One of the worst things that could happen to a parent is having your child get injured. Even minor injuries are distressing. We will do just about anything to protect our kids and make sure they are happy and healthy.
But sometimes kids can be seriously injured in car accidents. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) compiles statistics on childhood injuries and their causes. In 2019 alone, 608 child passengers age 12 and younger died in motor vehicle crashes, and more than 91,000 were injured. It’s horrible to have to think about, but when it happens, parents need to know what to do and what the options are.
What to Do After Your Child Is Seriously Injured in a Car Crash?
The main concern initially is making sure your child gets the best medical care possible. But once that is secured, parents should consider contacting an experienced car accident lawyer to help with all of the issues that could arise after your child is injured in a car crash. A skilled and experienced car accident lawyer will be able to answer all your questions and develop a plan to make sure your child is compensated for their pain and suffering.
First, a lawyer will be able to make sure all of the unpaid medical bills are covered. Also, if parents have to lose wages from work due to needing to care for their injured child, then those lost wages could also be added to the list of sought damages.
According to McCormick & Murphy, P.C., A good attorney will be able to hold everyone who contributed to the crash responsible. The smart decision is to make sure your child has a skilled and knowledgeable car accident attorney to seek full and fair compensation for their injuries.
Statute of Limitations for Child Car Accident Cases
Every type of case has a statute of limitations or time limit attached to it. This means that a lawsuit to recover damages in a car accident case has to be filed within a certain period of time or the injured victim will be forever barred from winning compensation from the at-fault party.
The statute of limitations clock starts ticking on the day of the injury.
And every state has a different time limit, with some states having a statute of limitations for personal injury cases being two years from the date of the crash, some states it’s three or four years, and some states have a one-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases like car crashes.
The statute of limitations clock for an injured child, however, is usually handled differently. With children, the clock for a car crash statute of limitations in most states doesn’t start ticking until the child turns 18 years of age, so on their eighteenth birthday. So, if your child is 10 years old and is injured in a car crash, then technically a lawsuit seeking compensation for those injuries doesn’t have to be filed until two years (assuming your state has a two-year statute of limitations) after your child’s 18th birthday.
Now, even though under the above scenario, a lawsuit can wait that long to be filed, it’s not recommended. The best way to recover the most compensation for your child is to contact a lawyer as soon as possible after the crash. Once the case is settled for an amount of money, that money will be put in a safe investment account while your child grows up and will be dispersed to the child on their eighteenth birthday.
