. Naturally, parents expect these devices to keep their most precious cargo safe. But when they fail, The Carlson Law firm can help.

Dog Bites

Dogs are amazing. But that doesn’t mean that they can’t be unpredictable or dangerous to small children. A dog bite puts children at risk for infection, amputation, lifelong anxiety or death. Homeowners have a responsibility to keep their animals secure at all times. 

School, Church and Daycare Injuries

Injuries sustained in school, church or daycare are more common than many parents believe. In the event that these cases are caused by the negligence of an employee in any of these institutions, parents can hold the facility accountable. A Child Injury Lawyer from The Carlson Law Firm will help you get the justice your child deserves after a case of caregiver negligence.

Choking

Parents always have to keep an eye out for their children putting objects in their mouths. Children’s small throats and immature swallowing reflexes, puts children at risk for serious choking injuries or death. Small toys or toys with removable or easily breakable parts present choking hazards to children. Even products made for adults can cause children to choke. Your child can choke as a result of negligence or a defective product.

Crib or Toddler Bed Defects

Baby cribs and car seats are some of the most-used baby products young parents have. Parents should be able to trust that their children will be safe in their own beds at night. However, cribs, toddler beds and mattresses thousands of units have been under recall. 

Bus Crashes

More than 23 million school-aged children ride to and from classes on school buses every day in America. Bus accidents are an unfortunate byproduct of sending your children off to school or on school-related trips. It is important to note that the most common cause of unintentional injury for children is traffic accidents. While traffic accidents are the most common causes for child injuries, head injuries are the single most common type of injury in children. Head injuries can lead to lifelong consequences that require extensive medical costs or expensive therapy. Bus accidents are often the result of a negligent bus driver or poor maintenance. A Child Injury Lawyer from The Carlson Law Firm can start the investigation process to figure out what caused the bus crash. 

Child Injury Premises Liability Cases

The family of a child injured on someone else’s property can receive compensation. This is permissible if the property owner knows of a dangerous condition on his or her property and knew the risk of children trespassing. Children fall under a different set of rules than adults when it comes to trespassing. In cases when adults trespass, the act of trespassing will often relieve the property owner of liability. However, children are held to a lower standard because their brains have not fully developed. Additionally, any child under six cannot be found partially negligent. 

What is an attractive nuisance?

Children can be enticed by an attractive nuisance. An attractive nuisance is an amenity such as a playground or swimming pool that young children are likely to trespass. Children’s natural curiosity and attractive nuisances can be a dangerous or deadly mix. For example, if a homeowner has a dangerous swingset in their backyard then the homeowner needs to ensure that the swingset cannot be accessed by children. The simplest way to accomplish this is to have the swingset behind a locked, properly maintained fence. In the event a small child wandered into the homeowner’s yard and was injured after the swingset collapsed, the owner can be held responsible. If your child was injured as the result of an attractive nuisance, contact a child injury lawyer today. The Carlson Law Firm can help with recovering medical expenses and losses that resulted from the injury.

An attractive nuisance can be anything on a person’s property that can cause injuries or death, including:

• Pools
• Spas
• Ponds
• Stock tanks
• Trampolines
• Skateboard ramps
• Hammocks
• Fences
• Pets

In order to avoid a claim on their insurance or lawsuit, property owners should take reasonable precautions to ensure their property cannot be accessed. This can be as simple as repairing broken fences or adding a lock to fenced pools.

What kind of compensation is my child entitled to after an injury?

Much like adults, in child injury cases there are different areas that the courts take into consideration when awarding a settlement.

• General Damages. If the child has endured pain and suffering after an injury that was not their fault, the severity of the injury and the prognosis both will determine how much compensation is awarded. 
• Special Damages. In an adult personal injury, the courts would examine how the injury has affected their earnings. However, in cases with minors, compensation focuses on medical expenses, damage of property, future expenses and predicted loss of earning. It will also cover future treatment and care.

A Child Injury Lawyer from The Carlson Law Firm can Help

In addition to medical bills, a family can expect to recover several other expenses if their child has been injured. Children can receive compensation for disfigurement, pain, suffering and mental anguish. While a child cannot receive compensation for loss of wages (because children don’t work), they can receive damages for loss of future of income. An accomplished Child Injury Lawyer from The Carlson Law Firm can help you recover losses for your child. 

Our legal team can provide you with answers you need if you’re wondering if a child injury lawsuit is the right choice for you. We have a wide range of skills that our clients can use to their benefit. With more than 40 years of experience in personal injury, The Carlson Law Firm will fight for your child and help recover the damages your family deserves. Our staff will work tirelessly on your child’s benefit. Contact us today for a free consultation. We are available 24/7.