Murfreesboro Child Injury Lawyers
Few experiences are more frightening for a parent than learning that their child has been seriously injured. Whether the injury occurred in a car accident, a collision with a commercial truck, a fall on dangerous property, or another preventable incident, the immediate concern is your child’s health and well-being. As medical treatment continues, however, parents may also begin worrying about long-term complications, missed school, emotional trauma, and the financial challenges their family could face.
At Weir & Kestner Injury Lawyers, our Murfreesboro Child Injury Lawyers understand that children have unique needs after a serious accident. An injury that affects a growing child can have consequences that extend into adulthood, making it especially important to pursue compensation that accounts for both immediate medical expenses and future needs. Our attorneys help families seek financial recoveries that protect their children’s health, independence, and opportunities.
Attorneys Joe Weir and Tony Kestner represent injured children and their families throughout Murfreesboro, Rutherford County, and Middle Tennessee. Both began their legal careers representing insurance companies, giving them firsthand insight into how insurers evaluate injury claims and attempt to limit compensation. Today, they use that experience to stand up for injured people, including children whose futures have been affected by someone else’s negligence.
The Unique Challenges of Childhood Injuries
Children are not simply smaller adults. Their bodies are still developing, and serious injuries can affect physical growth, cognitive development, emotional well-being, and future opportunities. A fracture involving a growth plate, for example, may create complications that would not occur with a similar injury in an adult. A traumatic brain injury may affect learning, behavior, and social development in ways that become more apparent as a child grows older.
Young children may also have difficulty explaining their symptoms or describing how an injury affects them. They may not recognize that headaches, concentration problems, anxiety, or changes in physical abilities are related to an accident.
Some injuries heal completely with appropriate treatment. Others create lasting challenges that become more significant as children reach new developmental stages. Our attorneys recognize that compensation for a child’s injury should account for these uncertainties and the possibility that additional treatment or support may be necessary in the future.
Children Injured in Murfreesboro Car and Truck Accidents
Motor vehicle collisions are a significant cause of serious childhood injuries. Children riding in passenger vehicles may suffer broken bones, head injuries, spinal injuries, internal injuries, or other trauma when another driver causes a crash. Even when a child is properly secured in an age-appropriate car seat or seat belt, a severe collision can produce substantial injuries.
Accidents involving commercial trucks can be particularly devastating. The enormous size and weight of a tractor-trailer may create tremendous forces when it collides with a smaller passenger vehicle. A truck accident on Interstate 24, Interstate 840, or another roadway near Murfreesboro can leave an entire family facing serious injuries and a lengthy recovery.
Children may also be injured while walking or riding bicycles in neighborhoods, near schools, or along local streets. Our firm helps families pursue compensation when negligent drivers cause injuries to children in passenger vehicles, pedestrian accidents, bicycle collisions, and other traffic-related incidents. We understand that parents want to devote their attention to their child’s recovery. Our goal is to handle the legal claim with care while pursuing the financial resources their child may need.
Child Injuries at Stores, Swimming Pools, and Recreational Facilities
Children can also suffer serious injuries when dangerous conditions exist on commercial or residential properties. Falls, unsafe equipment, inadequate maintenance, and other hazards may contribute to injuries at grocery stores, department stores, apartment complexes, and recreational facilities.
Swimming pool accidents can be especially dangerous because children may suffer drowning-related injuries, oxygen deprivation, or permanent neurological damage. Indoor trampoline parks and other recreational businesses may present risks involving defective equipment, unsafe conditions, or inadequate safety precautions.
Property owners and businesses are not automatically responsible whenever a child is injured. However, they may be liable when their negligence causes an injury under the applicable legal standards. Tennessee law also recognizes that certain dangerous conditions may create special risks for children, depending on the circumstances.
At Weir & Kestner, we help families understand their options when a child is injured because a property owner, business, driver, or another responsible party failed to exercise reasonable care.
Serious Childhood Injuries and Their Long-Term Effects
Some childhood injuries require relatively brief treatment and recovery. Others can change the course of a child’s life. Traumatic brain injuries are particularly concerning because their effects may become more apparent as a child encounters increasingly complex academic and social demands. A child who initially appears to recover may later struggle with memory, attention, emotional regulation, or executive functioning. Spinal cord injuries, meanwhile, can cause permanent mobility limitations, while severe fractures may interfere with normal bone growth or joint development.
Other catastrophic childhood injuries include:
- Permanent neurological impairments
- Paralysis and other spinal cord injuries
- Severe burns and permanent scarring
- Amputations and traumatic limb injuries
- Serious orthopedic injuries affecting growth
- Internal organ damage
- Vision or hearing loss
- Drowning-related brain injuries
A child with permanent disabilities may require specialized medical care, rehabilitation, adaptive equipment, educational support, or assistance with daily activities. Some children will need these services for the rest of their lives. Our attorneys work to pursue compensation that considers the child’s anticipated needs as they grow into adolescence and adulthood. We believe a financial recovery should help protect the child’s future, not merely address the expenses incurred immediately after the accident.
