As a parent, you cannot keep your children safe every minute. Roughly one in every seven children 18 years of age or under will need to visit the emergency room each year.
If someone else was to blame for your child’s injury in Coral Gables, it is vital that you take strong legal action, both to get justice and secure your child’s future needs and expenses. The experienced Coral Gables child injury lawyers at Maderal Byrne & Furst PLLC go above and beyond to fight for your child and your family in every way that we can. Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation.
Common Causes of Children’s Injuries
Children are much more prone to injuries, given both their level of activity and the fact that their bodies are more fragile.
Children can be anywhere, whether it is at school, a daycare center, or a playground. Child injury cases we handle include:
- Falls
- Car accidents
- Being struck by an object
- School bus accidents
- Playground accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Defective toys
- Swimming pool accidents
Potential Liable Parties for Your Child’s Injuries
After you hire us, our experienced lawyers in Coral Gables will immediately investigate to determine who may be held responsible for your child’s injuries. There is a possibility that more than one person or entity can be liable for what happened. We will explore every angle to help maximize your child’s compensation.
Some potentially liable parties in a child injury lawsuit include:
- The school district or private school
- Daycare providers
- Motorists
- Property owners (in a premises liability case)
- Product manufacturers
- Another child’s parents, who may be responsible for the actions of their own child
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim on Behalf of My Child?
As a parent, you have a legal right to file a claim or lawsuit for your child. Since they are under 18, they cannot file their own claim. In Florida, the statute of limitations in a personal injury case is two years from the date of the injury. This includes two years for a wrongful death claim.
Florida law allows a minor to file their own personal injury lawsuit when they turn 18 if you have not already filed on their behalf within the statute of limitations. However, you should act now while you still have the available evidence to prove your case.
You Must Fight for Compensation for Your Child
Compensation in child injury lawsuits may be higher than when an adult is injured. Personal injury lawsuits must cover future damages, and a child will be living with permanent injuries for much longer.
As a parent, you owe it to your child to fight for every possible dollar in compensation to make sure that your child has enough money in the future when they need it.
The court will need to approve any settlement involving a minor child, and they will sometimes set them aside.
What Your Child Injury Lawsuit Damages Could Include
- The medical expenses to treat their injury
- Lost wages that they may earn in the future
- Lost wages for the time that you needed to care for your child
- Special education expenses if your child can no longer be in a general education environment
- Caretaker expenses if your child requires additional help
- Pain and suffering
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
What Happens to Your Child’s Settlement or Damages Award?
If the amount of the settlement is over $15,000, there are restrictions on how the settlement money may be used.
Courts want to ensure that the parents use the money on behalf of the child and that the child has the money they need when they are older. The court requires that parents establish a formal guardianship to safeguard the funds.
Settlement funds would then need to be placed in an annuity or a bank account that requires court approval to access. The court would generally approve a specific request when they see that it will benefit the child. Judges are concerned with protecting the best interests of your child.
How Maderal Byrne & Furst Can Help You
When it comes to your child, you must do everything within your power to help them after an accident. You’ll need to focus on caring for them and making sure that they have everything that they need. Nonetheless, the legal process may still be unfolding.
You can care for your child at the same time that you fight for full compensation when you hire Maderal Byrne & Furst to handle your case. We will take care of all the legal details, keeping you informed of all developments, so you can make the right decisions. Our lawyers are all experienced litigators, with a former federal prosecutor’s experience in your corner.
Before you can fight for full compensation, there are several critical functions that we will perform on your behalf:
- Helping you anticipate all your child’s needs, so you can seek compensation
- Valuing your case so you know how much to ask for in a settlement or lawsuit
- Advising you on the most effective way to get full financial compensation
Most importantly, we will give you the peace of mind that comes from knowing that there is someone working relentlessly on your family’s behalf. Once we file the claim or lawsuit for your injured child, we will see things through to the end representing your child and your family.
Contact a Coral Gables Child Injury Attorney Today
Your first step to justice and potential compensation is to contact a children’s injury attorney at Maderal Byrne & Furst in Coral Gables. Our experienced attorneys have a track record of securing large verdicts and settlements on behalf of our clients.
While every case is different, we bring the same dedication and determination any time that a client places their trust in us. To schedule your free initial consultation, you can send us a message online or call us today at (305) 520-5690.
