What Should I Do If My Child Was in a Car Accident? - https://ow.ly/AHcr50P90x5

It’s never pleasant planning for your worst nightmare, but being prepared can make an instrumental difference when forced to act fast under pressure if one day you’re forced to tell emergency responders: “My child was in a car accident.”

Getting to Safety After a Car Accident With Children

While your initial parental instinct might be to check on your child, your first priority should be preventing a secondary crash. After a fender bender, safely pull the car to the side of the road. Staying in the middle of busy lanes (or near turns) greatly increases your risk of being hit again. For severe accidents, call 911 and follow their instructions while you wait for police and EMTs to arrive.

Once in a safer position, you can check on your child. However, most experts suggest waiting on EMTs to pick up or move a child in a car seat. This is arguably the hardest piece of advice for parents, but improperly moving a child can worsen any and all injuries.

Children and Toddlers in Car Accidents Are More Susceptible to Certain Injuries

While you wait for the EMTs, carefully monitor your child for injury symptoms including heavy or abnormal breathing, bleeding from the mouth or nose, and abnormal speech.

After your child receives care from an emergency room doctor, request all medical records be sent to your pediatrician. These documents will be important information should any injuries develop later on, as well as for overall health monitoring. Give the pediatrician a few days to review the information and schedule a follow-up appointment to ensure there’s no delayed onset of injuries.

If your child does not see an ER doctor, schedule the earliest available appointment with your pediatrician. Explain the crash circumstances and any differing behavior you’ve noticed since the crash. Follow the pediatrician’s instructions from there.

Motor Vehicle Child Injuries and Symptoms to Watch for After a Car Crash

If you have been involved in a car accident, even one that seems minor on the surface, you need to be aware that injures might have occurred and yet will not exhibit symptoms for some time. You must seek a medical evaluation after a car accident if you think you or your children are experiencing any symptoms of injury, as there are some serious types of car accident injuries that may not exhibit symptoms until a period of time lapses. The same should be noted for any children or toddlers in car accidents.

Do Not Minimize Headaches

If you (or any of your children) develop a headache two or three days after a car accident, you need to consider it a warning sign that you have been injured. A headache that develops after a couple of days passes from the occurrence of a car accident can be a sign of concussion, another type of head injury, neck injury (including whiplash), or even a blood clot.
Back Pain, Abdominal Swelling, Bloating, or Pain
Alterations in Physical Function & Personality, or Emotions are also some symptoms to look for.

Do I Need to Replace My Child’s Car Seat After an Accident?

If a crash has the power to bend a car’s steel frame, it certainly has potential to damage a plastic car seat. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends replacing car seats and boosters after a moderate and severe accident, while seats after minor accidents should be inspected on a case-by-case basis.

Seats should be replaced even if your child was not in the seat at the time of the accident. Parents should follow the manufacturer’s instructions for further advice on replacements. If you no longer have the instructions, visit the company’s website for a downloadable version or call customer service.

What Should I Do if My Child Was in a Car Accident and I Can’t Afford a New Car Seat?

While you’ll likely have to front the costs of a new seat, many insurance companies will reimburse the full price with proof of purchase.

When to Pursue a Car Accident Settlement for a Child
In general, insurance companies are unlikely to provide more than the minimum amount of compensation for any given claim, and some companies won’t even cover the cost of a new car seat. This is why it’s important to consider the merits of a lawyer vs. insurance company when seeking compensation for the injuries suffered by you or your loved ones. The personal injury attorneys at Avrek Law have more than 50 years of combined experience recovering the maximum amount of compensation for injury victims and their families. With more than $1 billion recovered for clients, we’re here to help – contact us today for a free personal injury consultation!

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