It is devastating when a child is injured in a car accident. Missouri car seat laws protect children when they ride in motor vehicles. The car seat laws require a child to be secured in a safety seat, which reduces the risk of injury or death during a car crash.
However, a car seat won’t protect a child in all crashes. If your child was injured in a car crash, your family may be entitled to compensation for their medical bills and other losses. Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers has been helping car accident victims for nearly three decades. We’ve one tens of millions of dollars for our injured clients.
Seek the representation your child deserves after their car accident injuries. Contact Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers for a free consultation with a Missouri car accident lawyer.
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How Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help After Your Child’s Car Accident in Missouri
Has your child been injured in a car accident? If so, you do not have to deal with this situation alone. Our car accident attorneys in St. Louis are here to help you obtain compensation for your child’s injuries.
Since 2002, the personal injury attorneys of Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers have recovered more than $70 million for accident victims in court verdicts and settlements, including some of the highest awards in the state. Our attorneys are top-rated, highly skilled, and experienced legal advocates for our clients.
When you hire us, you can count on us to:
- Investigate the car accident to gather evidence and locate responsible parties
- Calculate the full extent of your child’s damages, with expert help if necessary
- Negotiate with insurers for a settlement that compensates for your child’s injuries
- Take the at-fault party to trial if they won’t take responsibility
Don’t go it alone because of your child’s car accident. Contact Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers and meet with a Missouri personal injury attorney during a free consultation.
What Are the Missouri Car Seat Laws?
According to RSMo §307.179, children less than four years of age or weighing less than 40 pounds must be secured in a child restraint system appropriate for that child. The child’s height and weight should determine the type of car seat. Car seat manufacturers provide specifications for weight and height.
The law requires children at least four years of age but less than eight years old who weigh between forty to eight pounds and who are shorter than four feet nine inches to ride in a child booster seat or passenger restraint system appropriate for that child.
Children who weigh at least 80 pounds or are taller than four feet nine inches may ride in a booster seat or wear a safety belt.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends using a rear-facing car seat until children outgrow the weight and height restrictions for the car seat. At that time, the child may be placed in a forward-facing car seat until the child outgrows the manufacturer’s weight and height restrictions.
Do Car Seats Prevent Injuries and Death for Children in Car Crashes?
The Centers for Disease Control report that using a car seat reduces the risk of injury for a child by 71 to 82 percent compared to using a seat belt alone. In addition, placing a child in a booster seat can reduce the risk of serious injury by 45 percent for children between the ages of four and eight compared to seat belt use alone.
The NHTSA reports that 325 children under the age of five were saved by riding in car seats in just one year. Over one-third of the children who were killed in traffic crashes in 2018 were not restrained by a restraint device.
Unfortunately, up to 46 percent of child seats are not used correctly. For a car seat or child safety seat to provide maximum protection, the car seat must be installed correctly, and the child must be fastened in the car seat correctly. Parents can locate a car seat inspection station near them to have their car seat inspected by a qualified technician.
What Types of Injuries Can Children Sustain in a Car Accident?
Children involved in car accidents may sustain traumatic injuries. Injuries children may sustain in a car crash include:
- Chest Injuries
- Fractures and broken bones
- Head and brain injuries
- Internal organ damage
- Spinal cord injuries
- Amputations
- Paralysis
- Back and neck injuries
- Whiplash
A child who sustains a car accident injury could develop long-term emotional, physical, and cognitive impairments. Because their brain is still developing, a child may have lifelong disabilities due to a traumatic brain injury.
What Damages Can a Child Recover for a Car Accident Claim?
A child is entitled to economic and non-economic damages for a car accident claim. Examples of these damages include:
- The medical expenses and bills for the cost of treatment and care
- Costs of personal care
- The costs of physical, speech, occupational, emotional, and other therapies
- Impairments and disabilities caused by injuries
- Physical, emotional, and mental pain and suffering
- Loss of future earning potential
- Reduced quality of life and loss of enjoyment of life
The value of the damages depends on the type and severity of the injury. It also depends on how the injury impacts the child’s development and future.
How Can a Missouri Car Accident Lawyer Help With My Child’s Injury Claim?
Child injury cases can be incredibly complicated. A Missouri personal injury lawyer can assist parents in seeking medical treatment for their child, including consulting medical experts regarding the potential for disabilities and impairments.
Hiring a car accident lawyer for your child allows you to focus your time and energy on your child. Your lawyer handles all aspects of the legal case, including:
- Conducting a thorough investigation into the cause of the car crash
- Identifying all parties liable for your child’s damages
- Filing insurance claims and negotiating settlements
- Working with medical professionals and other experts to document the extent of your child’s damages
- Correctly calculating the value of your child’s present and future damages
- Advocating for your child’s best interest in and out of the courtroom
You want what is best for your child. Making sure you understand your child’s legal rights and what to do after your child is injured in a car accident is essential for protecting your child’s best interests. Our personal injury FAQ answers many of your questions about personal injury claims.
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Contact Our Missouri Personal Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
Bradley Law Personal Injury Lawyers can help if your child was injured in a car accident. Contact our law firm to schedule a free consultation to speak with a Missouri personal injury lawyer. We are available to talk with you 24/7 by telephone at (314) 400-0000.
