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theview
May 2014
Children and Injury Lawsuits
By David Peel
As an injury
attorney, I see kids
hit
by
cars,
accidentally shot,
injured at daycares,
bitten by vicious
dogs,
and
hospitalized due to
car wrecks. Unable to make a
legal claim, a parent or
guardian can sue on behalf of
the child under 18. Here are
some tips to keep your kids
safe:
Street safety: Take an
orange, ketchup bottle or
small toy and have the car
tire slowly crush and explode
the item to show the danger.
Don’t “look both ways,”
instead teach them
look both ways
TWICE.
“If in
doubt, wait it out.”
Accidental shootings:
Teach that there is no
such thing as an
unloaded gun. Let
them see a gun fired at night
so that they see the fire come
out, as it makes an
impression. Of course, guns
must be stored safely.
Daycare injuries: Be very
careful with a daycare that is
short-staffed.
Dog bites: Kids often
smile and get face to face
with dogs. Dogs usually feel
provoked by two things:
bearing teeth and eye contact
face to face. See the
problem?
Car accidents: Consider
larger cars and SUVs, and
those with better safety
ratings (check SaferCar.gov
for results). Wear seat belts
and use appropriate car seats.
Often, medical bills and
future care need to be
collected from the insurance
company insuring the
negligent adult. If they are
uninsured, funds can often be
collected from the parents’
own Uninsured Motorists
coverage.
See PeelLawFirm.com for
more information.