Fort Lauderdale Child Injury Lawyer

When raising a child, you have to put them in the hands of other people for childcare, school, activities, transportation, and other purposes. If your child got hurt because of someone else’s negligence, you may be able to seek damages from the at-fault party for the harm to your child.

A severe injury during childhood could impair the child’s physical development, lead to learning disabilities, and cause other long-term problems. Child injury cases are more complex because of pediatric developmental issues. A Fort Lauderdale child injury lawyer from our firm could handle your claim and seek compensation for the harm your child suffered.

Recoverable Damages in Fort Lauderdale Child Injury Lawsuits

Every child injury case is different, so we cannot state the settlement or court award a person could pursue until we talk to you and investigate the claim. The amount of compensation you could collect will depend on the unique facts of your situation.

Here are some of the more common types of recoverable damages in child injury cases:

Past Medical Bills

This category can include things like ambulance and emergency care costs, doctors’ visits, surgery, physical therapy, and prescription drugs. Florida law typically allows one to recover the reasonable cost of the medical treatment needed for the injuries.

Future Medical Bills

This is where we would provide a reasonable projection of the cost of medical care your child will need in the future. For example, your child might need additional surgeries as he grows toward his full height and weight.

Lost Wages

Most children do not have a claim for lost wages; however, some teenagers do work while attending school or during summers and school breaks. We would have to prove the amount of income the child was unable to earn because of the injury.

Pain and Suffering

This category addresses the physical discomfort and emotional distress your child endured because of getting hurt by someone else. It is not enough to merely have the medical bills paid. Your child suffered, and that should mean something.

Other Intangible Losses

Your child might have additional grounds for compensation because of losses that are hard to quantify. Children can experience things like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), fear of dogs, depression, anxiety, and night terrors after a significant traumatic experience.

If a child has a long-term impairment like paralysis because of a catastrophic injury, he could have a loss of enjoyment of life. We know how to calculate intangible damages.

Future Developmental Issues

Your child might face long-term issues that would not happen with another adult. If an injury involves a growth plate, head injury, or other pediatric concerns, your child might qualify for damages for future complications or impairments.

How Much It Costs to Hire Our Firm

There will be no upfront fees when you have us handle your child injury lawsuit. We even pay the out-of-pocket expenses like court costs. We wait until the end of the case to collect our payment.

We get paid a percentage of the settlement or jury award. If you don’t get compensated, we don’t get paid.

Common Causes of Child Injuries

Children will get scrapes and scratches from time to time with ordinary play and activities. It is not acceptable, however, if someone else’s negligence harms your child. These are some of the common ways that children get hurt due to the carelessness of others:

• Dog bites
• Car accidents
• Injuries at school or daycare
• Attractive nuisances
• Child abuse
• Negligent supervision

In most situations, we will have to prove that the defendant had a duty to your child, breached that duty, caused the injury through negligence, and that measurable damages resulted. The duty of care will depend on the circumstances.

For example, when your child is at a daycare center, the workers have a higher standard of responsibility toward your child than a random stranger on the sidewalk would have.

How Much Time You Have to File a Child Injury Lawsuit in Florida

If you wish to file a lawsuit against the person who harmed your child through negligence, Florida law usually gives you two years to do so, in Florida Statutes § 95.11(3)(a). If your child does not survive the injury, Florida Statutes § 95.11(4)(d) states that you must file the lawsuit within two years.

Florida law does not allow people under the age of 18 to file their own lawsuits. If you decide not to file a lawsuit against the negligent party for your child’s injuries, your child will have the option to take legal action against the defendant soon after turning 18.

What You Should Do After Your Child Gets Hurt Due to Someone Else’s Carelessness

You want to ensure that your child receives prompt medical attention for their injuries. Be sure to follow through on all the prescribed treatment. If you don’t, the defendant may allege that you worsened your child’s condition. Defendants often use this excuse to try to pay people less money for the harm they caused.

Soon after the accident, you should speak with a child injury lawyer about handling your claim. When you are focused on taking care of your child, it is easy to make mistakes like missing a filing deadline. If that happens, Florida law could forever bar you from holding the at-fault party accountable for what happened to your child.

Reasons to Work with Our Child Injury Attorney in Broward County

When your child has a severe injury, you want to avoid dealing with a claims adjuster and negotiating for a fair settlement from the at-fault party. Your family has dealt with enough. It is important that you spend time comforting and taking care of your child right now.

A Fort Lauderdale child injury lawyer at Chalik & Chalik Injury Lawyers can fight your legal battles for you. At our firm, you work with the partners directly, not an associate. Call us today at (954) 476-1000 for a free, no-obligation case consultation. Find out why our clients rave about our compassionate, honest representation.