New Jersey Child Injury Lawyers

Handling claims for child injuries throughout the state

Most parents' worst nightmare is to see their child become seriously injured. When a child's injury could have been prevented and only occurred because of someone else's negligence, you want to make sure that the party responsible for causing the injuries is held accountable for his or her actions or failure to act.

The compassionate New Jersey child injury attorneys at Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP are a team of experienced attorneys who have your child's best interests at heart as we aggressively pursue the compensation your child will need to recover from his/her injuries and fulfill his/her potential.

Child accident injuries

Here are some examples of accidents that can cause serious injuries to children:

Child injuries from car accidents. Because of their small size, children often suffer the worst injuries in car accidents because vehicle restraints are designed to restrain full-sized adults. If a child is not strapped in to a child safety seat that is appropriate to the child’s height and weight and properly anchored to the vehicle, a child might sustain serious head injuries, traumatic brain injuries, broken bones, and lacerations.

Fall injuries. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that falls are the leading cause of non-fatal injuries for all children between birth and age 19. Approximately 8,000 children are treated in emergency departments in the U.S. every day for fall-related injuries, which adds up to almost 2.8 million children each year. Many of these falls could have been prevented. If your child was injured in a fall on someone else’s property, you may be able to recover compensation for your child.

Day care injuries. Child care providers owe your children a duty of care to keep them safe. Dangerous playgrounds, toxic chemicals, and defective toys can all pose a risk of injury or harm; so, too, can negligent, neglectful, or abusive staff members. If your child suffered injury at a New Jersey day care, we can help.

Sports and recreation accidents. It seems like sports activities such as baseball and soccer, recreational activities such as martial arts or skiing are an important and enjoyable part of childhood. Children can get hurt in swimming pool accidents, or even playing with other children on the playground. These activities are fun, and they give kids the opportunity to work as a team, be active, and enjoy themselves, but there is always the underlying risk of serious injury. There is no reason to allow the risk of injury to keep you from allowing your children to participate in these activities, but if your child should sustain a serious injury because of the negligence of another player, the coach, a piece of faulty equipment, or because of dangerous premises, you may have grounds for legal action against the responsible party.

Injuries from defective products. Product manufacturers, especially those who make products for babies and children, owe a duty of care to consumers to create products that will not harm them, and that it will work as advertised. When a child is injured by a toy, a piece of furniture, or any other defective product, the manufacturer and every other party along the chain of commerce between the manufacturer and consumer, can be held liable for the child’s injuries. Safety recalls for baby and children’s products are common because of the high level of liability manufacturers have. Whether the defect was in the product’s design, manufacturing, or marketing, you may have grounds for legal action if the defective product was the direct cause of your child’s injuries. At Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, our skilled New Jersey products liability lawyers will fight for fair compensation for your child’s injuries.

Dog bites or other animal attacks. The American Veterinary Medical Association (AMVA) reports that, “Children are, by far, the most common victims of dog bites and are far more likely to be severely injured.” Children are more vulnerable to being bitten by dogs than adults for several reasons, including their unpredictable behavior, and that they may not know how to behave around dogs. The CDC reports that of the approximate 800,000 dog bites that happen each year in the U.S., about 334,000 require medical treatment in a hospital, and about 50% of all dog bite victims are children.

Some of the hazards from being bitten by a dog include the risk of infection, PTSD, and scarring and disfigurement. In New Jersey, the owner of the dog is liable for damages whether the attack occurs in public or in a private setting. If someone else's dog attacks or bites your child, you have grounds to pursue compensation for his or her injuries.

Are you hesitant to file a lawsuit? We understand

We understand that many families do not want to file a lawsuit against their neighbor or friend, but adequate financial resources to fund helpful therapies, treatments, medical devices, and so on can mean the difference between a child who will be held back and a child who will overcome and move forward in life, regardless of the effects of an injury.

With enough financial resources, quality of life can be greatly enhanced for a child who has been injured and is left to cope with temporary or permanent disabilities. For example, a child who sustains a brain injury or disfigurement may need additional accommodations in school, like an IEP or ground-level classes for wheelchair access. Your child may be unable to support him or herself later in life, or may require around-the-clock care.

Simply put: You owe it to your child to pursue the highest level of compensation attainable after he or she has suffered a serious injury such as a head injury, an amputation, a broken bone, or a burn injury. Give your injured child the advantage of options to overcome physical hardships. Property owners have homeowners’ insurance to cover liabilities such as dog bites. The compensation your child receives will most likely come from that policy.

Seeing an injured child motivates almost anyone to fight on that child’s behalf, to help him or her recover to the greatest extent possible. Some long-lasting effects of a child’s injuries, such as scarring or a limp, will be realities that the child will have to live with. However, aggressive treatments such as physical therapy or reconstructive surgery can make a huge difference in the overall outcome in many cases.

How do I bring a legal claim for my child's injury?

Your first step is to hire a personal injury attorney who will represent you in pursuing an injury claim on behalf of your child. New Jersey has a two-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims. This is a limited amount of time to file a claim, so it is vital that you find a lawyer who handles child injury cases and get started. However, if the person who is injured is younger than 18, that statute of limitations starts at his or her 18^th birthday, which means your child would have until he or she turns 20 to make a claim for compensation.

How can a New Jersey child injury attorney help our case?

Once you have decided to work with the New Jersey child injury lawyer team at Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, you can be assured that we will take on the legal burden by immediately investigating the circumstances of the accident. We determine who is responsible for your child's injuries and we hold them accountable for your child's losses. We uncover evidence, we make sure that all documents are filed in a timely manner, and we are responsive to your questions as the case progresses.

As Certified Civil Trial Attorneys, each of our partners has received a designation granted by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. What this means to you is that we have been able to demonstrate our level of experience, education, knowledge, and skill in civil trial law as evidenced by the hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts we have won on behalf of our clients.

If your child is hurt, call the NJ injury law firm you already know and trust

From offices in Edison , Red Bank, and Toms River, the personal injury lawyers at Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP advise and represent adults and children in personal injury and wrongful death litigation matters throughout New Jersey. Call our office at 732-777-0100 or contact us to arrange a free consultation with an experienced New Jersey attorney at an office near you.