As a parent, your child getting injured is probably one of your biggest fears, which is why you’ll want to take all the precautionary measures you can to avoid any accidents. Unfortunately, this is not always in our control, which is why you’ll want to know the necessary steps that need to be taken in case of an injury. On that note, this step-by-step guide will help you be a little more prepared if your child is ever injured in an accident. Read on to learn how to handle the situation should it occur.
Check up on Your Child
Immediately after an accident, the first thing you should do until help arrives is check for injuries. Even if injuries are noticeable, you still ought to check on all aspects of your child’s health. For instance, ask or observe whether or not they can move or talk, and if they can talk, find out where they’re experiencing any pain. Internal injuries will only be detected by medical assistance, which is why you need to seek medical care as soon as possible.
Seek Medical Care
Even if injuries aren’t visible, you must seek medical treatment immediately after an accident. Your child may have injuries that are apparent, but there could be underlying problems or mental problems as a result of the accident. Therefore, you will need immediate medical care to treat your child’s injuries and run the necessary tests to check on their current state. Try to recollect the events that transpired in order to give as much information as possible to your health professionals.
Call the Police
You must call the police immediately after the accident because you do not want to leave anything out that can affect you if you had to go to court. At the moment of the accident, you can succumb to a state of hysteria from the trauma, making it difficult to retrieve all the necessary information. If it is hard to think clearly, ask an onlooker to help you take pictures of the accident. When the police arrive, discuss the accident in detail and make sure you exchange information. Give them your personal information, insurance card, and the evidence you have gathered. Furthermore, don’t forget to consult with your auto insurance. Lastly, always ask for a copy of the police report.
Hire a Lawyer
You will have to gather as much evidence as you can to prove that the accident was another party’s fault. This can be quite overwhelming, especially if your well-being has also been compromised from the accident along with the fears for your child’s health and safety. That’s why you should seek legal advice and hire a specialized lawyer to guide you through the process. After all, you will be responsible for ensuring that your child gets fair compensation. The Detroit-based personal injury lawyer at davidchristensenlaw.com explains that you can bring forward a claim on behalf of a child if you are their parent or legal guardian. So, if your child is under 18, you will be the one who has to fight for their rights. This is important if the accident was due to negligence or irresponsibility that has affected your child’s well-being.
Seek Emotional and Social Support
Once you and your attorney have handled the court case, you will be left with the aftermath. You must continuously monitor your child’s condition and help them deal with post-traumatic stress. It will be difficult for your child to adapt to their lifestyle, as they will most likely have physical and emotional traumas. This is why you’ll want to ensure they are surrounded by social and emotional support. Therapy sessions might be prescribed, but in addition to that, make sure you have enough support to ease your child’s mental state on the road to recovery.
Commit to Follow-up Checkups
Physical injuries won’t take as much time to heal as emotional wounds from the accident; however, it is vital that you schedule and commit to the follow-up check-ups with your doctor. Your child will most likely continue to receive outpatient care to ensure he or she is healing and their condition is improving. In any case, always consult your doctor frequently and encourage your child to ask questions that may be on their mind, and relay any concerns you have to health professionals.
As overwhelming and frightening as the situation may be, remembering the steps to take in case of an accident is crucial. As acutely distressing as it is to see your child suffering an injury, you can ensure that they receive the best care to guarantee successful recovery if you know how to act in such situations. Therefore, you should do your best to remain calm, make sure your child gets medical treatment, and hire a personal injury attorney to help you deal with the rest.