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Oklahoma Child Car Accident Attorneys

Representation for Child Victims of Car Accidents

It is always unfortunate to hear that there was a car accident that resulted in either injury or death for the driver and passengers. It becomes especially tragic when it was a child who was the victim of the accident. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), one of the leading causes of death for children is from injuries sustained in motor vehicles. This is a very alarming finding, and one that should not be taken lightly.

If your child has been seriously injured in a car accident caused by another driver's negligence, it is important to seek legal guidance from a knowledgeable personal injury attorney without delay. The party responsible for the accident should be held accountable for the injuries and losses your child, and your family have suffered.

Our Oklahoma car accident lawyers at know the law and we know how to deal with insurance companies. When you work with our firm, we will aggressively pursue the compensation you and your child deserve.

Car Accident Reports Detail the Severity of this Problem

For further proof of how dangerous this issue is for child passengers, consider the report conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2014. They concluded that 32,675 people were killed and 2.3 million were injured in traffic crashes that year. Sadly, children were among the injured victims and fatalities in these accidents.

Similarly, the Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that a total of 872 children under the age of 13 died in motor vehicles accidents in the U.S. in 2014. These fatal accident victims were comprised of:

602 occupants of passenger vehicles;
167 pedestrians; and
38 bicyclists

Although the fatality rates for children have decreased since 1975, the number of deaths and injuries caused by car accidents is still significant.

Factors in Child Car Accident Fatalities

In many cases reported by the CDC of child death or injury, it was due in part to the lack of child restraints. If parents fail to buckle the child in with a safety seat, booster seat, or seat belt, they are putting the child at an increased risk for being hurt or killed in an accident. Additionally, if the parent was intoxicated, distracted, or fatigued, these factors all could contribute to the child not being secured properly, or could lead to an accident.

While the car accident itself resulted in these unfortunate deaths, it was lack of safety precautions taken beforehand to secure the child properly and decrease the likelihood of injury or death in the event of an accident that is of concern. It is the parent or driver’s responsibility to ensure that the child is safely buckled in and stays buckled in.

Preventative Measures for Better Child Safety in Vehicles

In order to help reduce this alarming number of child deaths in motor vehicle accidents, certain safety measures need to be taken by parents. Seating position is an important factor in the risk of death for children in motor vehicle accidents. IIHS recommends that children 12 and under ride in the rear of the vehicle. The CDC echoes these recommendations and explains that a child should always be secured in the proper car seat, booster seat, or seat belt, depending upon your child’s age and size.

According to the CDC, "a car seat will reduce the risk of death for infants by 71% and for toddlers by 54%, a booster seat reduces the risk of serious injury by 45% for children 4-8 compared to seat belt use alone, and for older children, a seat belt reduces the risk of death or serious injury by almost 50%.”

Defective Seatbelts and Car Seats

Of course, there are times when the parents have responsibly secured their child safely in a car seat, booster seat, or seat belt, but due to a manufacturing defect, something goes wrong with the product that causes it to malfunction.

This can include the seat belt not properly latching or being dislodged on impact if there was an accident. Failure on the part of a seat belt to secure a child can be a serious issue in the event of a crash. Similarly, if a child’s car seat was not made properly and has defective harnesses that release or fail to lock safely, the child is at risk of falling out of the car seat and harming themselves.

In cases like this, an auto product liability claim may be lodged against the manufacturer or the company who sells the product. If the parent can prove that the product was defective and because of this defective product their child suffered injury or death, they can file a product liability claim and sue for significant damages and compensation.

Contact Our Oklahoma Child Car Crash Victim Lawyers

If you child has been injured in a car accident, you may be entitled to file a claim for compensation to help you provide the care your child needs to recover from serious injuries. Our tenacious Oklahoma passenger accident attorneys at Car Accident Help can investigate the accident, build a strong case based on the evidence, negotiate skillfully with insurance companies on your behalf, and fight for your rights in court if necessary. Contact our office at (405) 285-4357 today for a free initial case evaluation.