All parents worries about receiving a phone call that their son or daughter has been hurt in an accident. When children are young we at least draw some comfort from our belief that we will be at their side to protect them when they go out. But as they grow and turn into teenagers they begin to go out on their own. Sometimes even in the evening hours after it has gotten dark. And so we worry. And, unfortunately, sometimes our worst worries come true.
Below we briefly present four examples of motor vehicle accidents in which a teenage boy or girl has been badly hurt. In each case the teenager was a pedestrian. In each case the teenager was not at fault (although in one case the driver tried to blame the victim for the accident).
As these cases demonstrate teenage pedestrian can and do suffer serious injuries when involved in a motor vehicle accident. The first two cases recount reports that have recently appeared in the news. The last two cases that involved personal injury claims handled by law firms on behalf of the teenage victims.
Case 1:
In a case the vehicle hit a 12 year old boy and knocked him to the ground. He suffered injuries to both the cervical and lumbar portions of the boy's spine requiring over 220 visits to a chiropractor. As a result of the injuries he became more susceptible to and at higher risk of spinal injuries in the future as confirmed by an orthopedic surgeon. There was no issue of liability in this case. The law firm that handled this matter achieved a $695,000 verdict on behalf of the boy.
Case 2:
In this case a 15 year old girl was crossing the street when a car struck her. She suffered a herniated disc injury that required four months of chiropractic care. Unlike the case above, the driver in this case blamed the victim for the accident by claiming that she had darted out in front of him and that he had not had sufficient time to stop. The law firm that handled this case took it to trial and obtained a jury verdict in the amount of $550,000 for the girl.
Case 3
In this case a 20 year old driver borrowed a $75,000 high end car and was speeding only to lose control of the car. The car went onto the tree-line
median for pedestrians where it slammed into several pedestrians. One of the pedestrians, a 15 year old girl, died instantly. Her sister, age 10, died shortly after the accident. Their mother suffered critical injuries. A 17 year old boy suffered a leg fracture for which he required two screws in his leg. He bears a scar and the memories of witnesses an accident that took the life of two teenage girls. The law firm that handled this case reported that they were able to obtain a $1 million settlement on behalf of the 17 year old boy.
As these three cases illustrate accidents in which teenagers are injured as pedestrians can involve serious injuries. If the injury leaves a permanent disfigurement or disability any settlement must reflect the number of years this will affect the victims, the likelihood that the victim will require medical care in the future (sometimes years in the future) and the effect the on the victims future earning potential.
The first case above illustrates how medical experts can help establish a higher value for the case. Here, the law firm handling the matter brought in an orthopedic surgeon to incorporate how the accident left the victims with a heightened susceptibility to further injuries to achieve a significant jury verdict.
The second case above involves a disc herniation which is normally considered a serious injury as, even though it may be asymptomatic at the present time, it can lead to a higher susceptibility for exacerbation in the future. While not discussed in the law firm's report this may explain the amount of the verdict.
The third case illustrates how sometimes the injury goes beyond the physical harm. Here the young victim underwent the trauma of having to witness how two other teenagers lost their lives while he survived. Although there was no mention of resulting PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in the case report, this type of psychological injury in addition to the physical injury may explain the significant settlement achieved.
We as parents cannot be there to protect our teenage children every minute of the day. Some children will be injured no matter what precautions are taken. When they are injured through no fault of their own, especially in circumstances involving a motor vehicle accident, we can at least consult with an experienced attorney who can help protect their rights and ensure recovery of the maximum compensation amount for their injuries.
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://cdnimages.articlefriendly.net/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed
Print This Article
Add To Favorites
