One of the biggest fears that parents have when their child rides in a car is becoming involved in an accident. They worry that there children will suffer debilitating injuries in a crash.
Children often suffer more catastrophic injuries in car accidents than adults do. The injuries kids suffer depend on various factors.
Age matters
Kids under the age of one are most likely to suffer concussions in car accidents. Any child over one-year-old is most apt to suffer cuts, bruises and head fractures.
Location in the vehicle
Children tend to suffer fewer injuries in car accidents if they are in second-row seats. For example, children who ride in front seats are twice as likely to suffer injuries in a front-end crash versus when they sit in the back seat. In addition, kids’ risks of getting hurt are significantly lower when they sit in second-row seats in either front or side collisions.
Injuries have short-term and long-term consequences
Some of the most common injuries children suffer include ones to their:
- Heads, such as concussions
- Chest
- Internal organs
- Backs
The extent of a child’s injuries isn’t always immediately apparent. They may instead take time to manifest themselves. That’s why it’s always best to have your child see a doctor immediately following an incident.
It’s not uncommon for the injuries that children suffer in car accidents to leave behind lasting, lifelong consequences, including:
- Headaches
- Improper bone growth
- Memory loss
- Reading difficulties
These injuries may not only leave your child needing medical care but also requiring academic support or long-term therapy.
What should you do if your child suffered injuries in a car accident?
Most jurisdictions’ laws require motorists to have auto insurance to cover car accident victims’ immediate and future medical costs. Texas law is no different in this respect. However, how much you may be entitled to receive will be contingent upon your child’s injuries in the crash and insurance limits. An attorney can help you seek the compensation you need.