While every parent and guardian hopes their child is safe, injury is an unfortunate event that may happen to children.
Most accidents are unavoidable, but some could be prevented if adults were careful enough to protect the children.
Several situations pose an inherent threat to children, and when an individual or business does not implement safety measures, parents have the legal right to seek justice and compensation on behalf of their child.
In this blog, we will discuss different injuries that lead to child injury claims and how the legal process works.
Common Types of Child Injuries that Lead to Claims
Children are likely to get injured in various ways, but here is a list of common accidents that could lead to a child injury claim:
- Motor vehicle accidents: As per the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, in the year 2021, nearly 3 children died, and about 445 children were injured in road traffic accidents each day in the United States. If your child is harmed by a vehicle while crossing the road or was involved in a car accident or bicycle accident, a claim may be filed.
- Dog and animal bites: Unfortunately, dog bites are prevalent in children. At least 2 million children suffer from dog bites every year. If your child has sustained a dog bite injury as a result of the dog owner's negligence, you could claim compensation.
- Defective products: The designers and manufacturers of children's products need to care for the end-user's safety. Problems such as toys with parts that pose a choking or strangulation hazard, lead paint, sharp edges can cause harm to children. If your child has been injured by a faulty toy or a malfunctioning product, a defective product claim can be filed against the manufacturer.
- Playground accidents: Child injuries such as bruises, cuts, scrapes, and broken bones during school-organized sports activities could to lead to a claim if faulty equipment or poor supervision caused the accident. If a child has been injured on a playground, which could have been avoided with proper management and maintenance, the owner of the facility, such as the school, daycare facility, or city, could be held accountable.
- Poisoning: Most young children will not know what is safe for them to eat or drink, and it is important to store potentially poisonous chemicals out of their reach. If your child ingests any toxin due to their supervisor's negligence, it can lead to child injury claim.
- Swimming pool and beach drowning accidents: To save a child from drowning on beaches, and swimming pools, there should be a lifeguard on duty, otherwise a child injury claim can be filed in case of any untoward incident.
- Burns: It is important to watch children so that they do not go near fires or touch hot things. If an adult supervisor fails to do so, it might lead to a burn injury claim.
Average Compensation for Child Injury Claims
The compensation for child injury claims is based on the severity of the child's injuries. Ideally, the compensation will cover all medical expenses, ongoing treatment, and all other costs associated with the child's injury. Often, a painful accident can have long-term effects on your child's mental and emotional well-being causing post-traumatic stress and anxiety. This damage is also compensated in most cases. As each case is unique, it is important to consult an experienced child injury lawyer to get your case evaluated to claim maximum compensation.
The Law Offices of Sean M. Cleary Can Help in Filing a Child Injury Claim
For more than two decades, Sean M. Cleary has helped injured children by guiding their parents and guardians to file their claims. If you would like to find out more about filing a child injury claim and how we can help, please contact us for a free evaluation. We can help you understand the legal rights you possess regarding injured children and what evidence will be required to recover the compensation. As a child injury lawyer, Sean M. Cleary is dedicated to helping families of children who have been injured by other people's negligence.