Car accidents are one of the leading causes of death for children. The dangers of car accidents can be mitigated by the proper use of car seats for infants and toddlers. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this can reduce the risk of death by 71% in infants and by 51% in toddlers.
There are many ways that children can be affected by a car accident, even if they were not seriously injured. If a child was negatively affected by a car accident in any way, it may be possible to file a personal injury claim in Iowa to seek damages. The following are five ways that children can be affected by car accidents.
Injured by airbags
Airbags are designed to save lives. This means that they inflate at a high force, and this can cause bruising and minor injuries even to adults. However, smaller children may sustain more serious injuries due to being impacted by the force of an inflating airbag.
Injured by broken glass
It’s common for windows to break even in relatively minor accidents. The glass itself can create danger for children, especially if it pierces the skin at key pressure points. Glass could cause heavy bleeding and could lead the child to need to seek emergency medical attention.
Head injuries
Head injuries have been noted as the most common type of trauma associated with car accidents involving children. Head injuries can range from minor concussions to severe traumatic brain injuries.
Psychological injuries
A car crash is undoubtedly an extremely stressful experience for anyone, but it can be especially traumatic for young children. The event itself and the ongoing medical treatment in the aftermath could lead to mental health issues for children of any age.
Facial scars
Scarring from injuries caused in a car accident may be due to minor injuries, but they could last a lifetime. This could affect a child’s self-esteem as they grow older, and the damages gained should compensate for the psychological costs of an injury.
If your child was involved in a car accident, you should take a methodic approach to evaluate the full extent of damages. By doing so, you will be able to maximize the compensation you can gain. Contact Ball, Kirk & Holm today to get started.