As a parent, your worst nightmare is something harmful happening to your child. No matter how you try to protect them, sometimes accidents and injuries happen. When someone else is at fault for hurting your child, you need to seek restitution for the harm they’ve caused. At Shelly Leeke Law Firm, we stand ready to help you understand your options.
When you need a North Charleston personal injury lawyer, contact our professional legal team. We listen compassionately to your story and provide guidance on how to proceed. We will connect with medical, investigatory, and other experts who will help us build a strong case for you.
Potential Value of a Child Injury Claim
When your child is hurt, especially from a young age, the consequences can last for decades, if not their lifetime. If an otherwise healthy child ends up permanently ill or disabled, you must not only plan to care for them during your life but provide for their care after you pass away. The final total to pay for economic and non-economic damages in a child injury claim can be enormous.
Understanding the potential value of a claim requires the expertise of a North Charleston child injury lawyer who works with these cases. When you and your family are first recovering from the injury, it can be difficult to imagine the amount of compensation you will need to protect your family’s financial security. There are many kinds of damages you can seek.
Medical Bills
Your child may require emergency room or ICU care immediately after an injury. During a birth injury, your child could need NICU services and specialists to ensure optimal development despite the damage. They could face repeated surgeries to correct ongoing issues or may need extensive physical rehabilitation. Bills like these can easily add up to millions of dollars over several years, and your lawyer can help you estimate what you will need.
Mental Impairment
In addition to bodily injury, some children suffer brain damage that can leave them unable to care for themselves, hold a job, or live on their own. Many children may recover some function but still need assistance for the rest of their lives. You will need resources to support you and your child, especially if you must stop working to care for them.
It is critical to obtain sufficient compensation so the child can live comfortably with their condition.
Psychological Distress
Many children suffer trauma after incidents such as car crashes or animal bites. They may develop anxiety, depression, phobias, or PTSD. Physical scars could also cause them emotional distress and shame, leading to isolation.
Expenses for counseling and therapy should be included in your damage calculation, as well as reimbursement for the pain and suffering your child experiences.
Reduced Quality of Life
No matter what the child’s age is when they are injured, they may suffer a temporary or permanent decrease in their quality of life. Perhaps they can no longer enjoy their hobbies, visit with friends, or spend time with family. Their schoolwork may suffer, leading to additional issues. If they must overcome extensive physical injuries, they may feel overwhelmed and angry at the freedom they have lost.
Decreased Income Potential
If a child is harmed to the point they can no longer pursue their passions, they may face a loss of earning potential.
A violin prodigy or talented basketball player might now face a life of unfulfilled employment, which can lead to depression and reduced earnings. They could lose scholarships or other resources that would have helped them realize their dream. These losses must be reimbursed by those who hurt them.
Common Accidents that Cause Child Injury
From before they are born, children can be at risk for extreme injury from accidents or the actions of others. When your child has been hurt in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, you can rely on a Shelly Leeke child injury attorney in North Charleston to uncover who is to blame. We will help you learn how to pursue justice for your child.
Your loved one may have experienced physical injury, emotional trauma, or a combination of both. We have handled many cases where children have been harmed, including:
- Injuries at birth: Despite advances in medicine, many things can go wrong during delivery. Negligent nurses or doctors can cause lifelong disabilities and harm to a newborn.
- Dog bites and animal attacks: Smaller children often suffer horrific injuries from animals. Even a small dog can severely harm or kill a toddler or infant.
- Pedestrian accidents: Young children can dash in front of moving vehicles too quickly for an adult to rescue them. They lack an understanding of the dangers and are easily injured or killed.
- Vehicle accidents: Crashes involving cars and school buses are primary causes of death and injury to children.
- Bicycle accidents: A pleasant bike ride in the neighborhood can end in disaster when drivers fail to look out for kids. Bike accidents are second only to car accidents in causing injuries to children each year.
- Water-related accidents: Swimming pools, private ponds, rivers, and oceans all present risk of injury from watercraft or drowning. Children may also catch infectious diseases resulting in permanent illness or disability.
While accidents do happen without apparent cause by another person or group, a careful investigation can often show that someone’s negligence led to the mishap. Faulty brakes on a car, unclean public water, debris in parking lots, or reckless driving can all bring harm to your child. Uncovering who is responsible can be confusing and expensive unless you engage a reputable attorney to take this work off your hands.
Do Not Wait to File a Child Injury Claim
Although the time following an accident involving your child can be stressful and confusing, you should not delay speaking with a child injury lawyer in North Charleston. Whether you are seeking an insurance settlement or wish to pursue a personal injury lawsuit, you must act quickly.
South Carolina Code §15-3-530 requires that parents file a lawsuit on the child’s behalf within three years after the date of the injury. Gathering evidence and building a solid case takes time, and an experienced lawyer can help you do this within the filing window. If you wait too long, you may lose your chance to secure compensation, although there are some instances in which the statute of limitations can be extended.
Hire a North Charleston Child Injury Attorney Today
At Shelly Leeke Law Firm, we understand the fear and distress you are feeling after your child has been hurt. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you do not pay us until we win your case for you. We want you to rest easy knowing we will work tirelessly to help you get the compensation and justice your child deserves.
We will evaluate your case in a no-risk, no-obligation meeting. We will give you our best advice on how to proceed and begin working as soon as you hire us. Contact a North Charleston child injury attorney from our team today by using our convenient online form.
