Children possess great potential. They learn fast and cope well. However, they’re still too young, so one can tell they’re fragile and prone to mistakes and accidents. Hence, parental guidance can come in handy to put such to a minimum.
Personal injury involving children can affect their well-being as they grow up because they may sustain physical damage and emotional trauma. This can be an unbearable situation for any kid and their parents.
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Kinds Of Personal Injury Cases Involving Children
There are two kinds of personal injury cases involving children. These are as follows:
Common Injuries
Children are curious fellows. They feel excited about something new and want to try it out without being aware of the precautions. They’re naturally impulsive, which leads to common injuries like:
- Dog Bite. Child dog bite refers to children bitten by a dog that can be theirs or someone else’s. This kind of accident happens because a child may find dogs adorable, so they try to reach them even if the animal doesn’t know them. Other children also tend to make fun of dogs unpleasantly, like throwing rocks at them only to see how the animal will react.
Dogs are known as man’s best friends. Nonetheless, they will likely attack if they feel threatened by strangers’ presence, even by children. A dog bite can cause heavy physical damage to a child’s body. Moreover, if the dog has rabies, it can eventually cause death if left untreated.
- Choking After Swallowing Small Objects. Children sometimes mistake objects, especially the small ones, for food. They even swallow coins or toys that may get stuck in their esophagus. Their bodies are still in the development stage, so the opening of their esophagus is narrow. Children who do so may have difficulty breathing and vomiting. It can also be lethal if left untreated.
- Burns. The instructions authorities usually imply to the public that say people must keep away tools that can create fire from children is critical because it’s another typical injury involving minors. Fire may be adorable to look at, but it’s too dangerous to play with, especially among children. Fire can cause burns, leaving long-term skin damage.
- Cuts. Children are also prone to injuries from using sharp objects, given how careless and unstable their grip is, which is why experts suggest people keep sharp objects away from children, too. One common injury related to sharp objects that children often get is a cut on the hand or finger after using a knife or scissors.
Injuries Caused By Other Entities
As mentioned, children are prone to accidents because of their innocence. Besides, not all personal injury cases involving children are their actual fault. Other entities tend to take advantage of children’s vulnerability or act carelessly, which may lead to injury cases like:
- Child Abuse. Child abuse involves physical or psychological maltreatment of children, which can be either a repeated or one-time offense like physical/verbal abuse and sexual harassment. Governments around the globe consider the act a crime punishable by law and enforce heavy penalties for proven violators.
Child abuse can cause critical damage to a child’s body and behavior. For example, if another person is consistently beating a child, they won’t only sustain bruises and cuts but also suffer extreme depression and anxiety. Many children who go through such dilemmas have difficulty returning to their usual routines because of constant fear gripping their young minds; some may even require treatment from mental health facilities to recover.
- Child Neglect. Injuries caused by other entities aren’t limited to other entities’ maltreatment of them but also their parents/guardians’ inaction or negligence. Children require support from adults while growing up. If they receive less or none, it can lead to a personal injury case. For instance, leaving a child to walk down the road alone can lead to a vehicle hitting the minor.
Children are yet to develop the physical and cognitive skills necessary for adulthood, so adult guidance is crucial. Child neglect cases are imminent because having a child is fun, but it comes with significant responsibilities. Aside from food, they need to receive constant care, which isn’t easy to do because they can be unruly at times.
Conclusion
A personal injury case involving children may occur because of a child’s impulsiveness or other entities’ maltreatment and negligence. They’re prone to such unfortunate events because they need more time to develop the physical and cognitive skills necessary for survival, and parental guidance is critical to keep their safety. With proper support, children can have the ideal childhood life they deserve.