Experiencing injuries in an accident can be stressful, but watching your children get hurt can be even more devastating. Personal injury cases can result in various injuries; some are minor, while others may impact your child’s life forever. Nothing is more painful than seeing your child in pain and not being able to do anything about it.
If another party has injured your child, you may be confused about what steps to take. Personal injury cases involving children require a different approach. The best thing you can do for your child is to speak to an Ontario, CA personal injury lawyer to protect their rights and recover compensation for their and your damages.
Things to know about personal injury cases involving children
- Children cannot file their personal injury cases.
When an adult gets into an accident, they can file their personal injury claim by filling out a few forms. However, this is not the same case with children. Children are looked at as disabled people under the law and cannot file their own cases in Ontario, CA.
An adult of the age of 18 or above must file their cases on their behalf of them. Most states do not allow children under 18 years of age to negotiate their claims, even if they seem able to.
- Accidents are a primary source of children’s injuries.
Children do not understand what is good for them, and thus, it is not surprising that the primary source of children’s injuries is accidents. Accidents are the reason why most children visit emergency rooms and hospitals. Accidental injuries are also the leading cause of death in children, with over 12,000 children dying every year.
Certain injuries, such as falls, tend to affect children more than they do adults. Adults are able to survive falls, while many children succumb to their fall injuries. Suffocation and drowning are also common reasons for death in very young children. Therefore, injuries affect children differently than adults.
- Damages in a child injury case are likely to be significant.
Child injuries can significantly affect the child’s life, leading to permanent changes in the mind and body. In some cases, the child may never be able to return to their normal life again. When considering damages like medical bills and other economic damages, the court also considers the pain and suffering of the child as well as their parents. The court also considers the amount of time the injuries will continue. Thus, the damages are quite significant.