What to Do When Your Child Is Injured By a Car

Accidents of any sort can be devastating both physically and mentally. The situation becomes worse when it’s your child who gets involved in it. As a parent, you need to know the necessary measures required when a child gets injured by a car. Since a child is a minor and not able to fend for themselves even in normal situations, this is the time when you have to be alert on all fronts. 

First, you have to act quickly to save their lives if the accident is tragic before following up with the compensation. After the physical protection, you then have to look at the financial, legal, and ongoing costs aspects of the incident. Here are some steps to take when such injuries happen.

1. Check on the Child

Checking on the victim is the first thing you are required to do immediately after an accident. This step is paramount because it can help save a life in tragic situations. If seriously injured, do not try to move or get them out of a wreck since it can worsen the situation. You should immediately call a medical expert to salvage the situation.

If the accident is not worse, you may remove them from the vehicle and check on their condition to see if they are okay. Try to take them to a medical facility for a checkup as sometimes injuries might be internal. Let the doctors examine every part before giving you the go-ahead to leave with the child.

Even if the first responder doctors on the scene of the accident confirm that the child is fine, it might be best to get a second opinion as soon as possible. Don’t ignore any complaint or signs that something is wrong; trust your instinct and be on the safe side. 

2. Call the Police

The second step is to call the police. Calling the law enforcers is very important, even if no one got hurt in that accident. The police will be able to take the statement and the evidence required in claims. According to experts from The Champion Firm, P.C., the police abstract is essential in any case which involves compensation or where insurance is concerned as it’s more trusted than any other evidence. The police will detail everything and will give a clue on who was at fault. Besides the police statement, you need to get the driver’s license number, insurance details, and vehicle details, which will be required by your attorney.

3. Document the Accident scene

Other than the police taking the statement, it would help if you documented the accident scene. How do you do this? You can do this by recording the witnesses’ narration and taking their contacts for future use. If you have a camera or any smartphones, you can take photos and videos of the accident scene, which you will use later as evidence. If your child is big enough to narrate the ordeal, they can give you details as you put them down as evidence. Ensure that every detail of the accident is captured and stored safely without alteration or editing. The only person you can share with this information is your lawyer.

Don’t make the mistake of posting these evidence photos or recordings on your social media platforms just yet. Doing so might make the evidence inadmissible if things are bad enough to go to court. You want all your documentation safe and out of the hands of the offending party if at all possible.

4. Hire a Car Accident Lawyer

Sometimes, the insurance company or the driver who caused the accident might fail to own up to the mistake, requiring you to file a court case. When such a thing happens, you need to get an injury lawyer who will help you in such situations. The expert lawyer will ensure the compensation process is fast and efficient as required by the law, depending on the type of accident.

Getting a good lawyer in time can ensure that you get the compensation you and your child deserve. Failure to do so might leave you behind in the legal race and with even more losses in the form of medical expenses and lost income.

5. Monitor your Child’s Condition

After ensuring that the accident scene is secured and that you have all the evidence presented to your lawyer, you need to monitor your child’s condition to ensure that all is well. Your child’s condition should matter most, more than anything else. You have to check for any abnormalities, change in behavior, swelling, bleedings and any other suspicious thing since some signs show up after days.

If you see any abnormal change, you need to immediately seek medical attention to have the issue checked and solved. Other than the physical changes, your child will need counseling and therapy, which will make them forget the accident scene and live their lives normally. Such should be done early enough, just after the accident, to avoid physical and mental problems.

6. Consult with the Insurance Company

In most cases, the vehicle that caused the accident insurance is responsible for damages and injuries, and it should cater to the cost or compensation of expenses incurred. Before following up with the other driver, you may want to consult with your insurance company, which will give you the way forward and how to go with the process. Lawyers are also essential at this point. You need to use your insurance company to help push the other company to settle your child’s medical bills and ensure that everyone gets compensated as required by the law.

7. Collect Information of Other People at the Accident Scene

If at all possible, take the contact information and other details from the other people at the scene. These could be eyewitnesses, passengers in nearby cars, or anyone else involved in the accident itself. The police, if they are called, will do this for their own records; however, you also need to stay as informed as possible. Get the insurance information of the other vehicle, the name of the person driving, and any relevant phone numbers. While you are taking information from witnesses, make sure to note down their details with their consent. 

When an accident occurs, it creates a chapter between the injured and the person who caused the accident. When your child gets injured, the same situation occurs since you have to monitor your child’s progress after the accident, and also, your child needs to get compensated. If you get stranded in this situation, contact a reputable lawyer who can help you through.