Children are especially susceptible to accidents and injuries from automobiles, animals, playground equipment, electrical outlets, defective toys, and other products.
An experienced South Carolina personal injury lawyer at the Shelly Leeke Law Firm will do everything possible to protect the rights of your children and family. Contact our office for a free consultation today and learn more about what is next for your personal injury claim.
Children & Accidents Statistics
The following represents children and minors’ accident statistics for the United States according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
- Automobile Accidents: From 2000-2005, motor vehicle accidents resulted in the highest death rate among children, according to The Centers for Disease Control.
- Car accidents are the number one killer of children. Children ages 4-8 who use booster seats and safety belts are 59% less likely to be injured in a car crash than children restrained only by a safety belt.
- The misusage rate of child restraints in South Carolina is alarming: more than 95% of children are improperly restrained, according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation. The single most important thing you can do to protect your children is to buckle them up properly, every trip, every time.
- Children ages twelve (12) and under should always ride in the vehicle’s back seat.
- Bicycle Accidents: Other than cars, bikes result in more childhood injuries than any other product. At least 100 children suffer fatal injuries involving a bike every year, and nearly 270,000 minors are treated in emergency rooms annually.
- Pedestrian Accidents: Young children are the most vulnerable to pedestrian accident-related injuries. More than one-half of all pedestrian fatalities involve a child.
- Dog Bites and Animal Attacks: Children are most likely to suffer severe and permanent injuries if attacked by a dog or other vicious animal.
Legal Options After a Child Injury
When your child has suffered critical injuries in an accident caused by someone else’s negligent actions, it is up to you as their parent or legal guardian to take action.
With help from a reputable child injury attorney in South Carolina, you can ensure the liable party is held accountable for their financial obligations and for their recklessness. Here are some of the legal options that may be available to you, depending on the type of accident your child was involved in:
Insurance Claims
You may be able to file a claim with the liable party’s insurance company. If your child was injured in a motor vehicle accident, slip and fall on someone else’s property, or in another way, and the at-fault party has purchased liability insurance coverage, the insurance company may be obligated to compensate you for your child’s medical expenses, personal property damages, and perhaps your loss of income.
Child Injury Lawsuits
You may be able to file a civil lawsuit against the individual or entity who caused your child’s injuries. Generally, if the actual party does not have insurance coverage, filing a civil claim may be one of your only options if you hope to maximize your financial recovery.
Since you are not limited by the restrictions of an insurance claim, filing a civil lawsuit may be one of the best ways to ensure your child has access to the compensation they will need to get through these difficult times.
The Value of Your Child’s Damages
Your child injury lawyer in South Carolina will carefully evaluate how your child’s life has been affected by the trauma of the accident in the injuries they sustained. We will also consider how your entire family’s lives have been affected, as you are financially responsible for your child.
Your child has the right to be made whole, and your family should be repaid for every loss you have experienced. Examples of potentially recoverable damages could include:
- Your child’s diminished quality of life
- The income you lost from taking time off work
- Your child’s reduced earning capacity
- Your child’s physical pain and suffering
- Your child’s emotional distress
- Your child’s skin scarring or disfigurement
- Your child’s medical expenses, including ambulance bills and medical equipment or devices
Get Help from a South Carolina Child Injury Lawyer Today
Suppose your child has been injured by a car, truck, or bicycle accident, defective product, animal attack, pedestrian accident, or any other type of accident. In that case, a reputable South Carolina child injury attorney at Shelly Leeke Law Firm can help.
Call our office today or fill out our convenient contact form to make an appointment for a complimentary case evaluation. Shelly Leeke Law Firm strives to protect the rights of small children, minors, and their families in Charleston and throughout the State of South Carolina.
Contact our team of Charleston child injury attorneys today.
