Philadelphia Child Injury Lawyer

A child dies every hour after suffering an unintentional injury here in the United States, according to a 2019 American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine article published by the National Library of Medicine. And, for every youth who dies, there are another 1,000 who visit emergency rooms, at least 29 of whom have such severe injuries that they need to be hospitalized.

Here at Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan, we witness far too many scenarios in which young children suffer life-altering injuries or pass away prematurely because someone else is negligent. We work with them to hold those liable parties accountable for their actions.

If you have a son or daughter who has been seriously hurt, whether emotionally or physically, or who’s had their life cut short by another person’s recklessness or intentional acts, let’s talk. Call or email us so we can put you in contact with a Philadelphia child injury lawyer in our office for a free initial consultation so you can better understand your right to hold that negligent party accountable for their wrongful actions.

Types of Child Injury Cases Our Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Handle

The ways the children we represent suffered the injuries that led them and their parents or guardians to our door seeking help are quite varied. Many times, they either were hurt or lost their lives in the following ways:

• When riding in motor vehicles: When you think of kids, you may envision them getting hurt while riding in a car or traveling on a school bus. While this is certainly a risk, so too is their risk of getting hurt or losing their lives while walking down the street or riding their bikes, in car crashes, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), or in truck accidents.
• Due to medical malpractice: This may include being injured at birth, being misdiagnosed by a pediatrician, surgical errors that may further impact their health, a pharmacist dispensing the incorrect medication, or countless other scenarios.
• When visiting different places: Children risk suffering a slip and fall, especially during cold, snowy winter days in Philadelphia. However, these and other similar incidents can occur at sports arenas, trampoline parks, playgrounds, swimming pools, amusement parks, and countless other venues. Certain hazards on other properties that served as an attractive nuisance, as well as dog bite incidents and falling objects scenarios, may warrant the filing of a premises liability lawsuit.
• While under someone else’s care: Daycare workers, teachers, pastors and priests, camp counselors, coaches, babysitters, and others may take advantage of their position of authority and emotionally, physically, or sexually abuse children, for example. Additionally, these defendants’ and their employers’ inaction (failure to intervene) may lead to unnecessary harm like sports contact injuries, assaults, bullying (leading children to take their lives), and even negligent security situations leading to school shootings, etc.
• When using dangerous or defective products: News stories showing the dangers certain consumer goods like furniture, car seats, LED-powered technology like e-scooters, toys, medications, food, and other items pose to children have regularly made the news in recent years.

Whether your child has been injured or lost their life via one of the situations described above or a completely different one, if you suspect that it occurred because someone else intentionally targeted them or it was caused by negligence, reach out to us at Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan. A Philadelphia child injury lawyer can review the details surrounding how your child sustained their injuries and advise you whether you have a pursuable claim per Pennsylvania law.

Injuries Children May Sustain Are Varied

Most parents do whatever is within their power to keep their kids safe from harm. However, all it takes is for one negligent person or someone inflicting intentional acts on our youth to leave them with significant emotional distress or physical injuries that have associated financial impacts. Our experienced child injury attorneys often represent young clients who have some of the following impairments:

• Broken bones
• Burns
• Spinal cord damage, leading to paralysis
• Head injuries, sometimes resulting in traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
• Internal organ damage
• Birth injuries like Erb’s palsy, shoulder dystocia, and cerebral palsy
• Lacerations (cuts)
• Eye injuries
• Choking injuries
• Contusions (bruising)
• Strains and sprains
• Sexual assault-related injuries, like sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or an underage pregnancy
• Emotional trauma resulting in depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and even suicide

Whether your son or daughter was unfortunate enough to suffer one of the above injuries or something else, if its occurrence stems from the wrongdoing of another person or entity, it’s quite possible that you could have a pursuable claim. You can expect a Philadelphia child injury lawyer to want to know more about what led up to the onset of the injuries and any evidence you may have that supports those claims before advising you if you meet the grounds for filing a civil lawsuit.

What Is Unique About Child Injury Cases

When it comes to cases where children were hurt, while some of the same circumstances in any aged individual suffering harm apply in these cases, there are some unique aspects, too. Let us explain.

