If your child sustained an injury due to someone’s negligent, reckless, or malicious actions, contact the St. Petersburg personal injury attorneys of Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers immediately. You could pursue legal action on your child’s behalf to recover compensation for their medical bills and other expenses. We might be able to represent you in your case against the at-fault individual or company.
It can be devastating to discover that someone’s behavior caused your child’s injuries. It is your right to pursue compensation from the at-fault party for the suffering your son or daughter endured and the costs you incur for their necessary treatment. You should not be financially responsible for their injury-related expenses when someone else is at fault.
At Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers, we understand the toll it can take when your child is in pain and healing from an injury. You don’t have to go through this challenging ordeal alone. We are ready to protect your child’s rights and seek justice on their behalf. Our legal team has the experience and resources to handle insurance claims and litigate cases in court.
We don’t expect you to handle the complicated aspects of pursuing compensation. Many people don’t know state laws or procedures they need to follow after an accident that injures their child. You can count on us to complete every step to obtain compensation for you so you can focus on getting your child the care they need.
Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers will be your advocate and remain by your side until the end. From the moment you hire us, we will treat you and your son or daughter as a priority. We can create a customized strategy for the unique circumstances of your case and try to reach a favorable outcome. Let one of our child injury attorneys in St. Petersburg, FL, provide the legal guidance and representation you deserve.
Call Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers for your free consultation today at (727) 605-1100 and learn more about your legal options.
Common Causes of Child Injuries
Various factors can contribute to a child’s injury. Young kids are especially susceptible to getting hurt in accidents because they’re still developing physically and are vulnerable to bodily trauma. Accidents can occur under a range of circumstances. The most common causes of child injuries are listed below.
Premises Liability
Property owners must maintain their properties in a way that keeps people safe. Preventing accidents requires removing hazards, repairing defects, and placing warning signs near dangerous conditions. Children can get hurt in a private or public place, such as:
- Family member or friend’s home
- Playground
- School
- Mall
- Public park
- Swimming pool
- Movie theater
- Daycare center
A number of hazards might exist on someone’s property that cause a child’s injury. The most common hazards include:
- Uneven sidewalk
- Malfunctioning escalator or elevator
- Defective stairs
- Unstable furniture
- Slippery or wet floor
- Potholes
- Inadequate lighting
- Unusual flooring transition
- Swimming pools
Motor Vehicle Accidents
Car crashes can be fatal for young children. A child could suffer debilitating injuries in an accident, whether they’re in a vehicle, crossing the street, or riding their bike to school. The most common causes of motor vehicle collisions include:
- Tailgating
- Speeding
- Failing to yield
- Driving under the influence
- Distracted driving
Medical Malpractice
Healthcare professionals must meet a standard of care while curing, managing, or treating a patient’s medical condition. Medical errors can cause a child’s injury or death. The most common types of medical malpractice include:
- Anesthesia errors
- Delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis
- Administering the wrong drug or dosage
- Using unsterilized medical tools
- Misinterpreting the results of a diagnostic test
Defective Products
Manufacturers must supply the public with products that don’t contain defects. Defects can injure consumers while they use a product. The three types of defects that make products dangerous include:
- Design defects – A design defect occurs when there’s a flaw in the design of a product. It makes the product inherently unsafe to use.
- Manufacturing defects – A manufacturing defect happens at some point during the manufacturing process. An error during a product’s construction, manufacturing, or assembly causes a flaw that could injure the consumer.
- Failure to warn – “Failure to warn” is a marketing defect. Manufacturers must include instructions and warning labels with their products. The instructions should be clear, so the consumer knows how to use the product safely. Warning labels should consist of information on potential dangers.
