Parents work hard to protect our children every day. So it is scary to think that a child’s risk of serious injury or death is extremely high for an activity as mundane and commonplace as getting into a car.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that of the 33,000 people who die in U.S. motor vehicle collisions every year, 1,150 are children under the age of 14. In fact, car wrecks are the No. 1 cause of death for 4-year-old children and the No. 2 cause of death for 3-year-olds and children ages 5 to 14. Every single day, three children are killed and 470 injured in the U.S.
Recently three children and one adult were seriously injured in a crash near the Wichita airport. An SUV heading northbound and a passenger car heading eastbound onto a ramp collided at an intersection. The three children, ages 2, 7, and 9, were riding in the passenger car. They were rushed to a nearby hospital, two of them in critical condition. The woman and the third child were in serious condition.
Any time a child is injured in a motor vehicle collision, it’s wise to consult with a Wichita car accident attorney. Medical bills can be overwhelming, and fighting insurance companies is the last thing parents need to worry about during the traumatizing and painful aftermath of a wreck.
Child Crash Injuries are Preventable
While child car accidents are down significantly from what they used to be a few decades ago, they are still a serious problem confronting many families on U.S. roads.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) reports that 150 children are treated in emergency departments every hour. That includes children ranging in age from infants all the way up to 19.
One of the most important things you can do to keep children safe during a wreck is to ensure that they are in the appropriate type of car seat.
The CDC recommends:
- Birth-to-age-2: Rear-facing car seat.
- Age 2 to around Age 5: Forward-facing car seat.
- Age 5 until the seat belt fits properly: Booster seat.
- Once seat belt fits properly without a booster seat: Seat belt.
The proper restraints need to be used each and every time, for every trip, no matter how short the distance.
Damages for Child Car Accidents in Wichita
Damages for crash cases involving children can be quite substantial, depending on the circumstances.
When it comes to seeking compensation for children injured in car accident, it should be noted that Kansas is one of about a dozen U.S. states that follows the no-fault system. This system means that when a Kansas driver is injured in a motor vehicle accident, his or her own insurance pays a portion of the initial medical bills and lost wages. These benefits, called “personal injury protection,” or “PIP” also extend to members of the insured driver’s household – including their children.
PIP minimums include:
- $4,500 per individual for medical expenses;
- $900 monthly for a full year for disability/ loss of income;
- $25/day for in-home services;
- $2,000 funeral or burial expenses;
- $4,500 for rehabilitative expenses.
In addition to PIP coverage, a child who is injured in a wreck also has a right to see compensation from the at-fault driver. This can include claims for past and future medical expenses, as well as pain and suffering.
If you have questions about your child’s injury in a Kansas car accident, let us help.
