There are few things more terrifying than when your children are injured in an accident. A negligent individual or entity can cause incredible harm to children, who are often more vulnerable to dangerous situations than adults are. When this occurs, the psychological trauma that the child and parents endure can seem difficult to bear. The financial costs of medical treatment and time lost at work can add up and cause problems. Fortunately, Board-certified personal injury attorney David E. Gordon is here to help. With the aid of a Southaven child injury lawyer, you can pursue financial compensation for your child’s injuries.
How Child Injuries Typically Occur
People who drive automobiles, maintain property, sell products, or perform medical procedures have a duty of care to others, including children. When a person fails to take proper care, and ends up harming a child, they may be liable in a personal injury lawsuit for the child’s injuries. Certain situations are common causes of child injuries:
- Dangerous playground equipment or rides
- Bicycle crashes and car accidents
- School bus accidents
- Dog bites
- Defective toys or other products
- Daycare or school injuries
- Drownings
When a child is involved, almost anything that adults take for granted could become dangerous. A Southaven minor accident lawyer could assist in determining if another party bears some responsibility for what happened.
Proving Negligence in Child Injury Cases
It is important to prove that the other party was negligent in their conduct in order to hold them financially liable for the child’s injuries. Kids will often get hurt on their own, without the fault of anyone else. However, many situations involve at least one adult who failed to properly care for the child or prevent the scenario they were involved in. When this is the case, the client and David will seek to prove that the responsible party breached their duty of care and that the breach caused the child’s injuries.
To do this, they will gather evidence surrounding the case, which might include collecting medical records, incident reports, law enforcement narratives, eyewitness accounts, and other methods of determining who was at fault and what caused the accident.
Statute of Limitations in Mississippi
Mississippi Code sets forth a three-year statute of limitations period for most personal injury cases based on negligence, although the limit might be sooner if a government entity is involved. When the injury happens to a minor, the clock does not begin running until their 21st birthday (this does not apply in cases of medical malpractice or wrongful death).
If the case is not filed in time, it can be dismissed without consideration of the merits of the case. A local child injury lawyer like David can help confirm what the deadline is to file a lawsuit.
Available Compensation
A child’s injury can cost a great deal, both in economic fallout of the injury as well as the psychological toll that it takes on the family. Possible compensation includes past and future medical expenses, lost income (if a parent needs to stay home to care for them as a result of the injury), loss of consortium, pain and suffering, disfigurement, and others.
Speak with a Southaven Child Injury Attorney
When someone’s carelessness caused injury to a child, they should be held liable for the resulting harm. When an accident, abuse, or neglect results in injuries to your child, you have the right to determine if another party is financially responsible and then file a lawsuit to secure that compensation. A Southaven child injury lawyer can help you determine the status of your case and pursue any compensation you deserve. Contact the Law Office of David E. Gordon today for help.
