Mercer County Child Injury Lawyer

It is not uncommon for children to hurt themselves as they age. Bumps, scrapes, and bruises are typically part of growing up. However, more serious injuries caused by the negligence of others may warrant legal action against liable parties.

If your child suffered an injury in an unfortunate accident caused by someone else’s careless actions, you need a Mercer County child injury lawyer on your side. Our diligent personal injury attorneys have extensive experience fighting for families and could work to get your child the compensation they deserve.

Common Injuries to Children in Mercer County

Unfortunately, when a child is injured, not only do they suffer physical harm, but they are often emotionally damaged as well. Some common ways that children are harmed by negligence include:

• Motor vehicle collisions
• Medical malpractice, including birth injuries
• Defective products
• Sexual molestation
• Child abuse or neglect
• Unsecured pools or trampolines
• Animal attacks
• Improper supervision at school or daycare

These preventable situations can cause a wide range of injuries to a child. Even the most minor injury can result in expensive medical care and unnecessary pain and suffering. A knowledgeable lawyer could assess how and why a child was harmed and hold the responsible parties accountable.

Determining Liability in Child Injury Cases

Every case is unique, but the law generally does not hold children liable for actions that caused their injuries. To prove that another person’s negligence harmed a child, a parent must demonstrate that the responsible party, like a daycare provider or toy manufacturer, had a duty of care to the child. Further, if that party was responsible for keeping the child safe, a parent must prove that they breached that duty, resulting in injury to the child.

In some cases, a situation presents such a danger to a child that a parent does not need to show whether another person was at fault for their child’s injuries. Unlike negligence, strict liability is a legal doctrine that holds a party responsible for their actions without a parent proving fault or intent. What matters is that the action occurred and the child was injured.

For example, when a person keeps a dangerous pet on their property, they might be strictly liable for any damage that animal causes to a child. The parent does not need to prove that the owner did not adequately contain the animal or know it was dangerous, just that the animal harmed their child.

Strict liability does not apply in every case, and a parent might still have to prove negligence to secure compensation for their child’s injuries. A Mercer County attorney experienced in child injury cases could assess whether to pursue negligence or strict liability based on the details of a particular case.

When to File a Claim for a Child Injury in Mercer County

In most personal injury cases, the deadline for filing a lawsuit, referred to as the statute of limitations, is two years from the accident’s date. However, because injured children cannot file a claim on their own behalf, the limitations period does not start to run out until they reach their 18th birthday.

This deadline extension is critical because it is often difficult to immediately determine how an accident has physically and emotionally impacted a child. By working with a trusted attorney, a family could be assured that their child’s injury claim is filed in a timely manner.

Reach out to a Mercer County Child Injury Attorney

Accidents can happen to active, playful children. However, when an accident could have been prevented, the responsible party must be held accountable for their actions.

A Mercer County child injury lawyer knows how to investigate and present a case on behalf of a child and their family. If someone else’s negligence has harmed your child, you can trust our legal team to fight for the monetary compensation that your family deserves.