Was your child injured in Lakewood, CO? Children are susceptible to injuries from numerous sources, including automobile accidents, defective toys, playground equipment, and bicycle accidents.
If your child’s injury was caused by someone else’s negligence, intentional torts, or other wrongdoing, that party may be liable for injuries and losses. Parents and legal guardians can file a claim on behalf of their child seeking compensation.
Our Lakewood child injury lawyers have decades of combined experience handling personal injury claims. We’ve recovered millions of dollars in jury verdicts and settlements for thousands of clients. Our legal team will work to ensure that the parties liable for your child’s injuries are held financially accountable.
Contact Matos Personal Injury Lawyers at (720) 912-7274 to schedule a free consultation with an experienced attorney.
How Matos Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You With a Child Injury Claim in Lakewood, CO
A severe injury can have long-term effects on your child. What appears to be a minor injury could have lasting cognitive and physical impacts as your child grows. If your child sustained harm, you need a skilled and experienced personal injury lawyer to assist in recovering a fair settlement.
Our Lakewood personal injury attorneys have more than 39 years of combined experience. We have the resources to pursue complex claims against large corporations and their insurance providers. We’ll do everything possible to maximize the compensation your child is awarded for damages.
When you hire our top-rated lawyers in Lakewood, CO, we will handle all aspects of your child’s personal injury claim. You can expect us to:
- Explain your child’s legal rights and the options for pursuing a personal injury claim
- Investigate the circumstances of your child’s accident or injury to gather evidence
- Identify the parties responsible for causing your child’s injuries
- File insurance claims and notice of claims with the liable parties
- Document and calculate your child’s damages
- Work with medical specialists and other expert witnesses to determine the extent of your child’s injuries and damages
- Aggressively negotiate a fair settlement for your child’s claim
- File a lawsuit and take the case to court if necessary
The insurance company and the at-fault party will not consider your child’s best interest when making a settlement offer. Their priority is to reduce their liability. We’ll fight for your child while you focus all your attention on helping them recover from a traumatic event and injury.
Contact Matos Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free case evaluation with an experienced child injury lawyer in Lakewood, Colorado.
We Handle All Types of Child Injury Cases at Matos Personal Injury Lawyers
Children sustain all types of injuries, including catastrophic injuries and life-altering impairments. It is crucial that your child receives a fair personal injury settlement so they have the resources they need after an accident or injury.
Our Lakewood personal injury lawyers have experience with all types of child injury cases, including those involving:
- Broken bones and fractures
- Birth injuries
- Concussions
- Knee injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Back and neck injuries
- Loss of limbs and amputations
- Spinal cord injuries
- Drowning chest injuries
- Paralysis
- Severe burns
- Electrical injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Loss of vision and hearing
- Nerve damage
- Crushing injuries
If your child is hurt, seek immediate medical treatment regardless of the type or severity of the injury. Some injuries can have severe consequences for a child, including developmental, cognitive, emotional, and physical impairments. A doctor must diagnose your child’s injuries and develop a treatment plan.
Prompt medical care is also essential from a legal standpoint. Recovering compensation requires that we prove the other party caused the circumstances that resulted in your child’s injuries. Insurance companies and defense lawyers might use delays in medical care to argue that your child’s condition was not caused by the accident.
Common Causes of Childhood Injuries in Lakewood, CO
Unintentional injuries are the leading cause of death for children in the United States. Emergency rooms treat approximately 30 million children each year for injuries. This number does not include the child injuries treated by family doctors and other medical facilities.
Many child injuries are preventable. They are caused by negligence and carelessness.
Common causes of childhood injuries include:
- Car accidents
- Drownings
- Fires and burns
- Swimming pool accidents
- Bicycle accidents
- Slips, trips, and falls
- Violence and child abuse
- Poisoning
- Dog bites and animal attacks
- Playground accidents
- Suffocation and choking
- Pedestrian accidents
- Exposure to hazardous substances
- School bus accidents
- Medical malpractice
- Injuries caused by defective products
- Resort and amusement park accidents
- School and daycare accidents
Our Lakewood child injury attorneys will thoroughly investigate your child’s claim to identify each at-fault party. We’ll work to hold all parties accountable for the pain and suffering your child experienced by making them financially liable for damages.
Who Could Be Responsible for Damages in a Child Injury Claim in Lakewood, CO?
The parties responsible for the factors that led to your child’s injury can be financially liable for damages.
Parties we often see named as defendants in child injury cases include:
- Dog owners
- Medical providers and healthcare facilities
- Religious institutions
- Sports programs
- Property owners
- Manufacturers of defective products
- Schools and daycares
- Babysitters
- Government entities
- Motorists and trucking companies
- Entertainment venues
- Amusement parks, cruise ships, and resorts
Proving a child injury case requires that we have evidence establishing causation, fault, and liability. Many cases are based on negligence.
The elements of negligence are:
- The existence of a legal duty of care
- A breach of duty
- Causation
- Damages
Negligence is not the only cause of action in child injury cases. A party could be liable for damages due to strict liability, intentional torts, vicarious liability, and other wrongdoing. Our personal injury lawyers in Lakewood will analyze the facts and the law to determine the grounds for your child’s claim.
What Damages Are Available in a Child Injury Case in Lakewood, Colorado?
Children are entitled to the same types of compensatory damages as adults.
Therefore, your child could receive economic damages for:
- Medical bills and expenses
- Future lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Personal and/or nursing care
- Mental health counseling
- Rehabilitative therapies
The psychological conditions caused by injuries and accidents can be severe for children. Therefore, they may also recover compensation for non-economic damages.
These damages represent the pain, suffering, and distress your child experiences because of the accident and injury and include:
- Physical pain and discomfort
- Scarring and disfigurement
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Mental anguish
- Impairment and disability
- Emotional distress
- Decreased quality of life
If your child sustains a permanent injury because of their impairment, they may receive compensation for future damages. Our experienced child injury attorneys will work with leading medical specialists and other experts to accurately diagnose your child’s impairment and determine the severity of their ongoing damages.
How Does Shared Fault Impact a Child Injury Claim in Colorado?
Contributory fault bars victims from receiving damages if they are partially at fault for causing their injuries. Colorado adopted a modified comparative negligence standard.
You are barred from recovering compensation if you are 50% or more to blame for your injury. However, if your fault for causing your injury is less than 50%, your compensation for damages is reduced by your percentage of fault.
The standard for comparative negligence may not be the same in a child injury case. Depending on the circumstances and the child, they might not be able to understand the risk of certain behaviors. Therefore, comparative fault might be modified in a child injury case.
Also, if the child is injured because of an attractive nuisance, comparative negligence might not apply. An attractive nuisance is a dangerous condition that could potentially attract or interest a child and pose a risk to their safety. Because the condition can be appealing to a child and children may not understand the danger, a property owner could be liable for damages even if the child is trespassing.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Child Injury Lawsuits in Colorado?
Colorado has a two-year statute of limitations for most personal injury claims (three years for car accident cases). However, the statute of limitations may be tolled (paused) when the victim is under 18 years old. The time to bring the claim would begin on the child’s 18th birthday.
Note that the laws may change, so it is best to speak with an attorney now. Also, waiting to file a personal injury claim on behalf of your child could hurt their case as evidence may be lost with time.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Lakewood Child Injury Lawyers
Your child deserves to be compensated fully for their injuries, pain, and other damages. Our Lakewood child injury attorneys at Matos Personal Injury Lawyers will aggressively pursue your child’s personal injury claim to obtain fair compensation for damages. Call us today at (720) 912-7274 to schedule a free case review with an experienced lawyer.