Nothing is more devastating than seeing your child suffer from a preventable injury. When another party’s negligence causes harm to your child, the physical, emotional, and financial consequences can be overwhelming for your entire family. Child injury cases present unique challenges that require specialized legal knowledge and a compassionate approach.
At Berg Injury Lawyers, we’ve been helping injured people throughout Northern California since 1981. Our experienced attorneys understand the complexities of child injury cases and the tremendous impact they have on families. We are dedicated to protecting Fresno’s youngest injury victims and fighting relentlessly to secure the compensation they deserve for both their current needs and future well-being.
Common Types of Child Injuries in Fresno
Children in Fresno face various injury risks as they grow and explore their environment. Some of the most common injuries we see include:
Playground Accidents
Fresno’s parks and school playgrounds should be safe spaces for children to play and develop. Unfortunately, poorly maintained equipment, inadequate supervision, or defective designs can lead to serious injuries including broken bones, head trauma, and spinal injuries.
School and Daycare Injuries
Parents trust schools and daycare centers to keep their children safe. When staff members fail to provide adequate supervision or facilities lack proper safety measures, children can suffer injuries ranging from minor cuts and bruises to severe accidents that cause lasting damage.
Swimming Pool Accidents and Drownings
With Fresno’s hot climate, swimming pools provide welcome relief during summer months. However, they also present serious dangers to children. Near-drowning incidents can cause permanent brain damage, while pool drain accidents and slips on wet surfaces can result in significant injuries.
Dog Bites and Animal Attacks
Children are disproportionately affected by dog bites, often suffering attacks to the face, head, and neck due to their height. These traumatic incidents can cause permanent scarring, disfigurement, and long-lasting psychological trauma.
Car Accidents and Pedestrian Injuries
Children involved in motor vehicle accidents, whether as passengers or pedestrians, often sustain more severe injuries than adults due to their smaller size and developing bodies. These accidents frequently occur in school zones, residential neighborhoods, and busy streets throughout Fresno.
Despite Fresno’s efforts to create bike-friendly communities, children on bicycles remain vulnerable to serious injuries when struck by vehicles or when encountering unsafe road conditions.
Manufacturers have a responsibility to ensure their products are safe for children. Defective toys, furniture, car seats, and other children’s products can cause serious injuries even when used as intended.
Sports Injuries
While participation in sports offers many benefits, inadequate coaching, improper safety equipment, or dangerous playing conditions can lead to significant injuries that affect a child’s development and future athletic opportunities.
Unique Aspects of Child Injury Cases
Child injury cases differ significantly from adult personal injury claims in several important ways:
- Long-Term Impact on Development: Children’s bodies and brains are still developing, meaning injuries can have far-reaching consequences that may not be immediately apparent. An injury that might be relatively minor for an adult could potentially alter a child’s developmental trajectory, affecting their education, social development, and future career prospects.
- Special Considerations for Pain and Suffering: Children experience and process pain differently than adults. They may lack the vocabulary to fully express their suffering, making it essential to work with medical and psychological experts who can properly assess the full impact of their injuries.
- Challenges in Determining Appropriate Compensation: Because children have no established earning history, calculating future economic losses requires specialized expertise. Our attorneys can work with economists, vocational experts, and medical specialists to project how injuries might affect a child’s future earning capacity.
- Longer Recovery Timelines and Developmental Concerns: Children’s recovery from serious injuries must be monitored throughout their development. What appears to be a full recovery initially may reveal complications as the child grows, requiring ongoing medical intervention and therapy.
- The Emotional Impact on the Entire Family: When a child is injured, the entire family suffers. Parents often experience significant emotional distress, and siblings may be affected by changes in family dynamics and parental attention. Our comprehensive approach acknowledges the wide-ranging impact of a child’s injury.
Liability in Child Injury Cases
Determining liability in child injury cases requires thorough investigation and legal expertise. Depending on the circumstances, various parties may be held responsible:
- School and Daycare Responsibility: Schools and childcare facilities have a legal duty to provide a safe environment and adequate supervision for children in their care. When staff members fail to properly monitor children or facilities lack necessary safety measures, they may be liable for resulting injuries.
- Property Owner Liability: Under premises liability laws, property owners must ensure their property is safe for all visitors, including children who may not recognize dangerous conditions. This includes securing attractive nuisances like swimming pools, trampolines, and playground equipment that might draw children’s attention.
- Product Manufacturer Liability: Companies that design, manufacture, and sell products for children have a strict responsibility to ensure their items are safe when used as intended. Defective toys, furniture, car seats, or playground equipment can lead to manufacturer liability when they cause injuries.
- Vehicle Operator Liability: Drivers owe an enhanced duty of care when children are present, particularly in school zones, residential areas, and near parks. A driver’s failure to slow down, stay alert, or follow traffic laws can result in liability for injuries to child pedestrians, cyclists, or passengers.
- Government Entity Liability: When injuries occur in public parks, schools, or other government-maintained facilities, the responsible public entity may be legally accountable. These cases involve special notice requirements and significantly shorter filing deadlines than standard personal injury claims.
- Comprehensive Investigation: Our experienced attorneys conduct exhaustive investigations to identify every party who may share responsibility for your child’s injury. This thorough approach ensures we pursue all available sources of compensation to support your child’s recovery and future needs.
Why Choose Berg Injury Lawyers
When your child has been injured, choosing the right legal representation is crucial. Berg Injury Lawyers has been advocating for injury victims throughout California since 1981, with particular expertise in complex child injury cases.
Our team combines detailed knowledge of Fresno-specific regulations with a compassionate approach that addresses both legal and emotional concerns. We maintain relationships with pediatric medical experts, child psychologists, and educational specialists to build comprehensive cases for our clients.
You might be worried about hiring an attorney because of potential costs, especially when facing medical bills. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we work on a contingency fee basis—if you don’t win, you pay nothing. There’s also no cost or obligation to hire simply to speak to one of our lawyers. We call that our No Fee Guarantee®.
Contact Berg Injury Lawyers Today
When your child has been injured due to someone else’s negligence, you need compassionate legal support from attorneys who understand what’s at stake. At Berg Injury Lawyers, we’re committed to helping your family through this difficult time while fighting tirelessly for the compensation your child deserves.
Contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation. Our experienced Fresno child injury lawyers will listen to your story with care and explain your legal options clearly. Let us handle the legal complexities while you focus on what matters most—helping your child heal and move forward.
