Being injured in a car accident is terrifying. However, when your child is injured in a car accident, it is a traumatic experience for you and your child. Even if your child is not seriously injured, the emotional trauma can result in long-term fears of riding in vehicles or hearing sirens.
Parents work very hard to protect their children when riding in a vehicle, but sometimes accidents involving children result in physical and emotional injuries. Even the best car seats and child safety seats cannot prevent all injuries. Parents often do not know where to turn for help in these situations because they are focused solely on their child’s health and well-being.
The New Orleans accident attorneys of The Olinde Firm want to help you protect your child’s right to receive compensation for his or her injuries. Contact our office for a free consultation by calling (504) 587-1440 or 1-800-587-1889.
Filing a Car Accident Claim for a Child
When a child is injured in a traffic accident, the parents of that child have the legal right to file a claim on behalf of that child. Because handling claims involving children is slightly different from other car accident claims, the parents need an experienced attorney to represent them and their child.
Even though the insurance adjuster for the negligent driver may push you toward a settlement, you should not settle until you have consulted with our attorneys. Medical expense and other economic losses, such as your missed time from work while caring for your child, can be simple to calculate by adding invoices and bills, it can be more difficult to determine the value of other damages. Without an experienced attorney to guide you through the process, you may not know if the amount the adjuster is offering is sufficient to cover the physical pain, emotional suffering, and mental anguish you and your child have experienced because of the car accident.
Compensation in a Child’s Car Accident Claim
Your child deserves to be compensated for all his or her damages, both physical and emotional. In addition, your child deserves to receive compensation for any permanent scarring, disfigurement, or disability he or she suffered in the crash. As a parent, you are entitled to receive compensation for your damages as well.
While money cannot undo the pain and suffering caused by the car crash, it can pay for ongoing medical treatments and counseling for your child. Common injuries children sustain in car accidents that can have lifelong or life-altering consequences include:
- Traumatic brain damage (TBI), concussions, and other head trauma
- Abdominal injuries and damage to internal organs
- Rib fractures, lung injuries, and other thoracic damage
- Broken bones and complex fractures
- Serious burns
- Spinal cord injuries that can result in partial or complete paralysis
- Amputations
- Scarring and disfigurement
Regarding of the severity of your child’s injury, he or she deserves justice. The negligent driver who caused your child to be injured must be held accountable and liable for his or her actions. Our attorneys can help you gain justice for your child.
Call for a Free Appointment Today
Our hearts go out to parents who have experienced this type of tragedy, and we want to help. Call Attorney Fred Olinde of The Olinde Firm at (504) 587-1440 or 1-800-587-1889 to request a free consultation with a New Orleans accident attorney.