When you became a parent, many things changed in your life. Some of them are minor, such as the fact that you can no longer sleep in on the weekends. Others are more serious, such as the fact that you now have more to worry about than just yourself and your own needs. When you have a child, they become the most important thing in your life.
Unfortunately, even though you might want to wrap them in bubble wrap, you cannot always protect your children. Children sometimes get hurt. When their injuries occur because of someone else’s actions, you might have grounds to pursue legal action. A Lancaster child injury lawyer could meet with you to help you determine if filing a personal injury claim is a valid option.
Children are susceptible to experiencing harm in a wide variety of situations. Most commonly, child injuries occur for the following reasons:
A dedicated attorney in Lancaster could carefully review the facts from a child injury to determine how it occurred and who might bear potential liability.
Kids are curious. They are always exploring and trying out new things. Like adults, they often learn by trial and error. With children, those errors can have life-altering consequences because kids are not always aware of what they are doing. Children cannot always tell that what they are about to do is dangerous, such as when a toddler pulls down a boiling pan from the stove or puts a toy with a small part in their mouth. That is why children need to rely on adults to act responsibly to protect them. When adults act negligently or make mistakes, children can suffer. Different people or entities can be legally responsible for the cost of a child’s injuries.
People trust schoolteachers, babysitters, and daycare providers to watch over their children. Although some injuries are inevitable, such as when a toddler falls while learning to walk, others could be prevented with reasonable actions. For instance, some accidents could be avoided with proper supervision. If a teacher fails to watch over children in the classroom and one student bullies and attacks another student, the teacher and the school could be liable. Caregivers also need to provide a reasonably safe environment. If a child falls off a defective piece of playground equipment, the school could be liable.
Manufacturers have a legal duty to produce and sell safe products. If a child experiences harm because of an inherently defective product, such as a car seat, toy, stroller, highchair, or crib, the companies that designed, manufactured, or sold the product could be at fault.
If a child gets hurt in an automobile accident, the at-fault driver could be liable for the child’s injuries.
All property owners need to keep their buildings, yards, and properties as reasonably safe as possible for visitors and guests. When those visitors are children, the duty of care is especially strict, and it can extend to children who are trespassing.
Doctors, physician’s assistants, nurses, pharmacists, and anyone else who played a role in a child’s healthcare could be liable if a medical mistake caused a child to experience an injury.
A caring child injury lawyer in Lancaster understands how traumatic it can be to watch a child suffer. We could work tirelessly to make sure the responsible party is held accountable.
Because children are still growing physically, emotionally, and cognitively, their needs are different. An injury can affect them differently than an adult. A child might need specialized care. To ensure your injured child gets the best possible care, it is essential that you work with a legal team that has successfully helped other families facing child injuries.
Call a seasoned Lancaster child injury lawyer today and let them help you.