Filing a Personal Injury Claim on Your Child’s Behalf

A personal injury lawyer can help you with the claim process if your child was severely injured by an individual or corporate entity through carelessness or negligence. Our legal team has helped many people get the compensation they deserve for their family member who was injured through no fault of their own. Call us today to find out more about how we might be able to help you as well. Do not delay because there is a statute of limitations after which a claim cannot be filed.

Eligibility to File a Personal Injury Claim

Not every parent can file a claim on behalf of their child. A personal injury lawyer can review your case to determine if you qualify for seeking compensation for their damages. Generally speaking, you cannot move forward with a claim if any of the following are true:

•  Your child is an adult and is mentally competent. (They will have to file the claim on their own.)
•  Your child is a minor but you are not a legally recognized parent of the child. (The legal guardian or parent will have to file the claim.)
•  Your child is an adult but is not mentally competent, however, they have a spouse who is mentally competent. (The spouse will have to file the claim.)

Statute of Limitations

As mentioned, law requires that a personal injury claim must be filed within a certain period of time after the victim sustains their injury. There are exceptions to this rule, however. To find out by when you must file the claim, contact a personal injury lawyer. In the event you need legal advice, do not hesitate to contact a personal injury lawyer Harrisonburg VA relies on to assist you.

Common Personal Injury Accidents

Sadly, accidents that result in serious injuries of children are all too common. Because they are not planned, a serious accident can be terrifying for the parent as well as the child. Not knowing how the child’s health may be affected for the short or long term adds to the stress. In addition, the pain of the injury may not eliminated, even with medications. The following examples are common instances but if your child’s accident is not on this list, contact our office regardless:

•         Dog or cat bite
•         Defective toy that malfunctions and causes an injury
•         Hazardous flooring or walkway that causes your child to slip and fall
•         Negligent or hazardous driver that causes a car accident in which your child is injured
•         Food poisoning

When You Need a Personal Injury Lawyer

To protect your child’s best interests and to pay for the level of medical care they deserve, you may want to consider filing a personal injury claim against the party responsible for their injury. Call our office today to schedule a no-cost consultation with a personal injury lawyer you can count on to fight for your family.

Thank you to MartinWren, P.C for providing their insight and authoring this piece on personal injury.