In today’s blog, I discuss a recent pedestrian accident where a speeding driver hit and managed two Lynn, Massachusetts children walking on the side of the road.
According to NBC Boston reports, on September 25, 2023 at 8:17 in the morning, a speeding driver struck both a 10-year-old boy and 7-year-old girl. Luckily, both children are in stable condition and sustained non-life-threatening injuries. According to the children’s brother, the 10-year-old was heavily medicated to suppress pain and the 7-year-old was in a neck brace. The speeding driver also hit two stationary vehicles, but remained at the scene with the children. The driver was cited for Unsafe Driving and Speeding. We at Bottaro Injury Lawyers hope for the victims’ speedy recovery.
Pedestrian accidents, especially those that involve child pedestrians, happen more often than we would like to imagine. On average every year, more than 67,000 child pedestrians are injured in the U.S. Not only that, but as Massachusetts personal injury lawyers, we are keenly aware of the sharp rise in pedestrian deaths this year in our communities.
What Do I Do if My Minor Child is Injured in a Pedestrian Accident?
After sustaining any kind of personal injury and once you are safe, call a skilled personal injury attorney right away. Of course, minors have legal rights… that especially need protected and fought for after experiencing life-changing injuries.
At Bottaro Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of car, bicycle, commercial truck, bus, and pedestrian accidents. We can help you with your Lynn, Massachusetts case, or other RI or MA injury. If a driver injures your child in any way, call us at 401-777-7777 to walk you through how we can handle your child’s injury case.
In many ways, children are more susceptible to injury. They are more trusting and less afraid of others, more naïve to other’s potential negligence, and, more physically susceptible to major injuries. At Bottaro Injury Lawyers, we fight for our child clients’ rights with as much care, strength, and integrity as we do our adult clients. As a parent or caregiver to an injured child, we work with you to collect medical records, details of the accident, and so forth, to better build your child’s case.
What’s Different About Minor Child Personal Injury Settlements?
In Massachusetts, we handle minors’ settlements slightly differently. For instance, the statute of limitations is “tolled” for those injured and under 18 years old. This means that the “clock” to file a claim or lawsuit pauses, and resumes when the child turns 18 years old. While minors technically have more time to file a claim or lawsuit, it is important that you reach out to skilled Massachusetts personal injury lawyer as soon as possible to begin building a strong case with fresh facts, and take care of looming medical bills.
Additionally, in Massachusetts, if your child receives an out-of-court settlement of $10,000 or more, insurance companies require a court’s approval. At the hearing, the court will review the settlement and payout terms to make sure that the child’s current and future needs are met. Typically, instead of receiving a “lump-sum” payout (where you receive one big settlement check after we negotiate it for you), courts like to schedule periodic payments to minors (a “structured settlement,” paid out as an annuity).
It has been a month since the accident and news outlets have not released much further information. We sincerely hope Lynn, MA’s two recent injured child pedestrians made full recoveries.
Why discuss this case if it appears that the media and news outlets have moved on? It raises incredibly important issues about speeding, pedestrian injuries, and specifically, child victims. We urge you, especially in light of upcoming winter celebrations, to slow down and stay vigilant.
While we hope to see less cases like this, please call us immediately if you or your child are injured in any type of roadway accident in Lynn, Massachusetts, or any other RI or MA location.
It’s Good to Know Mike Bottaro – 24/7 Top-Rated Personal Injury Help
At Bottaro Injury Lawyers, we care for people. Attorney Mike Bottaro and his award-winning legal team handle all types of personal injury cases throughout Rhode Island and Massachusetts. We can even help on cases in other states as well. We pride ourselves on our honesty, integrity, and results. Contact us 24/7 in any method you prefer for a fast, free, and confidential consultation about your case. Text or call us at 401-777-7777, or fill out our free and confidential online form. We are here to serve and help you!