A child injury can be one of the most traumatic experiences a family ever undergoes. If your child has been hurt due to someone else’s negligence, a Lehigh Acres personal injury lawyer can help you file a lawsuit.
If your child has been hurt, you may be dealing with unexpected medical bills, time away from work, and emotional trauma. During this difficult period, the claims process can be daunting.
Since 1995, Viles & Beckman has recovered more than $100 million for our clients. If your child has been hurt due to another party’s negligence, a child injury lawyer in Lehigh Acres can help you pursue financial compensation.
Why Hire a Lehigh Acres Child Injury Lawyer?
If your child has been injured, a lawyer can help by:
- Investigating the incident and gathering evidence
- Identifying the liable party or parties
- Negotiating with insurance companies
- Ensuring any settlement accounts for future medical care, therapy, and emotional trauma
- Taking your case to court if a fair settlement cannot be reached
A Lehigh Acres child injury lawyer can make sure your family receives the compensation you deserve.
Expect More, Receive More: Legal Support That Feels Like Family
How Much Do Child Injury Lawyers Charge in Florida?
The child injury attorneys at Viles & Beckman work on a contingency fee basis. This means you don’t pay any upfront legal fees. Instead, your attorney will receive a prearranged percentage of your compensation when you win your case. You can discuss this figure at your initial consultation.
What Is the Average Settlement for a Child Injury?
Settlements for child injuries can range from a few thousand dollars to more than $1 million. The value of your family’s settlement will depend on factors like:
- The severity and permanence of the injury
- Medical expenses (past and future)
- Emotional and psychological trauma
- The injury’s impact on your child’s quality of life
- Parental lost wages due to caregiving
- Insurance limits
A Lehigh Acres child injury attorney can review your case and provide an estimate.
What Types of Compensation Can I Recover?
If your child has been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you may be able to recover compensation for the following damages:
- Medical expenses: You can recover the costs of emergency care, doctor visits, surgeries, hospital stays, medications, and therapy related to your child’s injury.
- Future medical care: You can seek compensation for any long-term or ongoing treatment your child may need, including rehabilitation, assistive devices, or specialized care.
- Pain and suffering: You can receive damages for the physical pain and emotional distress your child has experienced due to the injury.
- Loss of enjoyment of life: You can pursue compensation if the injury limits your child’s ability to enjoy normal activities, hobbies, or social interactions.
- Parental lost income: You can be reimbursed for wages you lost because you had to take time off work to care for your injured child.
- Educational impacts: You can recover costs for tutoring, special education services, or other academic accommodations your child may need due to the injury.
- Punitive damages: You can be awarded additional compensation in cases of extreme negligence or intentional misconduct.
A child injury attorney in Lehigh Acres can make sure your settlement accounts for all of your family’s damages.
How Long Do I Have to File a Child Injury Claim in Florida?
In Florida, most personal injury claims must be filed within two years. However, special rules apply when the victim is a minor. While Chapter 95 Section 051 of Florida law provides for the tolling (pausing) of this period for minors in specific situations, a lawsuit must generally be filed within seven years from the date of the incident, regardless of the child’s age.
For specific types of claims, such as medical malpractice involving a minor, the deadlines can differ; typically, a claim must be filed within two years of discovery, but no later than four years from the incident, or by the child’s eighth birthday, whichever is later.
Given these complexities, you should seek legal guidance promptly when a child is injured. A personal injury lawyer in Estero can help ensure your claim is filed on time.
What Are My Odds of Winning?
While no outcome is guaranteed, your chances of success will be higher if you work with an experienced attorney and present clear evidence of negligence. Types of evidence that can strengthen your claim include:
- Medical documentation
- Witness statements
- Photographs or video evidence
- Police or incident reports
- Expert testimony on the injury’s long-term effects
Insurance companies often try to undervalue child injury claims or even deny them. Having a dedicated attorney by your side will greatly improve your odds of receiving fair compensation.
Causes of Child Injuries
Families often file claims for the following types of incidents:
- Car accidents
- School or daycare negligence
- Playground injuries
- Dog bites or animal attacks
- Slip and fall accidents
- Drowning or near-drowning incidents
- Injuries from defective toys or products
- Bicycle or pedestrian accidents
- Medical malpractice or birth injuries
- Physical abuse or neglect
What to Do After a Child Injury
The steps you take immediately after your child is injured can have a significant impact on your claim. Here’s what you should do:
- Seek medical attention right away, even if the injury seems minor.
- Document everything by taking photos of the injury, the scene, and anything else that could serve as evidence.
- Report the incident to the appropriate authorities (like the police, your child’s daycare provider, or the property owner).
- Avoid speaking with insurers until you’ve consulted a lawyer.
- Consult a child injury attorney to discuss your legal options.
Contact a Child Injury Attorney in Lehigh Acres
Child injury cases can be long and stressful, especially when liability is disputed. But you don’t have to navigate the legal process alone. A Lehigh Acres child injury attorney from Viles & Beckman can handle every aspect of your lawsuit so you and your family can focus on your child’s recovery.
Schedule a free consultation to start building your case.