What happens when a child is injured in a car accident in Kentucky? How can the family recover the costs of treatment and the challenges that child will experience from enduring and recovering from their injuries?
The most common cause of significant injuries to Kentucky children is a car accident or motor vehicle collision. What should you do if your child is injured in a car accident, or even simply involved in a collision between motor vehicles? If your child is riding in any vehicle involved in a motor vehicle accident you should make certain that child receives a thorough medical examination within 24 to 48 hours of the accident, even if they appear to be relatively unharmed.
If the child is an infant the forces associated with the impact of an accident can lead to developmental issues down the road which are not obvious or evident today. Your child may sustain soft tissue injuries which can take weeks or months before symptoms arise. Damage to internal organs may not be apparent for hours. This is not to frighten you, but to simply impress upon you the importance of taking any child who has been involved in a car accident or motor vehicle collision to the doctor for a thorough examination in the hours after any accident.
My name is John Schmidt and after 25+ years of experience as an attorney here in Shepherdsville, I can tell you it’s almost impossible to be too cautious. When a child is injured in a car accident in Kentucky due to the negligence of another driver you will need to file a personal injury claim. Here in Kentucky, we have unique protections relating to a personal injury claim for a child. Those over the age of 18 usually have one year in which to file a personal injury claim, and two years if the injuries were the result of an accident involving a car or auto.
When a child is injured in a car accident this statute of limitations extends to one year after the child turns 18. It may take years before the long-term impact and resulting effects are fully known when a child suffers impact-related injuries. Kentucky law also requires a conservator or guardian to supervise any personal injury award paid on behalf of the child until the injured child reaches the age of 18.
It will takes months and often years before the full extent of the child’s injuries and the long-term effect(s) of those injuries are known. In these cases, I work to evaluate not only the present expenses and medical bills, but the likelihood of all potential future treatment and expenses as well as just compensation for the painful experience your child has been forced to endure. For example, a child often faces emotional issues associated with a car accident that require the support of an experienced child psychologist. Any settlement or verdict must take every one of these considerations into account.
We invite you to contact us via e-mail, schedule an appointment or call us today at (502) 509-1490 to get the important advice and counsel required to protect your personal injury claim and achieve full and fair compensation for having to endure and recover from your injuries.
