Children’s Bicycle Accidents

One of the best parts of watching your child grow is when he/she learns to ride a bike. You can see the joy in their eyes as they pedal under their own power and get that first sense of freedom. That can all change in the blink of an eye if the child gets hit by a car. Drivers often don’t pay enough attention when they’re driving. When an already small child is added to the situation, it’s a situation that’s ripe for injury.

Cyclists in general are already more susceptible to injuries. This is even more true for child bike riders. A child’s body was not meant to be struck by a 4,000 pound car, even at slow speeds. There are many types of injuries that a child may sustain when his or her bike is hit by a car. These include:

• Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries
• Broken Bones
• Scrapes, Cuts, and Road Rash
• Spinal injuries to the neck and/or back

While people generally think of children as resilient and quicker to recover than adults, serious injuries sustained by a child in a bike accident can be permanent. Broken bones can lead to physical problems as a child grows. Scrapes, Cuts, and Road Rash can turn into a permanent scar. Concussions and Traumatic Brain Injuries can lead to lifelong cognitive deficits.

When a child has a personal injury case, there is also the issue of ensuring that the money will be used for the child’s benefit, while at the same time protecting the child from making bad decisions with the money at a young age. Therefore, many of these cases are resolved by what is called a structured settlement. This means that instead of getting all the money up front, the money is scheduled to be given to the child over time.

A structured settlement can have several benefits:

• The money is allowed to grow over time on a tax-free basis. Your child will earn interest on the settlement, and not have to pay any taxes on it.
• Instead of the child getting all the money when he/she is 18, the money can be given over time.
• Some of the money can be put into an annuity, so instead of getting a lump sum at a certain age, the child can be given money weekly or monthly.
• Structured settlements can be set up to preserve government benefits for the child.
• Structured Settlement can be set up to allow the child to be eligible for financial aid when going to college.

If your child was hit by a car while on a bicycle, you need an experienced attorney to help deal with not only your child’s medical care, but also the insurance company and courts. You need someone who not only will get your child the compensation he/she serves, but someone who will give you options to ensure that your child will be able to use the money for a long time.

The lawyers at Marcotte Law Firm have years of experience dealing with children injured in bike accidents. We also have years of experience dealing with settlements that will preserve a child’s money well into his or her adulthood.

If your child was injured on his or her bike, call the bike accident lawyers at Marcotte Law Firm at (978) 458-1229 or contact us for a free consultation.