The most common products children use that can cause injuries or death include:
- Cribs
- Bicycles
- Car seats
- Strollers
- Toys
- Clothes
- Playground equipment
Airplane Accidents
Whether your child is a teenager or toddler, they could get hurt while aboard a plane. Collisions aren’t the only types of accidents that can cause injuries. A range of other factors could lead to a serious accident, such as:
- Luggage falling from an overhead bin with a faulty latch
- Slip/trip and fall on a hazard in the aisle
- Distracted or inattentive flight attendant pushing the beverage cart into a child’s outstretched arm or leg
- Hot coffee dropped into a child’s lap
Dog Bites
Young children typically don’t have the strength to protect themselves when a dog attacks and bites them. Debilitating or life-threatening injuries can occur. A dog’s teeth are sharp enough to cause puncture wounds and damage the nerves, tissue, and tendons. Disfiguring head and face injuries can also result from a dog bite.
Although a dog might attack if someone provokes them, other scenarios can arise that lead to a dog bite injury. For example, a dog might perceive a person as a threat and bite to protect itself. Or playing can get a little rough, and the dog could bite down on someone’s hand or arm.
If your daughter or son sustained an injury in any type of accident someone else caused, do not hesitate to contact Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers. Our St. Petersburg child injury attorneys can investigate what happened to determine who was at fault. We will file a claim, gather evidence, and try to negotiate the best possible settlement.
Common Types of Child Injuries
Children can suffer a range of injuries, from minor to life-threatening. The most common child injuries include:
- Lacerations
- Drowning
- Internal bleeding
- Organ failure and organ damage
- Broken bones
- Nerve damage
- Exposure to hazardous substances
- Spinal cord injuries
- Asphyxiation
- Burn injuries
- Electrical shock
- Infections
- Suffocation
- Paralysis
- Traumatic brain injuries
As a parent, you don’t want your child to suffer. Knowing that the negligent individual or company could have prevented their injury is infuriating. When you hire Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers, we will explore all available options and find a way to hold the at-fault party accountable. They should face the consequences of their misconduct.
Compensation for Child Injuries
Since minors can’t pursue legal action themselves, they need one or both parents or a guardian to help. You need to drive them to the attorney’s office, bring them to their doctor’s appointments, and help them recover.
You might have to take time off work or hire household assistance. Those expenses can cause significant economic strain. The compensation you recover could make up for the wages you couldn’t earn and other expenses.
Whether you file an insurance claim or lawsuit, you could receive compensation to cover various losses, such as:
- Medical bills
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Lost earning capacity
- Emotional distress
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Property damage
You might be able to recover punitive damages if you file a lawsuit against the negligent party. A jury will award this form of compensation if you can show clear and convincing evidence of the defendant’s gross negligence or intentional misconduct.
Unfortunately, some accidents can be fatal to a child. You could file a wrongful death lawsuit if your son or daughter died due to someone else’s negligence. According to state law, a minor is a person who is under 25 years old. Compensation depends on the period the child and parent would have lived together based on joint life expectancy.
The money you receive might compensate you for losses, such as:
- Medical and funeral expenses
- Lost wages your child can no longer earn and contribute to the household
- Mental pain and suffering from the injury date
Statute of Limitations for Child Injuries
The statute of limitations in Florida provides a four-year timeframe to initiate a lawsuit against another person or a company. That means you have four years from the date of your child’s injury to sue the at-fault party. Once four years pass, you will likely lose your right to seek compensation in a lawsuit.
If your child died in an accident someone else caused, the statute of limitations allows a two-year period for filing a lawsuit. However, the timeframe does not start on the date of the injury if that date and the date of their death differ. Instead, the two-year period begins on the date they died.
Florida also imposes a statute of limitations for medical malpractice cases. You must file suit within a two-year timeframe from the date of the injury. However, if you don’t realize your son or daughter’s injury is due to medical malpractice during the two-year period, you must initiate your lawsuit within two years from the date you discover or should have reasonably discovered the injury.
Contact Us
At Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers, we believe in advocating for the rights of children injured by the wrongdoing of others. You can depend on us to fight hard to hold the negligent party liable and get you the financial award necessary to compensate you for your injury-related losses.
If your child sustained injuries due to someone else’s actions, call Jurewitz Law Group Injury & Accident Lawyers at (727) 605-1100 for your free consultation with one of our child injury attorneys in St. Petersburg, FL.
