Dealing with an injury to your child is perhaps more painful than being injured yourself. If someone else’s negligence was responsible, the worst part is knowing that the injury didn’t have to happen. The child injury lawyers at Stracci Law Group handle every case with the sensitivity and empathy it deserves while at the same time demanding justice.
Now is no time to hesitate because every day that passes reduces your odds of receiving fair compensation. Call (219) 525-1000 or contact us online. We serve clients from all over NW Indiana, including Crown Point, Valparaiso, and Merrillville.
Common Children's Injuries Cases in Northwest Indiana
Cuts and bruises are normal during childhood. In some cases, however, the injury is serious or even life-threatening. When a child is seriously injured, one of the following causes is usually responsible:
- Birth injuries
- Child sexual abuse
- Drowning accidents
- Emergency room/hospital mistakes
- School accidents
- Auto accidents incl. defective car seats
- Pedestrian and bike accidents
- School Bus accidents
- Daycare accidents
- Animal attacks and dog bites
- Playground injuries
- Burn injuries
- Unsafe toys, cribs, and similar products
- Window blind cords and other products that pose a strangulation hazard
- Slip and fall accidents
- Food poisoning
- Dangerous products that pose a choking hazard
- Sports injuries
- Swimming pool accidents
- Fire and burn accidents
- Defective products
- Prescription drug adverse reactions
If your child was injured in an avoidable accident, chances are someone is to blame. Chances are even greater that the insurance company will deny your claim. Act today to enlist the aid of an Indiana child accident lawyer.
The Common Types Of Child Injuries
Children are small and therefore fragile. Despite their resilience, children are navigating a particularly vulnerable period in their lives, perhaps not to be matched again until old age. Because they are still growing, they are particularly susceptible to permanent injuries. Some common childhood injuries include:
- Sprains
- Muscle tears and strains
- Concussions
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Burn injuries (and permanent scarring)
- Bone fractures, including crushing injuries
- Damage to internal organs
- Back and neck injuries
- Soft tissue injuries such as whiplash
- Nerve damage
- Hearing loss
- Lost limbs
- Paraplegia (paralysis of two limbs)
- Quadriplegia (paralysis of four limbs)
- Spinal cord injuries
- Internal bleeding
- PTSD
- Long-term emotional disorders such as phobias and depression
- Death
Our team has years of experience successfully obtaining compensation for the unnecessary suffering of children, and we are ready to stand and fight for you.
Why You Need an Experienced Child Injury Attorney in Lake County, IN
Special considerations apply to a personal injury lawsuit when the victim is a minor (under 18). These considerations include:
- A minor cannot file a lawsuit in their own name in Indiana. Normally, this means one of two scenarios (i) a parent files the lawsuit or (ii) the court appoints a guardian ad litem to file the lawsuit. The parent or guardian will be expected to manage any verdict or settlement in the best interests of the child.
- A court must approve any settlement exceeding $10,000. These funds are the child’s property, but the child is not free to manage them until they turn 18. The parent or guardian must place the funds in a “restricted bank account for minors.” Typically, the responsible party will structure a settlement that pays off well after the child turns 18.
- It is difficult to forecast future damages in case of long-term injury. Suppose, for example, that an accident renders a child paraplegic. How do you calculate the child’s losses--especially lost earnings from a career that the child may never pursue because of the injury? You are likely to need a child accident attorney to help you calculate damages.
Lasting Effects Of Your Child Damages
Your child is likely to be entitled to many different types of damages, including:
- Current and future medical bills
- Medical equipment (wheelchairs, etc.)
- Cost of living in a long-term care facility
- Cost of in-home medical care
- Estimated lost earnings
- Lost opportunities
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disfigurement
- Loss of quality of life
- Punitive damages (only if the defendant’s behavior was particularly outrageous)
Let us do the negotiating for you. If you try to do it yourself, you can be sure that the defendant or insurance company will pull every trick in the book to avoid paying. We know all the negotiating tricks, and we're not going to fall for a single one of them.
Why Choose Stracci Law Group As Your Child Injury Law Firm?
The child accident lawyers at Stracci Law Group enjoy the benefit of decades of combined experience working with clients in the same situation you are in. Our track record is superb enough to make opposing parties think twice once they learn that you have retained us to represent you. We will:
- Investigate your case and identify the responsible party
- Gather admissible evidence in preparation for a trial
- Negotiate with the responsible party or their insurance company and attempt to reach a generous settlement
- File a lawsuit to gain leverage over the defendant in settlement negotiations
- Go to trial for you if necessary
Most of our clients receive settlements with no need for a trial.
Contact Our Experienced Crown Point Child Injury Lawyers Today
We can level the playing field for you against evasive defendants and greedy insurance companies. Call the child personal injury lawyers at Stracci Law Group at (219) 525-1000, or contact us online for a free case evaluation. We service clients in Hammond, Crown Point, Gary, and elsewhere in NW Indiana.