Richmond Child Injury Lawyer

Accidents can happen to anyone, including children. However, some specific injuries and causes are particularly relevant to children. If your child has suffered injuries in an accident, you may be able to seek compensation on their behalf. Compensation may not heal the traumatic emotional impact the child has experienced but it can provide your family with crucial financial assistance.

An experienced Richmond child injury lawyer can analyze your case and support you throughout the process of seeking damages from the responsible party. Our trained personal injury attorneys know the legal process, and can serve as an essential resource through each step of the lawsuit.

Children have a lot of energy and are physically active and curious. This means they can get injured easily. Their bodies have not yet fully developed the muscles and bones that protect adults, so they are particularly vulnerable. Typical situations where children may get injured include:

• School bus or daycare accidents
• After-school activities and sports
• Dog bites or other animal attacks
• Unsafe toys or defective products like strollers or car seats
• Dangerous properties
• Playground accidents
• Slip and falls
• Scooter, skateboard, or bicycle accidents
• Car accidents

Any situation where an adult might get injured may also cause injury to a child. These accidents can leave children with severe injuries, including broken bones, traumatic brain damage, spinal cord problems, internal injuries, infection, and even paralysis. Additionally, children may suffer long-lasting emotional and psychological effects.

With any of these injuries come high medical costs and the necessity to take time off of work for doctor appointments or home care, which can leave a family to struggle financially. If someone else is responsible for the injuries, that person should be held financially liable. A skilled lawyer in the area can help parents pursue compensation for current and future losses in a child injury case.

In Richmond, a claim for child injury must be made within two years of the accident, with a number of exceptions which a knowledgeable attorney could explain. Typically, these claims are based on negligence. The plaintiff bears the burden of proving the defendant owed a duty of care to the child, they breached that duty, and that breach caused the child's injuries which led to damages. The duty of care will depend on the relationship between the child and the responsible party. People who are commonly cited in child injury lawsuits include:

• Toy and playground manufacturers
• School administration, bus drivers, and teachers
• Pet and property owners
• Daycare workers, camp counselors, and sports coaches
• Medical professionals and hospitals
• Motorists or other parties to an accident

It is important to note that Virginia does not recognize the “attractive nuisance doctrine” where landowners may be held liable for creating a situation on their property that they should reasonably know could hurt children who are trespassing. However, subject to exceptions, there are various laws that acknowledge that children cannot understand the dangers of their acts, and young children cannot act negligently therefore placing liability on another party.

Schedule a Consultation with a Richmond Child Injury Attorney Today

One of the worst things a parent can face is an injury to their child. If your child suffered injuries due to someone else's negligence, you should work with a Richmond child injury lawyer to seek just compensation. To see what may be possible in your case, reach out today for a consultation.