Kids’ minds aren’t often developed enough, even as late as in their teens, to make informed choices about what is safe, appropriate, etc. This is why our laws bestow a lot of trust in parents and caregivers or require others, such as product manufacturers, dog owners, business operators or property owners, etc., to exercise discretion.

Another unique aspect of cases resulting in kids’ injuries is that, when harm occurs, the adverse impact of what happened can live on for a significant amount of time, moving forward. So, if a child at age three, who has just started preschool, suffers an injury requiring amputation, the potential impact it has on that limb removal has on their life is longer than it is for an adult, age 65, who is preparing to retire.

In one case, a wide range of untapped opportunities may lie ahead of a juvenile, and although children are generally resilient, an injury such as this may limit their options and future income potential. The earlier preventable injuries occur or illnesses set in, the higher the potential there is that a victim may suffer an infection and experience other medical complications, such as persistent mental health impacts, thus leading youth to incur high costs in treating them as they age.

So, when some say that injury cases involving children are unique, the factors described above point to a few of the aspects of these legal matters that prompt them to make such statements.

There’s a big difference when a child has their whole life ahead of them and suffers avoidable injuries when making demands for compensation. A lot of emphasis has to be placed on forecasting future costs of care and losses that they will incur because of what happened.

Here at Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan, we’re experienced at building strong cases that command maximum compensation for the pain, discomfort, and grief you and your child have suffered. We want to advocate for you by holding those who either temporarily or forever changed your life liable for their wrongdoing. So, contact us by phone or email to schedule a free consultation about how we can help.

Damages Child Injury Victims Can Recover

There are certain costs victims may be able to demand compensation for if they can prove that they incurred them because of the intentional acts or negligence of others. Recoverable damages in cases where juveniles got hurt may include:

• Medical expenses, both existing and projected future ones
• Any costs associated with the child receiving ongoing care, such as occupational or physical therapy or mental health counseling
• Caregiving expenses if, for example, around-the-clock care is necessary
• Lost future income potential, especially if their injuries may affect their career choices
• The impact that the injury incident is expected to have on your child’s quality of life
• Any potential special accommodations that may need to be made to make a house more habitable or a car better suited to get around
• Pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other similar losses

The list of potential damages recoverable if your child gets hurt due to another person’s negligence is far from exhaustive. An experienced attorney should have the proper insight to not only identify all losses but to leave no stone unturned when seeking compensation for your damages.

What To Look For in a Child Injury Attorney in Philadelphia

Not just anyone can work with young, impressionable children who have been harmed or their surviving family members after their untimely loss. Instead, it’s often best if the attorneys who do are either parents themselves or individuals who maintain close familial bonds. Why? You might ask. Lawyers like these are most apt to comprehend how disruptive the circumstances associated with your child’s injury can be and how profound of a loss it can be for one to die.

In addition to being a family-oriented individual, you will need the attorney you hire to meet the following criteria:

• Knowledgeable about Pennsylvania personal injury laws
• Is confident in their ability to build a strong case that proves liability
• Has secured settlements from similar defendants
• Won’t hesitate to take your child’s case to trial if that’s what it takes to secure compensation

A Law Firm That Gets Results for Child Victims and Their Families

A child who suffers injuries, especially if they occur during childbirth or before they reach preschool or kindergarten, is likely to incur significant injury-related costs across their lifetime just plainly because of the amount of years they presumably have left to live. And, consequently, if a child loses their life prematurely, the general consensus is that they have so many years ahead of them to potentially accomplish so much. This is why insurance settlements and jury awards in cases like these tend to be so significant. Here at Laffey Bucci D’Andrea Reich & Ryan, we know this all too well. We’ve been successful in securing multi-million dollar settlements for our clients.

We zealously advocate for our children and their parents because we know how costly receiving medical care can be and how those and other costs of living expenses can only be expected to climb in the near future. We’ve seen how many of these aren’t covered by government assistance programs or health insurance, and this insight motivates us to fight to ensure you get the maximum settlement now so your child can receive the best possible care and have an optimal quality of life now and in the future.

If you’re ready to discuss what you believe led to your child’s injuries and the legal options you may be able to take on behalf of your child, contact us now for a free consultation.