What to Do if Your Child is Injured in a Car Accident in New York
When children get hurt in New York car accidents, parents may panic out of fear that their child has sustained serious injuries. While that concern is understandable, the best thing for parents to do is take a deep breath and proceed with the necessary steps.
If your child is injured in a New York car accident, call the police right away. Next, take your child to the hospital as soon as possible. Parents should then hire a Bay Shore, NY car accident attorney to advocate on behalf of their child. While children are entitled to the same justice as adults after a car accident, things can get a bit complicated if a minor was driving during a collision. Should that be the case, your lawyer can help your child get compensatory damages at any point before their 21st birthday.
Our attorneys are prepared to represent your child’s interests and hold negligent New York drivers accountable. For a free case evaluation with the New York car accident lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm, call us today at (718) 841-0083.
Steps to Take Immediately After Your Child is Injured in a New York Car Accident
The thought of their child getting injured in a car accident is any parent’s worst fear. That’s why New York parents need to know how to respond should such a terrible event occur. Not taking the necessary steps could hurt your ability to get compensation on your injured child’s behalf. Immediately after your child is injured in a New York car accident, it’s important to call the police and seek medical attention. Next, hire a lawyer to get your child the justice they deserve.
Call the Police
After any car accident in New York, it’s important to call the police. This becomes doubly true when a child is involved. If your child has sustained serious injuries that require costly medical treatment, it’s crucial to alert law enforcement officials. New York police officers can create an accident report when they reach the scene. This report will contain vital details that can ultimately help your Brooklyn car accident lawyer support your claim against a negligent driver.
If parents don’t call the police after a collision that injures their child, it can be harder to recover compensatory damages in a lawsuit. It can also be more difficult to file a successful claim with a negligent driver’s liability insurance, making it harder to give your child the medical care they need.
Seek Medical Attention
Parents must take their child to a doctor immediately after sustaining injuries in a New York car accident. If your child is young enough to be in a car seat and appears injured, don’t try to remove them yourself. Wait for emergency personnel to remove your child so that you don’t cause additional injuries.
Straight from the accident site, visit the hospital. It’s crucial to get your child assessed for injuries following a car accident. When children are too young to speak, they can’t advocate for themselves and properly communicate their pain levels. A medical professional can assess your child and corroborate their injuries. Whether your child is initially diagnosed with an injury or not, it’s important to take them to regular follow-up appointments, whether with a specialist or their pediatrician. Some car accident injuries take some time to appear, even for children.
Hire a Lawyer
While parents surely want to get justice for their children after a devastating car accident, they may be unable to do so without help. It’s crucial to hire a Queens car accident attorney if your child has been injured in a collision. Hiring a lawyer can be even more important if your child was driving a car at the time of the collision. Our lawyers can advocate for an injured child and inform parents of their best options for pursuing compensatory damages.
Recovering Damages After Your Child is Injured in a Car Accident in New York
If your child was injured in a car accident in New York, you certainly want to hold the negligent driver accountable. That being said, things can get complicated when a child is not only a victim but also a driver. In New York, minors can get their permit at 16 and independently drive once they pass their exam. Because of this, parents may be unsure whether they should file a lawsuit for their child, file an insurance claim, or allow their child to file a lawsuit independently.
Minor Passenger
If a child was a passenger at the time of a car accident and not a driver, parents have a clearer route to compensation. They can file a claim with a negligent driver’s insurance or file a lawsuit on their child’s behalf for compensatory damages.
Our Staten Island car accident attorney can help you navigate either situation so that you can get justice for your child. If you choose to file an insurance claim or a lawsuit on behalf of your injured child, they will gain access to their awarded compensatory damages when they turn 18.
Minor Driver
Unfortunately, minors can sustain injuries in a car accident while driving in New York. Should this happen, your child may have to be more involved during a car accident lawsuit or settlement negotiations with an insurance company. This may inform a parent’s decision to pursue litigation or settle with a negligent driver’s liability insurance.
If your child is under 18 and is injured in a car accident, they can bring a civil suit independently in New York after they reach majority age. Regardless, the statute of limitations is tolled until a victim turns 18. So, your child could sue a negligent driver themselves any time between their 18th and 21st birthday.
Call Our Attorneys if Your Child Was Injured in a New York Car Accident
No child should have to suffer because of a negligent driver’s actions. For a free case evaluation with the Bronx car accident lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm, call us today at (718) 841-0083.