Getting The Support You Need After Injury to a Child

The injury or death of a child is among the most devastating tragedies a family can endure.

Lee Law Offices, P.A. is a family firm. While circumstances vary, the law often takes into account that the victim is a child that should not be held responsible for actions that contributed to his or her injuries.

Lee Law Offices, P.A. can provide you with a team of professionals to tackle your child’s case. Our lawyers and staff are experienced in handling issues specific to child injuries, which can include the lingering psychological impact of injuries and scarring, as well as the trauma associated with serious accidents.

Children are at high risk for many injuries that lead to death or disability, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Child Passenger Safety: Auto accidents claimed the lives of 1,335 children 14 years of age and younger in 2005 and injured more than 184,000. That’s an average of four deaths and more than 500 injuries per day.

• Fireworks: Eleven people died last year and 9,200 were injured by fireworks. One in three injuries were to children under 15 and half of all fireworks’ accidents injured victims under 20. Of those injured, 2,300 suffered injuries to the hands, 1,500 were the victims of serious eye injuries and 1,400 injured their head or face.

• Playground Injuries: Playground injuries hurt 200,000 children under 14 each year in the United States. Seventy-five percent of these injuries occur at public playgrounds, primarily school and daycare centers.

• Poisonings: Children under 6 are more likely to have unintentional poisoning injuries than older children or adults. Poisonings injured 32,691 people in 2005.

• Residential Fires: Children under the age of 4 are among those at the highest risk of residential fire-related injuries or death. On average, someone dies in a house fire every two-and-a-half hours and is injured every 30 minutes.

• Traumatic brain Injury: Among children under 14, brain injuries account for 400,000 emergency room visits each year, resulting in 2,700 deaths and more than 35,000 hospitalizations.

• Water injuries: In 2005, 3,582 fatal unintentional water deaths, or about 10 a day, were reported in the United States. One-fourth of those deaths were children and for every child that dies, four are treated in the hospital for water- related injuries. Nonfatal drowning can cause brain damage, resulting in long-term disabilities, including memory problems, learning disabilities, and permanent loss of basic functioning.

• Animal Attacks: Children ages 5 to 9 are most at risk of the estimated 4.5 million Americans bitten by a dog each year. Dog bites in children can be especially traumatic. In addition to scaring, a child may experience psychological and trust issues that require professional treatment. Reconstructive surgery can also be complicated by a child’s growth and development.

• Teen Drivers: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that auto accidents are the leading cause of death for young people ages 15 to 24. Federal statistics show 12 teenagers die each day in motor vehicle accidents. Two out of every five deaths of teens – or almost half – are the result of car accidents and kids ages 16 to 19 account for 30 percent of the nation’s accidents.

Accidents and injuries to children can involve several different types of law, including auto accident law, premise liability, liability of a business such as a daycare center, or liability of an individual, including neighbors, caregivers or babysitters.

Injuries can be complicated by the age of a child and long-term prognosis is often impacted by a child’s natural development. If your child has been injured, it is important to seek qualified medical treatment and discuss your rights with an experienced accident attorney, like those at Lee Law Offices, P.A.