Injuries Commonly Sustained by Children in Auto Accidents

 Posted on August 25, 2016 in Personal Injury

Of all the passengers on the road, children are the most vulnerable. They are more likely to sustain injuries in general, but they are also at an increased risk for serious injury when an accident occurs. This applies, even when parents are using car seats correctly. For this reason, parents should be aware of the injuries that children are likely to sustain in an accident, and how to appropriately respond, should an injury occur.

Most Common Injuries

In a study from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), children of all ages were most at risk for head injuries (contusions, lacerations, concussions, skull base fractures). Children under the age of one were found to be at a particularly high risk for concussions, and children between the ages of one and seven were at an increased risk for skull base fractures. Children were also at an increased risk for rib fractures during a crash, especially if they were under a year old.

Better Outcomes for Children Treated at Pediatric Hospitals

Anytime a child is involved in a crash, parents should seek immediate medical care. This applies, even if there is no evidence of injury. Furthermore, parents may want to ensure that treatment is provided at a child-specific hospital or clinic. Studies indicate that these children often fare better following a crash, often because child centers are more likely to know when to simply observe the child and when there may be a serious injury that needs to be treated with intervention. If such treatment is not available, then parents should then seek treatment from a trauma center or nearby emergency room.

Getting Compensation for Your Child’s Injuries

Parents are often unaware that they can seek compensation for their child’s injuries after a crash. In fact, many let their health insurance carrier cover the emergency room bill and other medical bills. This may work, in theory, since the child is treated. However, the parent is not compensated for their time or their lost hours at work. Insurance cannot pay out for pain and suffering or the undue stress that parents endure when they are worried about the health of their child. This is where an experienced auto accident attorney can help.

When negligence causes an accident, and a victim is injured, the wronged party has the right to seek compensation through an auto accident injury claim. This right extends beyond the victimized driver; it also includes children and other passengers who are injured in the crash. If you are a parent, get full and fair compensation for your child’s injuries, not just coverage for their medical expenses.

Our DuPage County personal injury attorneys understand how stressful an accident can be, especially when it causes injury to your child. We seek to alleviate some of that stress by helping you through the accident claim process, from start to finish. Dedicated to your best interests and those of your child, we fight aggressively to get you and your family the compensation you deserve. Contact Martoccio & Martoccio today to schedule a free, confidential consultation.

Sources:

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/811325

http://www.upi.com/Health_News/2016/05/20/Children-in-car-crashes-fare-better-at-pediatric-trauma-centers-study-says/8121463772639/