Our brains control our thoughts, speech, memories, and movements. Even a mild injury to the vital organ can completely change the course of a person’s life. Brain injuries can be especially devastating when the victim is a child.
The CDC reported that, among US children between 0-14 years of age, traumatic brain injuries result in 3,000 deaths, 29,000 hospitalizations, and 400,000 visits to the emergency room each year.
Has your child been injured in an accident or while in another party’s care? If so, the compassionate traumatic brain injury lawyers at Phillips Law Group can help you seek compensation for medical bills, time off from work as you care for your child, and other losses.
Schedule a free, no-obligation review of your child’s traumatic brain injury case with a member of our legal team today. Call us at 602-222-2222 or complete the free case evaluation form.
Causes of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Children
Head injuries are a common cause of disability and death in children. Since a child’s brain is softer than an adult’s and still developing, a brain injury can be more likely to cause permanent damage.
The following are common incidents that cause brain injuries in children:
The most common cause of brain injuries in children depends on their age. In infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, most TBIs are due to shaken infant syndrome (SIDs) or other forms of abuse, while most cases involving elementary school children and adolescents are a result of motor vehicle accidents or sports injuries.
Recognizing Signs of Traumatic Brain Injuries in Children
Young children may not yet have the communication skills needed to report symptoms of a brain injury. This leaves it up to their parents and other adults to recognize the signs that the child is injured.
Mild brain injuries
Be alert to the following symptoms of a mild head injury in children:
- Complaints of headaches
- Swollen area on the head from a bump or bruise
- Small cut on the scalp
- Lightheadedness or dizziness
- Difficulty with memory or concentration
- Nausea or refusing to eat
- Irritability
- Changes in sleep patterns
- Blurred vision
Moderate to severe head injuries
In addition to the symptoms listed above, symptoms of a moderate to severe head injury may include:
- Persistent headaches
- Loss of consciousness
- Short-term memory loss
- Paleness
- Difficulty walking
- Slurred speech
- Enlarged pupil
- Convulsions or seizures
- Weakness on one side of the body
- Blood or clear fluid draining from the eyes or nose
What to Do If Your Child Has Sustained a Brain Injury
As a loving parent, you want to protect your child from harm. Sadly, despite a parent’s best efforts, accidents sometimes occur and children get hurt. What should you do if your child has sustained a trauma to the head?
If you know or even suspect that your child has sustained a significant blow to the head, you should seek immediate medical attention. Some head injuries worsen if not treated. The sooner your child is diagnosed and treated, the greater the chance of recovery.
After a child has been diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury, parents must follow a doctor’s orders exactly. This may involve keeping follow-up appointments and ensuring your child refrains from any sports or other activities as directed. Depending on the severity of the TBI, your doctor may also recommend cognitive and speech therapy for your child.
After making sure your child receives the necessary medical care, you should speak to an attorney if you think your child’s brain injury was the result of someone else’s negligence. A traumatic brain injury lawyer can fight for your child’s rights to proper medical care and determine whether you have a valid claim to compensation.
How Can a Traumatic Brain Injury Lawyer Help You and Your Child?
A child who has sustained a brain injury caused by someone else deserves justice. Whether the injury was caused by a car accident, defective product, slip-and-fall, or something else, the negligent party must be held accountable for their actions or inaction.
After a child sustains a brain injury, parents are likely overwhelmed with caring for the child’s physical and emotional needs. A parent will often care for the child at the expense of his or her own physical and mental health. In this situation, the last thing a parent has time for is filing a claim or lawsuit.
This is where a traumatic brain injury lawyer can step in and help. While you focus on your child’s recovery, an attorney with Phillips Law Group can build a solid personal injury case on behalf of your child.
We can investigate your case
After taking on your traumatic brain injury case, your legal team will begin to gather evidence proving negligence.
This evidence may include:
- Eyewitness testimony
- Police reports
- Medical records
- Photos of the accident scene
- Surveillance or dash cam video footage
- Copies of medical bills
- Testimony from accident reconstructionists, medical professionals, and other experts
We can identify the liable parties
Your traumatic brain injury lawyer will work to identify all parties liable for your child’s injury. In some cases, multiple parties may be at fault.
Liable parties in child brain injury cases may include:
- Drivers: If your child sustained a brain injury in a motor vehicle accident caused by someone else, the negligent driver could be held responsible for damages.
- Business owners: Stores, restaurants, and other business owners have a responsibility to keep their properties safe for all visitors. If your child suffered a slip-and-fall as a result of a hazardous property condition, the business owner could be held financially responsible.
- Doctors: Tragically, some TBIs are caused by the very people that parents rely on to help keep their children healthy. If your child’s TBI was a result of medical malpractice, a lawyer can help you file a claim against the doctor, hospital, or any other negligent party.
- Teachers and caretakers: Parents trust that teachers, daycare providers, and other caretakers are going to treat their children with care and kindness. If your child’s TBI was caused by a teacher’s abuse or neglect, then that teacher should be held responsible.
- Defective products: Far too many pediatric brain injuries are a result of a child choking on a defective product. If your child’s TBI was caused by a toy or other defective product, the manufacturer could be held liable.
We can recover compensation for you
The types of damages you are eligible to recover depend on the extent of your child’s injuries, who is liable, and other factors.
Examples of damages you could recover include:
- Medical expenses
- Reimbursement for lost wages while caring for your child
- Your child’s pain and suffering
- At-home nursing care
- Disability
Contact Our Law Firm Today to Schedule a Free Case Review
Our law firm has over 26 years of experience advocating for injured children and their families. It pains us to see the physical, emotional, and financial toll a brain injury can have on children and those who love and care for them. Our personal injury lawyers will do everything they can to pursue justice and financial compensation for your family.
At Phillips Law Group, we offer free, no-obligation consultations. We handle all traumatic brain injury cases on contingency. This means you pay no upfront costs or fees for our legal services.
Call us, start a live chat on this page, or complete the evaluation form to get started today.
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