Children are the most vulnerable among us. When they are injured by the negligence of others, it is especially difficult. If someone else’s negligence harmed your child, obtaining just compensation can make a serious difference in their recovery. You need skilled legal guidance from a dedicated personal injury attorney, and an experienced Santa Clarita child injury lawyer at Swift Justice, Inc. is here to help.
Children can be injured in virtually any kind of accident, and traffic accidents, slip and falls, and dog bites are common causes. There are also, however, certain locations that are closely associated with child injury claims. These include:
Children can also be harmed by dangerously defective consumer goods. Prime examples include toys, pajamas, and sports equipment. If a product is flawed in its design, manufacture, or warning labels and your child is injured as a result, you can seek compensation with the help of our legal team in Santa Clarita.
When children suffer injuries as a result of negligence, they are protected by the same personal injury laws that adults are. There is, however, an additional protection specific to children, which involves the statute of limitations, or the time frame for filing a lawsuit.
According to state law, an adult has only two years from the date of their injury-causing accident to file a lawsuit against the at-fault party. This is called the statute of limitations. However, when the victim is a child, the time restriction for filing a lawsuit is generally paused, or tolled, until the victim turns 18. Once they reach that age, the two-year statute of limitations generally begins.
While this affords you more time, it does not mean it is in your child’s best interest to wait. Evidence can deteriorate with the passage of time, memories can fade, and it can generally be more challenging to build a strong claim. One of the most important steps you can take if your child was harmed in Santa Clarita or the surrounding area by someone else’s negligence is consulting with a dedicated child injury attorney early on.
If your child is injured while in the schoolyard or attending a school-sponsored activity, the school could be held legally responsible. It is important to note, however, that applicable regulations are different for government entities such as public schools.
To begin with, school districts can be sued for the foreseeable harm that children suffer when employees in supervisory positions fail to protect them. Examples include protecting them from unsafe conditions or abuse.
The law that applies to lawsuits against governmental agencies is different. First, there is a strict six-month deadline from the injury date for filing your government claim. If the agency rejects your claim, you then typically have six months from the mailing date of the rejection letter to file a lawsuit against them. You should strongly consider hiring a skilled Santa Clarita lawyer to handle your claim of youth injury against public school districts.
To bring a legal injury claim that leads to just compensation for your child after their accident in Santa Clarita, you will need to prove that the other party had a responsibility to your child’s safety, which is legally called a duty of care. For example, motorists owe everyone on the road a duty of care.
The other party must have breached the duty of care they owed your child by engaging in negligent maintenance, unsafe driving, or similar unreasonable conduct. You must provide evidence that the other party’s negligence was the direct cause of the accident that injured your child, and that your child consequently experienced covered losses such as medical expenses and physical and emotional pain.
A compassionate Santa Clarita child injury lawyer at Swift Justice, Inc. can appreciate the unique legal issues and emotional challenges associated with claims involving children and will spare no effort on their behalf. Learn more by contacting us online or calling us today.