The compensation you could expect, if your child suffers serious injuries in an accident, would depend on several factors. Consult with an experienced Philadelphia child injury attorney to learn more about the compensation your family deserves if your child suffered serious injuries in an accident. An attorney may need to evaluate:
Who caused your child’s injuries? Many of the parties whose negligence leads to serious injuries may carry insurance policies that could help provide compensation in the event of a claim, including a Philadelphia child injury claim for a child’s injuries. That insurance policy may define how much compensation you could expect to receive, even if your child’s medical bills and other expenses exceed the amount offered. Drivers, for example, usually carry auto insurance that includes a bodily injury protection policy. That policy would pay out for the injuries your child has suffered if the driver caused the accident.
How much did your child’s medical bills cost? Your child may have substantial medical bills, especially after an accident that results in serious injuries. Not only could injuries like traumatic brain injury or spinal cord injury lead to substantial immediate medical expenses, but you may also find your family facing significant long-term medical expenses to help manage your child’s injuries. Many attorneys will advise waiting until your child has had time to recover and get a more complete idea of what the progression of recovery will look like before filing your Philadelphia child injury claim. You may not have a solid idea of what your child’s medical expenses will look like until six months or more after the accident.
You could include your child’s medical expenses as part of your Philadelphia child injury claim.
- Emergency medical treatment, including the ambulance ride
- Hospitalization
- Surgeries and procedures
- Durable medical equipment
- Therapy, including both physical and occupational therapy
- Psychological therapy, if needed
- An in-home caregiver for your child, if needed
Children often need to replace durable medical equipment more often than adults do. These can include wheelchairs and prosthetic devices. Not only do children often treat medical equipment more roughly, they grow out of it at a faster pace, which may require the family to replace the equipment more regularly than if an adult had suffered similar injuries
Insurance companies generally base the payment for pain and suffering off of a percentage of the medical expenses incurred after the accident. This may be a figure between 1.5 and 4 times the amount required for medical expenses for pain and suffering.
What other expenses did your family face due to your child’s injuries? The injury that a child suffers could place a substantial financial burden on the family, especially if the child has substantial ongoing medical care needs. For example, one parent may need to stop working to care for the child. You may need to modify your home to accommodate your child’s injuries and help make your child more independent. Talk to an attorney today to learn more about how those expenses may impact your Philadelphia child injury claim.