San Francisco Child Injury Lawyer

No parent wants to see their child get hurt, but sometimes the inevitable is unavoidable. We all feel their pain when they stub their toe or scrape their knee, but when a child is seriously injured, the whole family is devastated. Some serious injuries can have a negative impact on children for the rest of their lives. When the cause of a serious injury is due to the negligence of someone else, the parent may be able to seek compensation with the help of an experienced San Francisco Child Injury Attorney.

Statistics and Causes of Children’s Injuries

Injuries are a significant source of childhood emergency department and hospital admissions. Here are some of the top causes of children’s injuries (that often result in death):

• Car Accident Injuries – Injuries from car accidents are the top cause of death from injury in children ages 5-19. Statistics show that every hour, around 150 children are admitted into the emergency room for car accident-related injuries.
• Suffocation – Children suffocating is particularly most common in very young children. Infants can suffer from suffocation (or SIDS) in their sleep, while older toddlers are more likely to suffer from suffocation when choking on their food.
• Drowning – Children drowning is the most common cause of death in children 1-4. Three children die every day from this cause.
• Poisoning – Common sources of poisoning include household chemicals, cleaners, and medicines. More than 300 children each day are admitted to the emergency department for poisoning.
• Burns – Younger children are likely to be burned by steam or hot liquids, whereas older children are likely to be burned by having direct contact with fire. Two children die every day from burns.
• Falls – Falls are the most common nonfatal injury sustained by all children ages 0-19. Every day, around 8,000 children visit the emergency department due to falls.

The reality of it is a child can get hurt virtually anywhere, whether it be on the playground at school or the public pool. If an unqualified person was placed in the position of supervising your child, and your child was seriously injured, be sure to contact a child injury lawyer about your rights.

Types of Children’s Injuries

What kinds of serious injuries do children often sustain? There are many types of injuries, but some of the most severe injuries include:

• Traumatic brain injuries
• Severe back injuries
• Severe neck injuries
• Injuries to the spinal cord
• Multiple bone fractures
• Injuries that require amputation of a limb

Effects of Children’s Injuries

Children are innocent and fragile beings, and it is heartbreaking to witness the effects that a serious injury has on a child. The results of these kinds of serious injuries may result in permanent or temporary brain damage, paralysis, disfigurement, and disability. These conditions are tragic for anyone, but a child may be facing a lifetime of surgeries, treatments, and medical care.

Negligence Causing Children’s Injuries

Anyone who hurts a child should be held accountable for their actions.

Liability in a children’s injury case can be established in a number of ways, depending on the circumstances surrounding the incident. For example, in the case of a car accident where a child was injured, the parent can file a lawsuit against the negligent driver.

To prove that the driver was negligent, the plaintiff must prove the legal elements that support the case for the driver’s negligence. The plaintiffs must point out that the driver owed the duty of care to the child and show how that duty of care was breached. Additionally, the plaintiffs must then show that the driver’s breach of duty of care directly caused the accident, which the child consequently suffered harm.

Hiring an Attorney for Children’s Injury Case

A serious injury usually means devastating financial loss and can result in lifetime care and reduced quality of life. If your child was seriously injured due to the negligence of someone else, then you may have a good reason to seek compensation from that individual. Some damages that may be available to you are:

• Compensation for medical bills
• Compensation for pain and suffering
• Compensation for reductions in future earning capacity
• Compensation for reductions in the quality of life
• Damages for disfigurement

One of the most important pieces of a child injury case is to contact an attorney immediately. In California, there is a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases. However, for minors, the statute of limitations runs until they reach the age of 18. If parents wait too long to bring a claim for child injury, relevant evidence may be forgotten, and your case may not be as strong as it would have been years ago. By contacting an attorney immediately, you have a greater advantage. Parents owe it to their children to fight for their rights and seek just compensation for the losses that have been suffered.

Personal injury claims don’t always end up going to trial. Sometimes they are settled out of the courtroom. In some cases, settlements are reached before a lawsuit has even been filed. This usually happens when it’s clear that the fault rests on the defendant, or when the injury to the child is extremely severe. When the liability is apparent, or the potential damages could be extravagant, insurers will take the time to explore settlement options to protect the insured.

Child injury cases are often complex and filled with red-tape, but the experienced attorneys at Rizio Lipinsky Heiting know the laws, have tried many successful child injury cases and are ready to fight just as hard for your case. You can rest assured knowing you have compassionate, experienced, and dedicated Child Injury Attorney fighting on your child’s behalf.  Contact us today to start your free consultation.