Child Injury Claims


20 years of experience working with parents of children injured accidents

Any accident in which someone is injured or killed is tragic, especially when it is the result of negligence. The tragedy is magnified when a child is injured or killed. Accident claims for children have unique requirements and need to be handled by an experienced attorney.

Bill Coats is that attorney. With 20 years of experience working with parents of children injured in car accidents, bicycle crashes, and pedestrian accidents. He has helped injured children and their parents recover from an accident by handling all aspects of the injury claim so that families can focus on moving forward with their lives.

Contact Bill Coats to get your questions answered and learn what the next steps need to be. Since Bill works on a contingency fee basis, there is no upfront cost to have him handle your claim. He gets paid once you obtain a settlement or verdict.

Why Are Accident and Injury Claims For Children Different?

When a child under the age of 18 is injured or killed in an accident, Washington State law requires that special procedures be followed to obtain a settlement for that minor. Those procedures include:

  • A petition must be filed with the court to provide detailed information about the minor child and the proposed settlement.
  • A settlement Guardian Ad Litem must be appointed to oversee the settlement processes.
  • A court hearing is required for a judge to review all information and approve the settlement.
  • Often a special fund is set up to place the settlement money in an account set aside for the minor.
  • An accident claim for a minor child has different requirements related to the statute of limitations, the time allowed to file a claim.

When a Child Is Seriously Injured In An Accident, The Focus Is On Physical Recovery

Any parent or guardian who has lived through the experience of having a child seriously injured knows that time stands still in those first days and weeks after the accident. When there are long-term or permanent injuries, it can become a challenge just to manage doctor appointments, therapies – and growing medical bills. When parents are also injured, the stress and trauma are compounded.

Bill Coats handles the legal aspects to get bills paid, to document injuries, and to build an accident claim to obtain funds that will help the injured child and the family recover now and in the future.

The Common Causes of Child Injuries

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the most common causes of childhood injury are:

  • car and other motor vehicle accidents
  • playground accidents
  • falls
  • poisoning
  • swimming-related accidents

When a child is injured or killed in an accident that is the result of negligence, families struggle with trauma, grief, stress, and worry. In the long term, families need the funds to cover future medical bills and to do whatever money can do to bring life back to normal. If the worst happens and a child dies in an accident, a wrongful death claim must be launched, to hold the at-fault party responsible for their negligence.

Bill Coats manages the financial recovery for a family, so parents and injured children can focus on physical and emotional recover. Contact Bill today to learn more about your potential claim.

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