Parents generally want to protect their children from pain and provide them with every opportunity in life. Unfortunately, parents have to make decisions that may put their children at risk. For example, most parents need to regularly transport their children in motor vehicles despite car crashes being a leading cause of both death and catastrophic injury for minors.
Parents may be extra cautious when they have children in their vehicles and may do everything in their power to ensure their children’s safety, such as using appropriate car seats and avoiding common driving hazards, like distraction. Despite those efforts, thousands of parents every year have to deal with their children experiencing major injuries in collision scenarios.
Parents often learn after injuries occur that the costs to treat major injuries can be much higher for children than they are for adults. Why are crash injuries often more costly when the person hurt is a minor?
Their growing bodies
An assortment of different injuries is possible when motor vehicles collide. One of the most common injuries that requires immediate emergency medical care is a fracture or broken bone. People have become dismissive about fractures because modern medical care has become very proficient at treating these injuries.
Unfortunately, fractures for children can easily be more serious than fractures for adults. If the fracture damages the growth plate, children may need significant medical support. They might even be at risk of disruptions to their physical development as their bodies continue growing. The need to evaluate and treat potential growth plate injuries can substantially increase the cost of trauma care after a crash.
Their need for specialized support
Pediatric medical specialists typically charge more per hour than medical professionals who provide similar services for adult patients. The reason for that increased cost is simple. Pediatric specialists require more training and often face more significant expenses if patients or their parents bring medical malpractice claims against them. The total cost for treatment can be thousands of dollars higher depending on the type of care required.
Their potential need for repeat procedures
Particularly in scenarios where children develop significant physical injuries or disfiguring wounds, they may not be eligible for one-off treatments like adult patients usually are. They may require multiple procedures spaced out over many years as their bodies continue to grow and develop. Otherwise, they may end up with scars and functional limitations that affect their lives indefinitely.
Parents handling the aftermath of motor vehicle collisions need to be realistic about the medical costs and secondary expenses generated when children have significant injuries. Pursuing the maximum compensation available is often necessary in cases involving significant injuries and disfiguring wounds that affect children.