Compensation for a Child’s Medical Care and Future Needs
When a child suffers a serious injury, the financial consequences can affect the entire household. Parents may miss work to attend medical appointments, provide care, or remain with their child during hospitalization. Families may face travel expenses, additional childcare needs, and disruptions to their daily routines.
Depending on the circumstances and Tennessee law, compensation associated with a child’s injury may include:
- Emergency treatment and hospitalization
- Surgery, medications, and specialist care
- Physical, occupational, and speech therapy
- Future medical treatment and rehabilitation
- Assistive equipment and accessibility modifications
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Permanent impairment and loss of enjoyment of life
- Diminished future earning capacity
The legal distinction between a child’s damages and expenses recoverable by a parent can be important. Our attorneys help families understand how these claims may be pursued and how the resulting compensation can be protected.
For children with permanent disabilities, the potential cost of lifetime care may be substantial. We work to pursue recoveries that reflect the long-term consequences of the injury and the resources necessary to support the child’s well-being.
Protecting a Child’s Settlement and Financial Future
Personal injury claims involving minors have special legal considerations that do not ordinarily arise in adult injury cases. For one, children generally cannot enter into binding settlement agreements in the same manner as adults. Tennessee law provides procedures for resolving minors’ injury claims, and court approval or other protective measures may be necessary depending on the circumstances. When a substantial settlement is obtained, the court may require arrangements to protect the child’s money until adulthood or otherwise ensure that the funds are managed for the child’s benefit. These protections are intended to safeguard the child’s financial interests.
Parents should also be cautious about accepting an early settlement before the full extent of a serious injury is understood. A child may face future complications that are difficult to predict immediately after an accident. Once a claim is finally resolved, additional compensation from the released parties generally cannot be obtained simply because the child’s condition later becomes more serious. Our attorneys help parents evaluate settlement options with the child’s long-term interests in mind.
Experienced Advocacy With a Personal Approach
Insurance companies approach childhood injury claims differently from adult cases, particularly when future medical expenses, permanent disability, or reduced earning capacity are involved. An insurer might argue that a child will recover fully, that future complications are speculative, or that projected lifetime expenses are excessive.
Joe Weir and Tony Kestner understand how insurance companies assess these claims because both previously worked in insurance defense. They use that experience to advocate for compensation that reflects the seriousness of a child’s injuries and the potential consequences for the years ahead.
At Weir & Kestner Injury Lawyers, we also understand how important communication and personal attention are to parents during a difficult time. When you contact our firm, you can speak with an attorney promptly about your concerns. Every case receives a dedicated case manager who helps provide updates, answer questions, and keep the family informed. We strive to make the legal process as manageable as possible so parents can focus on caring for their children.
Our firm was founded in Rutherford County, and we are proud to serve families in the community where our practice began. We approach childhood injury cases with compassion, patience, and a commitment to protecting the people who depend on us.
Frequently Asked Questions About Child Injury Claims
Can I file a personal injury claim on behalf of my injured child?
Yes. Parents or other legally authorized representatives can generally pursue personal injury claims on behalf of minor children. The procedures differ from those used in adult injury cases, and settlement approval or protective arrangements may be required. An attorney can explain how the process works under Tennessee law.
What happens if my child’s injuries become more serious as they grow older?
Some childhood injuries produce complications that become apparent only as a child develops. When evaluating a claim, it is important to consider reasonably anticipated future medical treatment, developmental difficulties, and permanent limitations. A final settlement generally prevents additional claims against the released parties, making careful consideration of future needs especially important.
Can my child receive compensation for emotional trauma after an accident?
Yes. Children may experience anxiety, nightmares, fear of riding in vehicles, or other emotional difficulties following a traumatic accident. When these effects are attributable to the incident, they may support compensation for emotional suffering and related treatment, subject to applicable Tennessee law.
Does Tennessee’s one-year personal injury deadline apply to children?
Tennessee has a one-year statute of limitations for personal injury claims, but special rules can extend the filing period for minors. Important exceptions and separate deadlines may apply, including to claims belonging to parents. Families should not assume they can safely wait until a child turns 18 to pursue compensation.
Who receives the money if my child’s injury claim is successful?
Compensation belonging to the child is intended for the child’s benefit. Depending on the amount and circumstances, Tennessee law may require court approval and arrangements such as restricted accounts, conservatorships, or other methods of protecting settlement proceeds. The appropriate structure depends on the particular case.
Contact Our Murfreesboro Child Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
When your child has been seriously injured, your family’s priority should be helping them heal and protecting their future. You should not have to face the financial consequences of another person’s negligence without experienced legal support.
At Weir & Kestner Injury Lawyers, we help parents pursue compensation for their children’s medical treatment, pain and suffering, permanent disabilities, and anticipated future needs. We understand the trust involved in representing an injured child, and we are committed to providing the compassionate, attentive service your family deserves.
Our Murfreesboro child injury attorneys proudly serve families throughout Rutherford County and Middle Tennessee. Contact Weir & Kestner Injury Lawyers today to schedule a free consultation. We will listen to your concerns, explain your family’s legal options, and work to protect your child’s future. There is no attorney fee unless we obtain compensation for your family.