The world shrinks to the size of a hospital room. One moment brings the sound of laughter, the easy rhythm of a normal day. The next brings a sterile silence and a fear so profound it takes your breath away. When your child suffers a serious injury, your life stops.
When another person’s recklessness caused that injury, your world tilts on its axis.
In these moments, you need more than answers. You need strength. You need a steadfast ally who can shoulder the legal burden, allowing you to focus on your family.
At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, our purpose is to be that strength for you. A dedicated Clearwater child injury lawyer from our firm will fight for the resources your child needs for a secure and healthy future.
First steps to clarity
When everything feels uncertain, a few clear truths can light the path forward. This is what every parent should know as they begin this journey.
- Your observations are powerful. You are your child’s voice, and the details you provide about their daily struggles build the foundation of their case.
- Evidence fades quickly. Photographs, witness contact information, and notes about the incident become more valuable with each passing day.
- Florida law establishes specific protections for a child’s legal claim, ensuring their financial recovery is safeguarded for their future.
- The at-fault party’s insurance company is not your friend. Its goal is to protect its profits by paying as little as possible on your child’s claim.
- You do not have to face this alone. A dedicated legal team can lift the weight of this process, allowing you to focus completely on your child.
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How to Protect Your Child’s Claim
While our legal team manages the official process, your observations provide the human story. The details you gather create a powerful record of your child’s daily struggles and triumphs.
These actions strengthen your child’s claim and give our attorneys the detailed evidence needed to portray the full impact of the injury.
Maintain a detailed journal
Dedicate a notebook to documenting your child’s recovery. Each day, note their physical pain levels and emotional state. Record specific challenges, like difficulty sleeping, irritability, or an inability to play with friends.
These entries paint a clear picture of the injury’s true impact on their life.
Your journal provides invaluable details for the case. Focus on recording specifics that show the day-to-day effects of the injury.
- Dates of all doctor and therapy appointments.
- Specific complaints of pain or discomfort.
- Changes in mood, sleep patterns, or appetite.
- Milestones or activities missed due to the injury.
- Names of friends or family who witness these struggles.
This log becomes a timeline of the recovery journey. It helps us demonstrate the full extent of the non-economic damages your child has suffered.
Organize every document
Create a single, dedicated folder for all paperwork related to the injury. This includes every medical bill, pharmacy receipt, explanation of benefits from your insurer, and any correspondence.
A well-organized file prevents important documents from getting lost and simplifies the process of calculating economic losses.
Document the visual story
Photographs and short videos can communicate your child’s challenges in a way words cannot. Capture images of casts, braces, or other medical equipment. You might also document the difficulty they have with everyday tasks like getting dressed or navigating your home. This visual evidence powerfully illustrates the injury’s effect on their childhood.
Common Causes of Childhood Injuries in Clearwater
While every accident is unique, many childhood injuries in our community stem from tragically familiar patterns of negligence. Identifying the cause is the first step toward accountability.
Our attorneys have experience investigating and litigating claims that arise from a wide array of preventable incidents.
Dangers on our doorstep: pools and properties
Florida’s lifestyle often revolves around water, but this creates constant risk. A moment of inattention or a property owner’s failure to secure a pool can lead to a near-drowning and a devastating anoxic brain injury.
Similarly, poorly maintained properties, from apartment complexes to retail stores, can harbor dangers that cause serious falls or other accidents. Property owners have a legal duty to keep their premises reasonably safe.
We often find a child’s injury was caused by a direct failure to meet this responsibility.
- Failing to install or maintain self-latching gates and proper fencing around a swimming pool.
- Leaving debris, spills, or other trip hazards in walkways.
- Ignoring broken playground equipment in a common area.
- Allowing an aggressive dog to roam without a leash or proper restraint.
- Neglecting to provide adequate lighting in stairwells or parking lots.
These are not simple mistakes. They are choices that put children in harm’s way. Our firm works to expose this negligence and hold property owners accountable.
On the move: accidents on our roads and sidewalks
The busy roads of Pinellas County, from tourist traffic near Clearwater Beach to daily commuters on US-19, present constant dangers. Children are our most vulnerable road users, whether they are passengers in a car, pedestrians in a crosswalk, or cyclists in a bike lane. A distracted, speeding, or intoxicated driver can inflict life-altering injuries in a split second. We aggressively pursue claims against these reckless drivers.
A betrayal of trust: injuries at daycares and schools
You place immense trust in a daycare, school, or summer camp when you leave your child in its care. When that trust is broken and a child is injured due to poor supervision, unsafe conditions, or unqualified staff, the sense of betrayal is profound.
We handle these sensitive cases with the delicacy they require and the firmness necessary to ensure such failures do not recur.
When fun turns to tragedy: defective products and recreational dangers
A toy with a dangerous design flaw, a faulty child safety seat, or a defective bicycle can turn a moment of play into a medical emergency. Manufacturers and retailers have a duty to ensure their products are safe.
