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Children’s bodies are growing and vulnerable, but their risk-taking nature means they often suffer various injuries. While we expect children to occasionally get hurt, some instances are preventable and caused by an adult’s negligence. If your child was hurt because a teacher was not watching them or a neighbor left their pool unattended, you might wonder what you can and should do next. Taking legal action can help you seek justice for what your child experienced and obtain the compensation you and your family deserve.
Children should be free to enjoy their youth rather than spend time suffering because of someone else’s mistakes. A Harrisburg child injury lawyer provides vital services, such as negotiating a fair settlement and fighting for your child’s rights in court. An experienced legal professional from Lowenthal & Abrams, Injury Attorneys can serve as your family’s legal advocate.
How to Bring a Claim Against Someone for a Child’s Injuries
Children can get hurt in many of the same ways as adults, such as walking across the street, climbing stairs, or swimming in a pool. Like in standard personal injury claims, Pennsylvania law enables parents to pursue compensation from negligent neighbors, businesses, or individuals if they harm a child. To achieve this compensation, parents and caregivers representing an injured child must prove four key elements of negligence.
First, parents must demonstrate that someone breached their duty of care, meaning the person or business failed in their responsibility to do or refrain from doing something to protect a child’s wellbeing. The parent must also establish a causal link between the at-fault party’s breach of duty and the child’s injury. Finally, the caregiver must prove the damages the child suffered because of their injury, such as a broken arm requiring expensive doctor’s visits.
Parents of injured children have a lot on their plates, which may make taking on a legal claim seem overwhelming. A dedicated lawyer understands the requirements for pursuing a child injury claim in Harrisburg and can handle this logistical work on the family’s behalf.
Time Limits for Pursuing Legal Action Over a Child Injury
Pennsylvania law typically requires injury victims to press charges against someone who harmed them within two years after the accident. Fortunately, injured children and their families have more time to file a lawsuit. Under Pennsylvania law, this two-year time restriction does not start until the child turns 18.
The statute of limitations in a given case depends on the type of claim the person is bringing. For example, most personal injury cases have a two-year time limit, but someone bringing a claim against the government may have less time. Missing the appropriate deadline means courts will bar the family from ever receiving compensation for that incident. The most effective way to prevent this outcome is to speak with an experienced Harrisburg child injury attorney.
Call a Harrisburg Child Injury Attorney for Help
Childhood is a precious time in your life, and no child should go through their youth overcome with physical pain or discomfort. If a school, business, hospital or negligent adult causes your child to suffer harm, you may be able to recoup your losses and hold the negligent party accountable for the disruption they caused to your child’s life.
A Harrisburg child injury lawyer at Lowenthal & Abrams, Injury Attorneys can help you get the compensation your family needs to move forward. Our legal team understands the frustration families experience when someone needlessly harms a child. To find out how we can help, call today.
