Phoenix Child Injury Lawyers

Representing the Families of Injured Children in Phoenix

Everyone knows that children can be somewhat accident-prone. After all, they run, jump, play, and are more dynamic than adults. They have less knowledge of everyday dangers and may lack the good judgment of someone older. But what recourse do parents have when their child’s injuries are due to the negligence or reckless behavior of another party?

To find out more about your legal rights and options as the parent of an injured child, you’ll need to speak with an experienced Phoenix child injury attorney. As the parents of eight children, The Husband & Wife Law Team, Mark and Alexis Breyer, take a passionate interest in cases where a child has been injured. Their Phoenix personal injury firm has been successfully representing the families of injured children for over 20 years. Let us put our experience and skills to work on your claim by dialing (602) 457-6222 to schedule a free consultation.

Back to Top

Recent Child Injury Case Results

• Insurance Policy Limits - Children's Injuries/Dog Bites
• $572,940.00 - Catastrophic Child's Injury
• $227,000.00 - Child Shooting Incident
• Confidential Settlement - Preschool Negligence

What Are Common Causes of Child Injuries?

The causes of children's injuries are almost as varied as the number of children in the world. However, many causes are more common than others, including:

• Amusement park accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• Birth injuries
• Dog bites
• Accidents from a defective product, such as a crib or car seat
• Daycare accidents
• Drowning accidents
• Playground and school accidents
• Choking, strangulation, and suffocation
• Poisoning
• Fires
• Slip-and-fall accidents

In many of these instances, someone other than the child is responsible for the injury. An amusement park owner is responsible for ensuring the safety of visitors, making sure rules are posted and obeyed by all park staff. Manufacturers are responsible for ensuring that products for children do not have choking or suffocation hazards. Daycare workers must supervise the child the whole time he or she is with them. When people do not take that responsibility seriously, or are negligent, they can be held liable by the injured child’s parents.

Back to Top

Child Dog Bite Client Testimonial

What Are Common Injuries?

Of course, the injuries a child can sustain can be just as varied as the accidents that cause those injuries. But just as there are common types of child accidents, there are also common types of child injuries.

• Broken bones are commonly sustained by children. These can happen anywhere and at any time, but we often see them after a bicycle accident, when the child was the passenger in a car accident, or when the child fell after playing in a school playground or amusement park.
• Scrapes and cuts, in most cases, are quite minor, but when they are serious—like a deep cut or road rash after a pedestrian or bicycle accident—they can cause a damaging amount of blood loss, require stitches, and be prone to dangerous infections.
• Burn injuries from a fire, poisoning, or chemical spill can have long-lasting impacts, including scarring and continual pain, as well as emotional trauma that lingers after the incident.
• Brain injuries can be caused by many different scenarios, such as drowning, slipping and falling, birth trauma, or vehicle accidents. These injuries are often lifelong and very difficult to treat, and can change the way a child functions in day-to-day life.
• Scarring or disfigurement from an accident, burn injury, or even a dog bite can affect a child’s quality of life as well, and cause embarrassment for something that is not even the child’s fault.

Back to Top

Who Can Be Held Liable for a Child's Injury?

A number of entities can be held liable for a child’s injury, including:

• A person charged with supervising the child, be it a camp counselor, coach, teacher, daycare worker, babysitter, nanny, lifeguard, etc.
• The institution charged with caring for the child, such as a school, summer camp, daycare center, etc.
• The owner or person charged with maintaining the premises that caused the child’s injury, such as a neighbor with a pool that didn’t have a proper gate, or a homeowner who left dangerous objects around his yard.
• The manufacturer of a defective product, such as a toy that fell apart, allowing a child to choke on a piece of that toy.
• The owner of a dog that bit or mauled the child.
• The driver of the vehicle that caused the collision that injured your child.

If you have any questions about who can possibly be held liable for your child’s injury, contact us at (602) 457-6222.

Back to Top

What if My Child Is Injured by a Bully?

It can be hard to know what to do when your child is being bullied. We expect the school administrators to step in, but that doesn’t always happen. In the worst cases, a child is severely injured by another student. When this happens, it is important to know who is liable.

In Arizona, the anti-hazing and anti-bullying laws are clear. Schools have a responsibility to keep their students safe, including from other students. If a staff member of the school witnesses bullying, or is made aware of it, they must step in and report the incident. The school is then required to investigate the situation. If the school fails this duty, either via carelessness or negligence, then they are liable for any damage caused to your child.

But what about the bully’s parents? Are they responsible for their child’s actions? In Arizona, yes! Many states have parental liability laws, and Arizona is no different. Parents are accountable for the intentional actions of their child and can be held liable for up to $10,000. If a bully harms your child on purpose, that bully’s parents can be held responsible.

Back to Top

Compensation for a Child’s Injuries

Injuries to a child can cause lifelong disabilities, which may need expensive long-term care and special treatment. Depending on the extent of your child’s injuries, you may be able to seek compensation for any of the following:

• Medical bills
• Future medical bills related to the child’s injuries: skin grafts, reconstructive surgeries, etc.
• Pain and suffering
• Mental anguish and emotional trauma, including PTSD
• Mental therapy
• Physical therapy
• Costs of in-home care
• Household and vehicle modifications to accommodate the child’s injuries, such as wheelchair ramps and lifts, special beds, etc.
• Costs of special schools or education
• Lost wages if a parent had to quit or reduce the number of hours worked to care for the child
• Punitive damages

Back to Top

Pursuing Wrongful Death Damages After the Loss of a Child

When a family has had a child taken from them, it can be tough, if not impossible, to keep up with what must be done to get justice through the legal system. Many details end up being overlooked in a time of grief. Unfortunately, it is often those same details that determine whether unsafe conditions were to blame for the child’s wrongful death. That's why families should turn to Phoenix wrongful death attorneys who can act quickly in the wake of an event to secure the documentation and factual evidence needed for accurate assessment of fault.

In the tragic event that you’ve lost a child due to accident or injury, you may be entitled to compensation for any of the following damages:

• Funeral and burial costs
• Medical bills
• Pain and suffering of the deceased before death
• Loss of love, affection, companionship, relationship, etc.
• Emotional trauma

As a parent, your greatest desire is to protect your children from harm. Unfortunately, this is not always possible. If your child suffers an injury due to another party’s negligent, reckless, or intentional behavior, you and your child deserve to be compensated. While we sincerely hope you never need our services, rest assured that we are available if you ever do. Just call (602) 457-6222 for a free case evaluation.

Back to Top

Additional Information

• When a Child is Hurt in a Before or After School Program
• Are Schools Responsible for Dangerous Playground Equipment?
• Are Schools Liable for Injuries on Field Trips?
• When Bicycling and Kids Don’t Mix
• Child Fatality Review - AZ Department of Health Services