No parent expects to get that call. The one that tells you your child has been hurt. In those first moments, the world narrows down to one thing: your child. Everything else can wait. But once the immediate shock begins to settle, the questions start coming.
What happened? Who is responsible? How are you going to pay for all of this? And most importantly, how do you make sure something like this never happens to another family? At Viles & Beckman, these are exactly the kinds of questions we help families answer every day.
Our Punta Gorda personal injury lawyers have been fighting for children and families since 1995, with more than 40 years of combined experience and over $100 million recovered for our clients. When you need a Child Injury Lawyer in Punta Gorda, we are here. You pay nothing unless we win.
What Can a Child Injury Lawyer Do for Your Family?
This is a question worth taking seriously. Some families wonder whether they really need an attorney, especially when they are already overwhelmed with caring for an injured child. The honest answer is that having the right lawyer on your side makes an enormous difference, and here is why.
We Handle the Hard Parts So You Can Focus on Your Child
After a serious injury, your energy should be focused on your child. Our Punta Gorda child injury attorneys take the legal burden off your plate entirely. We handle the investigation and communicate with insurance companies so that you can be present for your family.
We Know What Your Case Is Really Worth
Insurance companies are skilled at making low settlement offers sound reasonable. Without legal guidance, many families accept far less than they are entitled to.
Our personal injury attorneys know how to evaluate the full value of a child injury claim, including future medical expenses and long-term impacts on your child’s development and quality of life, and we fight for every dollar.
We Stand Up to Insurance Companies
The insurance company representing the responsible party is not on your side. Their goal is to pay out as little as possible. Our goal is the opposite. We are experienced, we are persistent, and we know how to push back effectively.
Expect More, Receive More: Legal Support That Feels Like Family
Common Causes of Child Injuries in Florida
These are examples of circumstances that can put children in harm’s way:
- Auto accidents: If your child was hurt in a car accident, we can help. Even with car seats and seat belts in place, car accidents can still cause severe harm.
- Playground injuries, school and daycare accidents: Poorly maintained equipment, unsafe surfaces, and inadequate supervision can result in falls and fractures.
- Swimming pool incidents: Florida’s year-round warm weather and abundance of pools—both residential and public—can put children at a higher risk of drowning. Near-drowning incidents can still cause damage, too.
- Dog bites and animal attacks: Children cannot always gauge when an animal feels threatened, which is why children are particularly vulnerable to incidents involving dog bites.
- Defective products: Toys, furniture, and child care products that are either poorly designed or incorrectly manufactured can cause choking hazards, burns, and other serious injuries.
Why Choose Viles & Beckman?
With more than 40 years of combined experience and a long track record of fighting for families throughout Southwest Florida, we know how to handle even the most complex child injury cases.
Every Case Gets Our Full Attention
We are not a volume firm. We believe that no case is too small and that every family deserves the same level of care, attention, and dedication. When you work with us, you get our full effort every time.
The 5-Star Promise
We hold ourselves to a high standard of client service. Our 5-Star promise means responding to your calls within 24 business hours, explaining your options clearly and honestly, keeping you involved in every decision, and maintaining complete transparency about fees and costs.
You should expect more from your legal team. We are here to deliver it.
You Pay Nothing Unless We Win
Our contingency fee arrangement means there is no financial barrier to getting the help your family needs. If we do not recover compensation for you, you owe us nothing.
Florida Laws on Child Injury Cases
Florida law recognizes that children cannot be held to the same standard of responsibility as adults. In many cases, the courts apply what is called the “reasonable child” standard.
This measures a child’s behavior against what would reasonably be expected of another child of similar age, experience level, and overall maturity. Additionally, the comparative negligence law in Florida will be applied to personal injury cases, including those involving child injuries.
However, when children are involved, courts often place greater responsibility on the adults and the organizations that were tasked with the child’s care. Parents or guardians may file claims on behalf of minors to secure compensation that covers:
- Immediate medical bills
- Future needs
- Therapy sessions
- Rehabilitative care
- Long-term treatment
Statute of Limitations for Child Injury Cases in Florida
In Florida, state laws set a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury cases, including those involving child injuries. That said, when minors are involved, the timeline might be extended, depending on the details of the circumstances.
Furthermore, the child’s parents or guardians can typically reserve the right to file on behalf of the child who was hurt. However, the child might also be able to bring forth a claim on their own behalf after they turn 18 years old.
Just know that this is only possible if legal action has not already been taken on their behalf. To make sure you do not miss any deadlines that apply to your child’s case, contact child injury lawyers in Punta Gorda for legal advice.
Contact Our Punta Gorda Child Injury Lawyers Today
If your child was injured because of someone else’s negligence, you should not have to face what comes next alone. The aftermath of a serious child injury is difficult under any circumstances. Add in insurance companies, medical bills, and a legal process you have never handled before, and it can feel impossible to know where to start.
At Viles & Beckman, our child injury attorneys in Punta Gorda have decades of experience providing families with the legal representation they need when it matters most. We handle the hard parts so you can focus on your child.
From the initial investigation all the way through settlement negotiations or a civil trial, we keep your child’s rights and your family’s best interests at the center of everything we do.
Your family is entitled to justice. Your child deserves compensation. And our law firm is here to help you pursue both. Reach out today for a free consultation. You pay nothing unless we win.