Newport Beach Child Injury Lawyer

Children are just as susceptible to injury as adults, including harm inflicted in an injury accident. Unlike adults, though, children who suffer severe injuries early in life may experience developmental delays and life-altering disabilities. These may prevent the child from ever living independently, complete formal schooling, or hold a job.

The costs associated with an injury to a child are significant. Parents of an injured child may find it helpful to enlist the help of a Newport Beach child injury lawyer. Parents of children who suffered harm through another’s careless or thoughtless acts may have the ability to file a civil lawsuit against the negligent defendant who harmed their child. Reach out to an attorney today.

Obligations to Children and Their Safety

Adults generally owe no greater legal obligation to other adults than to not unreasonably or carelessly cause them injury. In the case of children, however, there may be adults who owe a more significant and more affirmative duty to children. Not only must adults like teachers, coaches, and babysitters not injure children themselves through careless conduct, but they must also take reasonable steps to safeguard children under their care from harm.

Individuals violate these duties when they engage in unreasonable conduct or fail to take prudent action toward children. What is “reasonable” or “advisable” in a circumstance depends on several factors, such as:

• The age and physical condition of the adult
• The relationship between the adult and the child
• The child’s age and vulnerability
• The nature of the risk or hazard that threatens the child’s safety
• The resources of the adult
• The foreseeability of harm to the child

When a child is injured and an adult’s actions or inaction may be to blame, parents of the injured child must determine whether another that adult violated their legal obligations toward the child. A Newport Beach child injury attorney with experience handling these types of situations could help parents make these determinations and explore their legal options, including the right to compensation.

Compensable Losses in a Child Injury Lawsuit

Where an adult has violated their legal obligations and a child suffers harm, the parents of that child may be entitled to pursue a claim for compensation. Parents may recover compensation for their child’s immediate and future needs, which could include:

• The cost of medical bills, procedures, treatments, and surgeries
• Pay or earnings the child may have earned but cannot due to their injuries
• Lost wages the parents experience due to having to care for their child and miss work
• Experiencing physical trauma and mental distress because of the child’s injuries

Beyond these compensatory damages, plaintiffs in a child injury lawsuit filed in Newport Beach may also be able to pursue punitive damages. These damages are available when the child’s injuries are caused not by neglect or carelessness but by extremely shocking or grossly negligent conduct. If awarded, punitive damages go above and beyond any compensatory damages the parents of the child receive.

A knowledgeable attorney may help parents know whether punitive damages are available and what other compensatory damages they might be able to pursue.

How a Newport Beach Child Injury Attorney Could Help

An experienced Newport Beach child injury lawyer may provide invaluable help parents in the aftermath of an injury to their child. An attorney may assist these parents in determining whether they may file a claim on behalf of their child and in pursuing compensation that they and their child may need. Reach out to a dedicated professional today for a confidential consultation.