St. Petersburg Child Injury Lawyer
Was your child injured because of an adult’s actions in St. Petersburg, FL? Our team at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers is here to protect your legal rights. Contact us today to learn how an experienced St. Petersburg child injury lawyer can help your family recover money for medical expenses, rehabilitation, in-home assistance, and your child’s pain and trauma.
We have over 50 years of combined experience helping families like yours secure the fair compensation they deserve. When you hire us, you benefit from a team that has already recovered over $120 million in settlements and verdicts.
You deserve to focus on your child’s well-being right now. Fortunately, you don’t have to deal with the insurance company on your own. Contact our law offices in St. Petersburg, Florida, at (727) 787-2500 to learn more about how we can help. We offer a free initial consultation.
Why Call Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for Legal Help If My Child Was Injured in St. Petersburg, FL?
A childhood injury can have significant consequences. Your child might suffer extreme pain, have limited future opportunities, and leave your family struggling with sky-high costs.
At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, our St. Petersburg personal injury attorneys are skilled and experienced advocates. Our attorneys face off against powerful insurance companies and aggressive defense teams every day. We’re known for winning when it matters most.
Our lawyers can help you by:
- Handling the paperwork and procedural issues
- Assessing the details and determining the best course for recovering compensation
- Determining who is legally required to pay your damages
- Conducting a thorough investigation to locate all evidence
- Working with leading experts who can help us understand how the injury will change your child’s life
- Negotiating for a full settlement
- Filing a lawsuit and fighting for you in court if the other side refuses a fair settlement
It’s never too early to learn about your legal rights. Contact our St. Petersburg personal injury lawyers to schedule a free consultation today.
How Common Are Accidents Involving Children?
Motor vehicle accidents are, unfortunately, a common cause of child injuries. According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration research, 162,298 children were injured in traffic accidents nationwide in a recent year. About three percent of all fatal car accident victims were children under the age of 14.
Of course, car accidents aren’t the only way children sustain injuries. Children under the age of nine are also at the greatest risk of suffering dog bite injuries.
Every year, about 211,000 children visit emergency rooms with playground accident injuries.
How Much Is My St. Petersburg Child Injury Case Worth?
When you hire our team, we’ll diligently evaluate all factors that are relevant to your case value, including:
- The severity of the injuries and your child’s prognosis for a full recovery
- Your expenses, including the cost of medical treatment, rehabilitation, specialized therapy, in-home assistance, and future medical needs
- Whether any long-term disability is expected to impact your child’s future earnings, opportunities, and quality of life
- The impact on your child’s educational prospects
- How the injury has affected your family as a whole
- How the trauma of the accident and injury has impacted your child
- The identity of the at-fault parties and the nature of their actions
It’s important to identify the unique ways in which your child’s life has changed due to their injuries. Our lawyers have the resources to conduct an exhaustive evaluation. We’ll work closely with your family, doctors, and experts in various fields who can help us put a dollar value on your current and future losses.
What Kinds of Damages Are Available If My Child Was Injured in St. Petersburg, Florida?
Florida personal injury laws allow victims to seek compensation for any loss they suffer due to someone else’s negligent, reckless, or intentional acts. In other words, your family can pursue compensation for economic damages and non-economic damages.
Examples of your economic damages may include:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Reduced earning potential
- Physical therapy
- Rehabilitation
- Special education needs
- Childcare expenses and in-home assistance
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket expenses
Your non-economic losses can also make up a large part of your settlement or verdict and often include:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional trauma
- Anxiety disorders
- Embarrassment
- Loss of a normal, healthy childhood
- Diminished quality of life
- Physical disfigurement and scarring
If there’s proof that your child was injured due to intentional wrongdoing or a knowing disregard for their safety, our lawyers will also pursue punitive damages. Punitive damages are rare because they don’t compensate victims for specific losses. Instead, they’re meant to punish defendants for shocking, unacceptable behavior.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer in Florida?
Like most personal injury firms, our team at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers works on a contingency fee basis. We know you may be under significant financial stress right now. We only get paid if we secure compensation in your case. When we do, we take a set percentage of your settlement or verdict.
Common Childhood Injuries
Children are vulnerable to all types of injuries. It’s important to remember that even if your child does make a successful recovery, the effects of an injury can haunt them for years. Depending on the circumstances, some injuries have the potential to fundamentally change the course of their lives.
Some examples of injuries children sustain include:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Concussions
- Dislocations
- Shoulder injuries
- Soft tissue damage
- Head and neck injuries
- Whiplash injuries
- Internal bleeding
- Organ damage
- Burns
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a child
Contact us today if your child was injured due to someone else’s negligence. Our St. Petersburg child injury attorneys have the skills to help you get the money your family deserves.
What Are the Most Common Causes of Childhood Injuries in St. Petersburg?
Children sustain injuries in all different ways.
Some of the most common scenarios involve:
- Car accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Negligent supervision
- Sports accidents
- Pedestrian accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Poorly maintained premises or dangerous property conditions
- School bus accidents
- Boating accidents
- Swimming pool accidents
- Playground accidents
- Dog bites
- Assault
- Sexual assault
- Defective products, including defective car seats, toys, furniture, etc.
- Medical malpractice
- Birth injuries
- Bullying
Regardless of the cause, our lawyers are here to help you pursue justice. Get in touch with our lawyers in St. Petersburg today to learn more about our team.
Who Could Be Liable for My Child’s Injuries in St. Petersburg?
Anyone who contributed to the cause of your child’s injuries can be found legally responsible for your damages.
That includes:
- Teachers, aides, coaches, and school administrators
- Negligent drivers, including school bus drivers
- Daycare operators
- Summer camps
- Business and property owners
- Manufacturers of defective products
- Dog owners
- Members of the clergy
- Government agencies responsible for maintaining public parks and spaces
Our lawyers are experienced in all areas of personal injury law. We’re prepared to help you hold all responsible parties fully accountable for your family’s losses.
How Do I Prove That My Family Deserves Compensation If My Child Was Injured in Florida?
Most child injury cases are based on negligence.
While different types of claims require proof of different elements, the following are the basic elements of a negligence claim:
- Duty of care: all people have a legal duty to exercise reasonable caution to keep others safe
- Breach of duty: the defendant failed to fulfill their duty of care, whether by failing to properly supervise your child, ignoring traffic laws, failing to maintain their property in a safe condition, etc.
- Causation: the defendant’s breach of duty directly caused your child’s injuries
- Damages: the victim must show that they suffered specific damages
You’ll need evidence to support each element of your case. For example, medical records and expert testimony can be critical to establishing the damages you’ve suffered. Accident reports, video footage, and physical evidence from an accident scene can be key evidence when proving the causation and breach elements.
How Long Do I Have to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit After an Accident in Florida?
The statute of limitations for Florida personal injury cases is two years (with some exceptions). When adults suffer injuries, they have two years from the date of an accident to file a lawsuit. As a parent, you also have two years from the date of the injury to take legal action on behalf of your child.
However, you’re not obligated to sue on your child’s behalf. If you choose not to take legal action, your child has two years from the date they turn 18 to sue for damages.
Contact a St. Petersburg Child Injury Lawyer for a Free Case Review Today
Did your child suffer injuries because of an adult’s actions? Do you have questions about your legal options? Contact an experienced St. Petersburg child injury attorney at Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers today. We offer free case reviews, so there’s no reason not to reach out for legal advice