Being involved in a car crash can cause serious physical injury and lasting emotional trauma to victims. When children are hurt in car accidents, the pain and suffering that may last a lifetime, or worse, result in a tragic and untimely death. Researchers compile data about car accidents across the United States and release information about the risk level for each state.
The state of Texas recently placed first on a list of most dangerous states for crashes involving kids. GoSafeLabs, the nonprofit group that conducted the research, says that Texas leads the nation by a significant margin. For the three-year period from 2015-2018 nearly 1,200 children died in Texas car accidents.
Parents can help children stay safe in a vehicle by ensuring that kids are restrained in an age appropriate car seat, booster or properly fitting seatbelt and by obeying traffic laws while driving. Unfortunately, even these safety measures cannot guarantee that a family will arrive safely at their destination. If another party is at fault for a crash that results in injury or death of a child, there are legal considerations to go along with the other consequences of such a tragedy.
Even if law enforcement does not file criminal charges following an accident, a civil claim for monetary damages may be a viable option for legal recourse. An attorney in Texas can help a client consider legal options and work toward a verdict or settlement to recover documented items of monetary damages. The funds received can help cover outstanding medical bills, physical and mental health therapy, or even home renovations to help a victim adjust to a permanent disability.