Watching for Child Injuries After Car Accidents

 Posted on December 15, 2017 in Motor Vehicle Accidents

Being involved in a car accident can become a nightmare if you have a child with you in the vehicle. Your immediate concern will be to check for any visible injuries on your child, followed by medical attention. As with adults, some injuries that children suffer in car accidents take longer to develop or notice. However, children are different from adults because they are not adept at explaining their problems. As a parent, you must carefully watch your children for symptoms of longer-lasting trauma or injuries resulting from the car accident.

Head Injuries

Concussions are serious injuries but harder to identify than scrapes or broken bones. Symptoms of an internal head injury may manifest in your child’s behavior, such as:

• Mood changes;
• Frequent crying;
• Lack of interest in normal activities;
• Unusual sleepiness; and
• Regressing verbal and motor skills.

Depending on the age of your children, some of these symptoms may be difficult to distinguish from their normal behavior. You must trust your instincts as a parent to know when your child’s behavior is abnormal and err on the side of caution.

Post-Traumatic Stress

The car accident upset your child because it was a frightening and unfamiliar experience. It may have been his or her first time feeling that level of danger. As a result, your child may develop post-traumatic stress disorder, which will affect his or her behavior. He or she may be afraid of riding in the car and become more emotionally attached to you. You should consult your pediatrician about concerns you have with the emotional impact of the car accident. There are forms of therapy that can console children and help them develop emotional resilience.

Parental Responsibility

You can sue for personal injury damages if another party was at fault for the car accident that injured your child. However, you are also responsible for your child’s safety while transporting him or her. Illinois law requires all children younger than 8 to be secured in a child car seat or booster seat. Safety guidelines also advise that:

• Children should stay in the backseat through age 12;
• Young children should remain in a rear-facing safety seat until they have outgrown them; and
• Booster seats should be used only when there is a shoulder belt in the back seat.

Failing to follow these safety guidelines will not absolve the other driver of negligence. However, you may share some of the fault, which would reduce the compensation you receive.

Seeking Compensation

It can be expensive to provide your child with all of the necessary medical treatments after a car accident. A Barrington, IL, personal injury attorney at Joseph M. Lucas & Associates, LLC, can help you receive full compensation from the liable party. Schedule a consultation by calling 847-381-8700.

Source:

http://safer-america.com/what-to-do-car-accident-with-a-child/