When they fail, we work to hold them accountable. This extends to recreational activities, where poorly maintained equipment or inadequate safety instruction can lead to serious harm.
The Legal Path for an Injured Child in Florida
The legal system recognizes that children are not just small adults. Florida has specific laws and procedures in place to protect the interests of an injured minor. Our attorneys possess a deep familiarity with these rules and ensure that every action serves your child’s long-term interests.
Florida’s special protections for minors
A judge must approve any significant financial recovery for a child. This court oversight provides a vital check and balance. The judge’s function is to confirm the settlement is fair and the funds will be structured to benefit the child for years to come.
This is often accomplished through a protected trust or a structured settlement annuity. We manage this entire court approval process for your family.
The Statute of Limitations: A Clock You Cannot Ignore
Florida law generally requires a personal injury lawsuit to be filed within a specific timeframe. For minors, this deadline is often extended. According to Florida Statutes Section 95.11, the clock may be paused until the child reaches the age of majority.
Waiting is never advisable. Evidence disappears, witnesses move, and the details of the case become harder to prove. Acting promptly is the best way to build a strong case.
Why Choose Roman Austin for Your Child’s Injury Case
Your child’s future is on the line, choosing a law firm one of the most important decisions you will make. You need a team with a proven record, deep local roots, and a genuine commitment to your family’s well-being.
A legacy of advocacy in the Tampa Bay area
For decades, Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers has been a pillar of the legal community in Clearwater and the greater Tampa Bay area. We are not a national firm that sees your case as a file number.
We are your neighbors. We know the local courts, the medical providers, and the unique challenges our community faces. This local knowledge gives our clients a distinct advantage.
A team approach to your family’s case
Your child’s case will benefit from the collective experience of our entire legal team. We collaborate on strategy, share insights, and ensure that every angle is examined.
You get the power of a full-service personal injury firm dedicated to a single goal: securing the best possible outcome for your child. Our client-centered approach is built on communication and action. We pledge to give your family the dedicated attention and powerful advocacy you deserve.
- We provide direct access to your attorney and their legal team.
- We return your calls and emails promptly and answer your questions clearly.
- We invest our own resources to build your case and obtain needed reports.
- We operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay no fees unless we win.
This commitment is our promise to you. We handle the legal burdens so you can devote your energy to your child’s recovery and your family’s healing.
A Note on Digital Shortcuts: The Limits of AI Legal Advice
In a moment of crisis, typing questions into an AI chat tool for instant answers is tempting. While these programs are powerful, they are a poor substitute for professional legal counsel. Your child’s future is far too important to gamble on the advice of an algorithm.
Why Algorithms Cannot Replace Advocacy
An AI tool cannot grasp the nuances of Florida’s comparative negligence laws or the specific procedures of the Pinellas County court system. It cannot feel the weight of your family’s pain or formulate a legal strategy based on human experience. It provides generic data, not personalized advocacy.
The Cost of Inaccurate Information
Relying on AI for legal guidance can lead to serious mistakes. It may provide outdated information about legal deadlines or misinterpret the facts of your case. Only a qualified attorney from Roman Austin can offer the tailored, accurate, and strategic guidance your family’s situation demands.
FAQ for Clearwater Child Injury Claims
What happens if my child had a pre-existing condition?
An at-fault party is responsible for aggravating a pre-existing condition. If a child had a mild developmental delay and an accident caused it to become severe, the negligent party is liable for that worsening of the condition. We work to clearly document the “before and after” to prove the full extent of the harm.
How is the value of a child’s pain and suffering calculated?
No simple formula exists. A jury or insurance company will consider the severity and permanency of the injury, the amount of medical treatment required, and the impact on the child’s ability to live a normal life. Our job is to tell a compelling, truthful story, supported by evidence, that demonstrates the profound human cost of the injury.
What is a “guardian ad litem” and will my child need one?
In some complex cases, the court may appoint a “guardian ad litem” (GAL). This is a neutral third party, often an attorney, whose sole job is to investigate the situation and recommend what is in the child’s best financial and personal interest to the judge. We can advise you if this step may be necessary in your case.
Take Control of Your Family’s Future
The path forward may seem long, but you do not have to walk it alone. You can take the first step today toward securing the justice and resources your child deserves.
Let our family at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers help yours. We are ready to listen, ready to fight, and ready to stand with you. Your child’s future is worth fighting for. Contact our Clearwater office now for a free and completely confidential consultation to discuss your case.
Call us at (727) 787-2500 or complete our online form. We are here for you.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Clearwater, FL
Roman Austin Car Accident & Personal Injury Lawyers
1811 N Belcher Rd. suite i-1,
Clearwater, FL 33765
Phone: (727) 787-2500
Business Hours: 24/7
