For parents, having a child get hurt is almost worse than getting hurt themselves. Parents can often have visceral, physical reactions to seeing their child injured and can suffer extreme anxiety and guilt, even if they aren’t the ones who technically caused the injury.
As if the pain of watching your child suffer after a car crash isn’t bad enough, you have to worry about the financial implications of your child’s injuries. Wounds from a motor vehicle collision that would be straightforward and simple in an adult could have life-altering consequences for a child.
Broken bones could lead to improper future development
A fracture or broken bone is a common injury suffered in car crashes. Most of the time, broken bones are easy to set and treat. However, children are at greater risk for secondary consequences from fractures than adults.
While children and teenagers are still growing, a fracture could lead to growth plate damage that might produce deformed or shorter limbs if not carefully mended and monitored by medical professionals. Children may require surgery, constant check-ups and more therapy after a broken bone when compared with adults who suffer a similar fracture.
Small scars can wind up as disfiguring reminders of the past
Small wounds often leave small scars, but those scars can stretch and potentially even darken instead of fading with time. For children with traumatic injuries, even minor facial wounds these days will often require the treatment of a pediatric reconstructive or plastic surgeon whose expertise is incredibly expensive.
Repeat treatment and surgery is sometimes necessary
Depending on the age of the child, the nature of the injury and other factors, it’s possible that a child injured in a car crash may need multiple medical treatments or even repeat surgeries to allow for total healing and rehabilitation where adults with the same injury may only require one procedure.
As if increased medical costs aren’t significant enough, there’s also the potential for lost wages when one parent must stay home to care for an injured child during their recovery. Your family should be careful in assessing the financial impact of a child’s injury while negotiating for compensation after a car crash to make certain you don’t overlook something expensive.
