My Child Was Injured in a Car Accident: What You Need to Do Now

Steps to take after a car crash involving your child, and how our experienced auto accident lawyers can help.

Every parent knows the nagging fear that some harm might befall their little ones. As parents, we feel it when we drop them off at school, when we let them go play with a friend, or when we buckle them into the car.

Fortunately, studies have shown that today’s children usually emerge from auto accidents with only minor injuries or no injuries at all — a testament to improvements in automotive safety and modern child car seats, not to mention the resilience of children.

But in about 13% of auto accidents involving children, a child is seriously injured.

If your child was recently injured in a car accident, you might wonder what you need to do now.

In addition to worrying about your child’s physical and emotional welfare, you might also be worried about the cost of the accident, the medical bills required for recovery, and how to hold a careless driver accountable for hurting your child.

If your child was injured in a car accident and someone else was at fault, you and your family may be entitled to significant monetary compensation pursuant to Florida personal injury law.

Your next steps can have a critical impact on your financial recovery. Here’s what you need to do now:

Steps to Take After Your Child Is Injured in an Accident

Seek Medical Attention.

If you’re still at the scene and suspect an emergency, call 911 before you do anything else. Otherwise, arrange to see a physician as soon as possible. Children’s injuries can look different than the same injuries would in an adult. Children’s bodies respond differently. Symptoms can be slow to manifest. Moreover, small children don’t always have the vocabulary and wherewithal to articulate a non-visible symptom. That’s why you should schedule a comprehensive medical examination right away. A documented doctor’s visit may also be very helpful in building a case for compensation later.

Report the Accident

You should never leave an auto accident without reporting the incident to police (unless you’re taken away in an ambulance). If for some reason an officer did not properly file a report for your accident, you may be able to request a report from the local police department after the fact.  

Gather Any Available Evidence

Take photographs of physical injuries, as well as any vehicular damage. Try to get contact information for all parties involved, including eyewitnesses. If you’re still at the scene of the crash, get as many photographs as you can (close-ups, wide angles, alternative angles, etc.).

Notify Your Insurance Company

Florida is a no-fault insurance state, meaning your own auto insurance policy will be your first source of financial compensation for your child’s medical bills (and sometimes your only source, though not always) — even if you were at fault. Generally speaking, policyholders are required to notify their insurer soon after an accident. But be careful of what you say; your insurance company isn’t necessarily on your side.

Contact Our Experienced Accident Lawyers

The sooner you get a lawyer on your side, the better. Because insurance companies care more about their bottom line than yours, they don’t always handle claims reasonably or fairly. In fact, it is the insurance adjuster’s job to save their employer money… and that means diminishing or denying your claim wherever they can. An experienced Miami auto accident lawyer can help you and your child get the true financial justice you deserve.

Child Was Injured in a School Bus Accident

School bus accident claims can be complex. Liability might be shared among multiple parties and may include:

• The bus driver
• The school district
• The bus manufacturer
• Other drivers
• Other governmental entities
• Other third parties

Children are sometimes injured as bus passengers, or as pedestrians when boarding or departing the bus. If your child has been injured in a school bus accident in South Florida, the Miami auto accident lawyers at Kaire & Heffernan, LLC can help.

You Don’t Pay Unless We Get You Money. Schedule a Free Consultation Today.

If your child has been injured in a car accident in Miami or anywhere else in Florida, our office can help. We will not charge for our services unless and until we get you money. If you were also injured, we can assist with your own personal injury claims as well.

Time limits do apply to Florida accident claims, so please don’t delay. Our firm is committed to fighting aggressively to maximize our clients’ financial recovery. Schedule a free consultation with the Miami auto accident lawyers at Kaire & Heffernan, LLC right away.