Atlanta Child Injury Lawyers
Out of everyone on the road or street today, children are especially vulnerable to injuries during an accident. Whether you are driving on the road, walking down the street, or even shopping at the grocery store, you want to keep your child as safe as possible. There are times, however, when child injuries are unavoidable. If your child suffered an injury in Atlanta, a knowledgeable personal injury attorney could explain the legal options available to you. A child’s parents and next of kin can pursue compensation in a civil suit on their behalf. Should you find yourself in this position, you can work with an Atlanta child injury lawyer to learn more about your legal options.
How to Respond to Children’s Injuries
After taking a child to the hospital and stabilizing them, parents have legal options to consider. In cases involving negligence or deliberate recklessness, they have the legal right to pursue a civil suit on their child’s behalf. The benefits of pursuing a civil suit are numerous. If a child has been severely injured, then a civil suit can help their family pay for any medical procedures they may need. Civil suits can also secure compensation to replace any property damaged in the aforementioned accident.
Crafting a civil suit, however, first requires interested parties to submit a complaint to Georgia courts. An Atlanta child injury attorney could make this process easier by gathering the evidence needed to present an effective complaint. This information can include the identity of the liable party, that party’s duty of care, and evidence of a subsequent breach of duty.
Civil Suits and the Statute of Limitations
The child injury statute of limitations is more flexible than it is for adults who are injured. Adults looking to fight for compensation after an injury have two years after their accident to file a claim. The statute of limitations for child injury, however, does not go into effect until the injured child turns 18. As soon as the child turns 18, either they or their parents have two years to file a suit detailing their losses. This means that children and their parents have from the date of an accident until that child’s 20th birthday to file a legal complaint.
Facing a Child’s Wrongful Death
The wrongful death of a child can be a terrible, life-changing event. There are times, however, when a roadway accident or another party’s negligence can result in a child’s death – and a child accident lawyer in Atlanta cold also manage these types of lawsuits. In these cases, that child’s parents or next of kin still retain the right to pursue a civil suit on that child’s behalf. These parties can fight for the same forms of compensation that they would have in the event that the child lived, including:
- Immediate medical expenses;
- Future medical expenses related to the accident;
- Change in relationships; and
- Property damage.
Families pursuing a civil suit also have the right to request compensation to cover a child’s funeral. These expenses can even include the emotional damages suffered by the child’s immediate family members.
Work with an Atlanta Child Injury Lawyer
Recovering from an accident can be a lengthy process. You are not the only one who may have suffered the ill effects of someone else’s negligence. If a child gets injured due to someone’s negligence, then their parents or next of kin have the right to fight for compensation on their behalf.
To kick off this process, you can schedule a consultation with an Atlanta child injury lawyer. Sit down with us and discuss the accident, your child’s injuries, and the steps you need to take to get your life back on track.
