When a driver isn’t paying attention and causes an accident, many think that that the worst case scenario is if someone is injured. In actuality, it’s slightly different: the worst case scenario is if a child is injured.
In any type of car accident, children are more at risk than healthy adults. That’s why the law places restrictions on how they can ride in a car. Children are required to be in a car seat or booster seat until they’re 8 years old. They’re supposed to be in the back seat until they’re 13. All because they’re more vulnerable to injury.
When a child is hit as a pedestrian, there are no extra safety measures in place to keep them from being injured. Instead, vulnerable children often have no protection when hit by a car, which often yields tragic results.
How Do These Accidents Happen?Every parent’s worst nightmare is seeing their child run down a driveway or out of a car into a street or busy parking lot. Parents know the danger of getting hit by a car, while children often do not. However, a child running into the street, or a similar type situation, is often not the cause of a child getting hit by a car.
Instead, distracted drivers and drivers simply not taking enough time or care to look specifically for children are the main cause of these terrible collisions. Whether a driver is texting, playing with the radio, having a snack, or putting on makeup, a distracted driver is a dangerous driver. This is especially true when driving in residential and commercial areas where children are often present.
Residential and commercial areas, especially parking lots, give many drivers a sense of complacency. They think that because they’re driving in a familiar place at relatively slow speeds, nothing wrong could happen. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth. Even at 5 miles per hour, anyone, especially a child, can be hurt when hit by a 4,000 pound vehicle. So, what a driver thinks is a small risk is actually a life or death risk when a child is involved.
Severe InjuriesChildren are also more susceptible to many types of injuries when they are hit by a car. It’s true that children are resilient and they often bounce back up after falls that look quite serious. However, there’s a big difference between taking a tumble during play and being hit by a car.
Some of the injuries that children are susceptible to include:
Children also recover from injuries differently. What might be an easily fixed broken bone in an adult could mean a serious growth plate issue. Similarly, concussions, which in reality are brain injuries, can have serious consequences on a growing child. This includes the child being at risk of being held back at school or not being able to graduate on time.
Experienced AttorneyAn injury to a child has to be handled with care. An experienced lawyer can help the parents navigate the medical landscape, while also ensuring that the child is compensated for what are often life-changing injuries.
At Marcotte Law Firm, we know the ins-and-outs of pedestrian injuries, especially with children. We know how to get your child the compensation he or she deserves. We also can work with you to ensure that the money your child receives can be invested and protected well into adulthood.
If your child was hit by a car, call the Car Accident Lawyers at Marcotte Law FIrm for a free consultation.