The overwhelming majority of adults in the United States are highly protective of children, and as parents, we take our responsibility to protect our children seriously. The reason being, children are fragile and vulnerable to injuries, but unfortunately, we know that injuries during childhood are almost inevitable. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), on average 12,175 children ages 0 to 19 died annually between 2000 and 2006, and during the same time period, the CDC estimates that there were an average of 9.2 million children treated in emergency departments annually for non-fatal injuries.
These injuries, both fatal and non-fatal, occur due to a host of different reasons many of which fall under the umbrella of personal injury law. Unfortunately, some of the scenarios that cause these injuries to occur are more common and more deadly than others. For example, the CDC estimates that, in 2016, 1,233 traffic deaths occurred involving children ages 0 to 14, and the Georgia Governor’s Office of Highway Safety has indicated that, in 2015, 97 children ages four or younger were involved in a car crash. Of the children involved in car accidents, 50 were injured and 16 were killed, and out of the 16 fatalities, 56% were unrestrained.
Common Causes of Child Fatalities in Atlanta
As personal injury lawyers in Atlanta, we know that there are multiple variables that can affect the severity of a child’s injuries such as gender, age, etc. The CDC, during its study from 2000 to 2006, found that males ages 0 to 19 had a death rate that was double that of their female counterparts. Moreover, the male injury death rate was consistently higher than females across all age groups. The CDC indicated that the most common causes of child fatalities are as follows:
- The leading cause for fatalities among children was due to motor vehicular accidents. The most children were killed as occupants of a vehicle, followed by child pedestrian and cyclist deaths.
- For children less than one year old, suffocation was responsible for ⅔ of the deaths within that age group
- Drowning was the leading cause of death for children ages one to four.
Common Causes Non-Fatal Child Injuries in Atlanta
Non-fatal injuries can be a devastating event for a child, and similar to fatal events, there are certain types of events that typically lead to a child sustaining a non-fatal injury the most common of which are as follows:
- As with fatal events, male children ages 0 to 19 generally have a higher rate of non-fatal injuries than females.
- Falls were the leading cause of non-fatal injuries for children under the age of 15.
- The CDC found that there were approximately 2.8 million emergency room visits for children with injuries from a fall.
- With respect to children under the age of one, falls accounted for 50% of all non-fatal injuries sustained by that age group
- Being struck by or against an object, animal bites, and insect bites were the next leading causes of non-fatal injuries for children ages 0 to 9
- For children ages 10 to 14, being struck by or against an object and overexertion were the next leading causes of non-fatal injuries.
- The leading causes of non-fatal injuries for children ages 15 to 19 were car accidents, being struck by or against an object, and falls.
The Costs of Child Injuries
When a child sustains an injury, it can be extremely expensive, but the amount of hospital bills associated with a child being involved in a car accident can be substantial. According to the Georgia Department of Health, from 2008 to 2010, 143 children were hospitalized in connection with car crashes in Georgia. These hospitalizations carried an estimated cost of $6.6 million, and the 7,102 emergency room visits for children involved in car accidents during the same period carried an estimated $8 million in medical costs.
Unfortunately, these accidents are still a common occurrence in Georgia and the rest of the country. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that on average three children are killed per day in the United States due to a car accident, which is why you should always hire a personal injury lawyer to seek justice against the negligent party that caused your child’s injury.
Child Injury Cases in Atlanta
When a child sustains an injury, it is common for parents to feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and scared, but your child’s injury does not have to ruin their future. At Cambre and Associates, our team of personal injury lawyers are dedicated to holding the party responsible for your child’s injury accountable through aggressive thorough legal representation. So, give our office a call today for free consultation to find out how a personal injury attorney can help your family.