The thought of your child being injured in a car accident is frightening. Parents never want to consider the possibility that their child could be injured in a car accident due to the negligence of another driver; however, it does happen far too often. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 1,149 children died in motor vehicle accidents in 2013 with another 172,000 being injured that year.
For 2013, motor vehicle crashes were the second leading cause of death for children three years of age and under and for children ages 5 to 14. For children age 4, it was the leading cause of death that year. Unfortunately, some parents will be forced to deal with their child being injured in a car accident this year — we want to help those families.
Your Child Deserves to be Compensated for His or Her Injuries
No amount of compensation will ease your child’s suffering after a car accident nor will it ease your frustration and grief as you watch your child suffer from injuries caused by a reckless or negligent driver. Holding the at-fault driver responsible for his or her actions and ensuring your child is compensated for his or her injuries is one way to gain some level of justice when your child has been hurt. The Ken Nunn Law Office has the skill, resources, experience, and compassion to support you and your child as we work to gain justice for your losses.
Steps to Take After Your Child is Injured in an Indiana Car Accident
The first and most important priority after your child has been injured in a car accident is to get the best medical care for your child. Your child’s health is the most important thing following a car accident. Once your child is being treated by medical professionals, your second priority should be strong, competent legal counsel for several reasons.
- You need to focus on your child. You do not need to worry about the legalities of a personal injury claim. Let our office take that responsibility off your shoulders so you can focus on your child and your family.
- Insurance companies want to settle claims involving children as quickly as possible. When your child is hurt, you are far more likely to be aggressive when pursuing a personal injury claim on behalf of your child and you will stop at nothing to hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions. Insurance companies know this; therefore, they want to settle the claim quickly for a low amount before you have time to consult with an attorney. Do not allow insurance companies to take advantage of your emotions and state of mind following a car accident that injures your child — we will deal with the insurance company for you.
- Contacting an attorney as soon as possible protects your child’s right to recover compensation. Indiana’s statute of limitations sets strict time limits for filing car accident lawsuits. If you do not file a lawsuit before the time limit expires, your child will be barred from recovering compensation for his or her injuries. Indiana’s statute of limitations typically requires a lawsuit within two years from the date of the accident. When a child is injured in a car accident, the statute of limitations begins to run on the child’s 18th However, you should not delay in contacting our office. The sooner we begin working on your child’s case, the better chance we have of maximizing your child’s compensation.
- Settlements involving minors are more complicated. Any car accident settlement for a child that exceeds $10,000 must be approved by the court (in some cases settlements under $10,000 must be approved by the court). Funds must be held in a “restricted bank account” and carefully monitored. Our experienced car accident attorneys understand the complexity of a personal injury settlement involving a child. We will handle these matters for you so that you can continue to focus on your child and your family.
Indiana Car Accident Attorney for Children Hurt in a Motor Vehicle Accident
Contact the child injury attorneys of The Ken Nunn Law Office at 1-800-CALL-KEN or 1-800-225-5536 for a free legal consultation.
Our child injury lawyers aggressively pursue the negligent driver to insure your child is treated justly and fairly. Our top priority is your child’s best interest including providing support as you work to help your child heal emotionally and physically from his or her car accident injuries.