
When children are involved in vehicle accidents, whether your own or somebody else’s, it can become a calamity! Roughly 19,000 children will be involved in auto accidents in America and almost 16% of them will not live. Imagine the injuries to those many more (128,000) darlings who do survive.
Injuries to children are often more severe than what adults endure, and at the immediate scene of the accident, they may go undetected.
Be on the lookout for glass injuries, especially to the face and eyes. Look for injuries to the chest caused by the restraint system webbing or structure.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Did the child suffer impact from the side window, roof, or airbag of the vehicle?
- Have you checked for head and neck injuries, even if the vehicle impact seemed light?
- Are the child’s extremities okay?
- Have you considered the potential trauma—both immediate and long-term—that may psychologically affect your child?
Little people are fraught with obstacles and injuries during accidents that adults often fail to consider.
Flying Objects:
Check the back seats of most vehicles with children riding in them and you’ll spot a wide array of things like sippy cups, toys, ipods, tablets, and phones. All becoming high speed flying missiles that target children during impact. Keep backseat clutter to a minimum. Secure objects in drink holders and seat and side pockets. And certainly, never store items on the shelf of your back window.
Incorrectly installed infant and car seats:
Be sure you family is not a statistic:
- 43% of children who died in crashes were improperly restrained or not restrained at all.
- 70% of the time, new parents make errors in both installing infant seats and in positioning the child in them.
Chest clips should be level with the infant’s armpits.
Tug it vigorously and from every direction to be sure it’s secure, especially up and forward in an angle toward the front of the car to where the headliner meets the windshield.
Nevada NRS484B.157 requires children less than 6 years of age and weighing 60 pounds or less to be secured in a child restraint system while being transported in a motor vehicle. Make sure you’re compliant and that those in other vehicles were as well. It can be vital information for your Paul Powell Law Firm attorney.
School Bus Accidents:
130,000 children ride Clark County School Buses every day. The unfortunate record for the number of accidents involving Clark County School Buses is 551, set in 2010-2011. Year 2017 was on pace to beat it. As you no doubt suspect, school bus accidents are extremely dangerous, as seat belts are not currently required. Child passengers are normally preoccupied and unaware of the incident as it is occurring, so there may be virtually no preparation for impact. When injuries do occur, there are often multiple people harmed.
When children are involved in an accident, take no chances! Take your questions to The Paul Powell Law Firm and get answers. And remember: Paul Powell will NEVER take more money than you after your case settles. We put it in writing. We believe injury victims deserve a voice for what is right and fair. More Lawyer. Less Fee.