Rockville Child Injury Lawyer

For parents and legal guardians of minor children, there is no feeling worse than learning your child was hurt in an accident, especially one that could have been avoided but for the reckless or careless actions of an irresponsible adult. It can be understandably difficult after a shock like this to take stock of your legal options and determine which course of action would best protect both your child and your family as a whole.

You have a right to demand financial restitution for any physical injury someone else causes your child to sustain, and a Rockville child injury lawyer could help you enforce that right. Whether your case involves a minor accident with short-term repercussions or one with permanent and debilitating effects, you could rest assured after retaining a knowledgeable personal injury attorney that your family’s best interests are in dependable and capable hands.

Establishing Liability for Accidents that Injure Children

In many respects, proving someone else liable for the consequences of an accident they caused through their own negligence works the same way regardless of how old a person injured in that accident was at the time. Whether the plaintiff filing suit is an adult seeking restitution for their own damages or a parent or guardian filing on their kid’s behalf, their case success will generally hinge on their ability to show that their named defendant(s) directly caused the damages in question by violating a “duty of care.”

Importantly, though, the “duty” that adults owe to other adults is not always identical to the one they may owe to children. For example, if an adult gets hurt while trespassing on someone else’s land, the landowner generally does not have any obligation to protect that adult from hazards on their property and therefore would generally not be liable for ensuing injuries.

However, if a young child is drawn onto private property by an unsecured swimming pool, construction equipment, or some other “attractive nuisance,” the landowner may be liable for any harm that child sustains. A knowledgeable Rockville child injury attorney could provide further clarification about filing options in a particular situation during a private initial meeting.

Do Filing Deadlines Apply to Child Injury Claims?

Through comprehensive civil litigation, it is possible for a parent or guardian to demand restitution on their child’s behalf for both past and future consequences of another adult’s negligence, including:

  • Emergency medical bills
  • Personal property damage
  • Lost income by a parent or guardian taking care of their injured child
  • Lost future earning capacity for a child because of a permanent injury
  • Physical pain and suffering
  • Emotional and psychological trauma
  • Lost enjoyment/quality of life

Regardless of how comprehensive or long-lasting a child’s injuries will be, though, their parents or guardians still only have three years from the date of the child’s accident to start the litigation process, as per Maryland Code, Courts & Judicial Proceedings §5-101. This is notably a much shorter deadline that those in many other states, where the statutory filing period for child injury claims is often tolled until the child’s 18th birthday, so it is especially important for prospective plaintiffs in Rockville to seek help from a knowledgeable child injury lawyer sooner rather than later.

A Rockville Child Injury Attorney Could Help

Any accident that results in a minor getting hurt is invariably a tragedy, and unfortunately one that can make for uniquely complex civil litigation. If you want the best chances of preserving your child’s future prospects after an unimaginable incident like this, you should prioritize speaking with a legal professional who has achieved positive results in many similar cases before.

A seasoned Rockville child injury lawyer could be your steadfast ally from beginning to end of your fight for fair compensation. Call today to learn more.