Ontario Family Car Accident Lawyer
If your child experiences injuries from a serious accident because of the negligence of another, our Ontario child car accident attorneys can help. We will pursue the compensation and justice you and your child deserve. Call us at (626) 888-8264 to speak with an attorney free of charge.
Anyone can suffer injury in a car accident, but some people are more likely than others to sustain harm. Among all age groups, children involved in car accidents are especially vulnerable to experiencing injuries in a collision even when the proper safety measures are incorporated.
How To Protect Your Child In A Car Accident?
Compliance with required safety regulations has increased drastically in current years. However, proper safety procedures are still a significant concern and cause of child injuries in car accidents.
The most common safety procedures developed to keep kids safe incorporate the use of:
- Car seats
- Booster seats
- Seat belts
- Only permitting young children to ride only in the backseat of a car
What To Do After Your Child Is Hurt?
Seeing your child injured in a car accident, regardless of who caused the accident, can be tough. It will most likely cause a parent stress, but it's important to stay calm so you can help your child. Here what you need to do after a car accident:
If your child appears to be seriously hurt, the first thing you should do is get them medical care right away by calling 911. While there are a number of crucial things to be done at the scene of the crash, getting medical care and making sure everybody is safe should be your number one priority.
Next, even if there are no major injuries, you still need to call the authorities to make a traffic accident report. Do not anyone at the scene of the accident talk you out of reporting the collision to the police. Not reporting the accident to authorities can cause issues with your accident claim later on. For example, there are now some insurance policies that won't give coverage if the authorities aren't contacted within a particular amount of time.
Exchange contact info with the other motorists and get their insurance info. This is really important. Ask to see and photograph their driver's license and insurance card so you know the info is correct.
If your child seems alright, you should collect some evidence of your own before going to the hospital to be checked out. Take as many pictures as you can of the accident. Take pictures of your car and any other cars that were involved, your injuries, and the surrounding location.
Speak to independent witnesses and get their contact info if you can. Urge nearby witnesses to stay at the scene and talk to the examining police officers. In a disputed liability claim, an independent witness can win your case.
Lastly, you'll want to begin looking for an attorney. It's important that you hire an attorney before speaking with the insurance companies. The insurance provider of the at-fault party will begin working against your interests right away. An adjuster might attempt to take a recorded statement, or could also try to fool you into signing a release of claims for a lowball settlement.
What Compensation Can You Obtain?
An injury to your child can be expensive. You may stress over the amount of financial debt an accident can create. However, your lawyer is there to help make sure that you receive the compensation that you deserve for your injuries.
Compensation is separated into two different categories, economic damages and non-economic damages.
Economic damages consist of particular monetary losses that you experienced as a result of your child's injuries. This can include any medical expenses, such as ambulance rides, surgery costs, doctor's visits, and even therapy (both physical as well as mental). You can also receive compensation for any earnings you might have lost while taking care of your recovering child and any childcare expenses as well.
Non-economic damages consist of pain and suffering, compensation for long-term disability and disfigurement, and any other non-monetary damages that impact your child's life. While a case for an adult would consider the quality of life prior to and after the accident, it can be more difficult to identify pain and suffering values for a child. Often, these values can be higher, as the injuries can be much more damaging and have a greater emotional effect on children.
In this case, your attorney would look at how the injury will likely affect your child's future, and how their life will be different moving forward. Have they missed a lot of school? Are they going to physically heal completely? Are they going to have recurring pain and discomfort? Basically, instead of just looking at their past, we also look at their future and how it could be affected by their injuries.
What To Do When Children Are Involved In Car Accidents In Ontario?
Like adults, the laws in Ontario provide children with the right to pursue compensation for their injuries if they are hurt in a vehicle accident caused by another's carelessness. This might be the negligence of another motorist or perhaps the driver in the car with the child, depending on the accident and the situation that resulted. The important thing to understand is that if your child has been hurt, your child and your family may have a claim for damages. You should consult a Ontario child car accident attorney to find out more about your possibilities.
At First Law Group, we really care about our community and we are driven by our passion for clients. Our personal injury lawyers in Ontario, California are always available to take your call. For a Free Consultation, call us at (626) 888-8264, or visit our website: FirstLG.com
