As a parent, keeping your child safe is your number one priority. Unfortunately, accidents do happen that are beyond your control. When your child is injured, it is both heartbreaking and terrifying, and we know that all you want to do is to make their pain go away
On top of the high medical costs associated with your child’s injuries and the time you may have to take off of work to care for them, you may be experiencing high levels of anxiety. The psychological trauma of having a child injured in an accident can be just as difficult to bear as the financial losses. But, you do not have to go through this alone.
If another person’s negligence led to your child’s accident, you may need the help of a compassionate personal injury attorney. Our Spring Hill child injury lawyers can help you and your family find peace and move forward after a severe accident.
How Do Child Injuries Typically Occur?
Children are most often injured in situations where an adult failed to provide adequate supervision. If another person acted recklessly or failed to act, resulting in an accident, you may be able to win compensation in a legal claim. Common causes of child injuries include:
- Dog bites
- Bicycle wrecks
- School bus accidents
- Car accidents
- Inadequate supervision at schools and daycares
- Defective toys, playground equipment, or car seats
- Amusement parks accidents
- Swimming pool accidents
Any negligent act that results in injury to a child could be grounds for litigation. Ask an experienced lawyer about your options for seeking compensation on behalf of your injured child.
Proving Negligence in Childhood Accident Cases
In order to succeed in a childhood accident case, you and your attorney must prove, through evidence, that the other party was the cause of your child’s injuries. Negligence occurs when a person or entity breaches their duty of care to your child and causes an injury.
Proving negligence is an essential part of a successful lawsuit. Even seemingly obvious cases require enough evidence to clearly establish fault. Common forms of evidence include:
- Witness testimony
- Police reports
- Expert testimony
- Medical records
- Photographs and video footage
Once you prove the other party was responsible for the accident, you will also need to provide evidence of your damages. This may include medical bills and past pay stubs. Without this evidence, you may not recover as much compensation as you deserve. Our Spring Hill attorneys know how to establish negligence and can help you with this critical phase of your child injury claim.
What is the Time Limit for Pursuing a Lawsuit?
Florida Statutes Annotated § 95.11(3) requires that most personal injury cases be filed within four years of the date the injury occurred. However, Fla. Stat. Ann §95.051 states that plaintiffs have up to seven years from the date of the accident to file a claim if the injured party is a minor.
Though this may seem like plenty of time, it is crucial that you act quickly to avoid missing this legal deadline. If you do not file in time, the court will dismiss your case. To avoid this, you should reach out to an attorney very soon after your child’s accident occurs. We always suggest that accident victims find an attorney they trust as soon as possible, so nothing is missed in your case.
Why Is it Important to Have a Personal Injury Attorney?
Even if you believe your case is simple and the other party is clearly at fault, it is important to work with a lawyer. Our legal team has extensive knowledge of the laws that may impact your case. Additionally, we have the resources to gather evidence, research case law, and build a strong case against the defendant.
Attorney Mike Hancock has also worked in insurance defense in the past, meaning he knows how these defense teams operate. Working with an experienced law firm can give you an edge in your child’s injury case.
Consult a Spring Hill Child Injury Attorney As Soon As Possible
If your child was injured in or around the Hernando county area, you have the right to file for compensation on their behalf. You could also be entitled to damages for yourself that resulted from the child’s injuries. Our Spring Hill child injury lawyer can help you fight for the compensation you and your family need following a severe accident. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and learn more.