Generally, a higher level of care is observed with children in contrast to adults. This is because they are not as knowledgeable as adults in identifying right or wrong and withstanding difficult situations. This is why every caregiver and parent has to put measures to prevent every form of injury to the child. However, even with all these precautions, children sometimes encounter unfortunate situations that would leave them with injuries, one of which is an eye injury.
According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, “each year, thousands of children sustain eye damage or even blindness from accidents at home, at play or in the car.”
It is trite law that a child cannot institute an action in court by himself. This is because a child cannot handle some issues and make confident decisions. Usually, a child is someone under the age of 18 years. However, the age of a child varies in some states.
If a child should sustain an eye injury due to the act or omission of another person, the parents or guardians of the child have the responsibility to take up the case and make decisions on behalf of the child. The parent or guardian must be strong for the child and serve as unwavering support during this period. Given this, a parent or guardian must have basic knowledge of what to do in the event of an eye injury to their toddler.
What Must You Do At The Instance Of Your Toddler’s Eye Injury?
The eye is a highly delicate organ in the human body and must be treated with corresponding care. Whenever you notice any irregularities in your toddler’s eyes, you need to seek professional help immediately. Here are some of the steps to take at the instance of your toddler’s eye injury;
- Seek medical treatment
Eye injuries are accompanied by discomfort and pain. Delay in seeking treatment can be disastrous, leading to long-lasting eye defects and even blindness. Therefore, there must be concurrent medical care when any eye issue is suspected in a toddler.
Your toddler may not be able to express their discomfort. This is because a toddler is essentially a child between the ages of 1 to 3. Therefore, the medical personnel must perform necessary tests to detect the problem at hand and prescribe appropriate treatments.
- Hire a child personal injury attorney
When a toddler sustains an eye injury because of the action or omission of another person, the case that would be instituted against the accused would be a personal injury case. This is why a child personal injury attorney must be hired. A child personal injury attorney would be well versed in relating to children and the legal aspect of court actions involving kids. After contacting the lawyer, the strategy that will be used in protecting the rights and the interests of the child must be discussed.
- Provide all necessary documents incidental to the case
According to an article by Gruber Thomas and Company titled The Vital Importance of Written Documentation in Legal Matters, “Documentation that supports one’s position is a key to resolving disputes early or proving your position to a court. On rare occasions, it can help your attorney persuade the opposition at a pre-trial mediation or other conferences.”
When a toddler sustains an eye injury, there will be resultant medical care. Therefore, in laying a foundation for the case, the court will require medical reports and test results. Without this, the case will have no merits.
In addition, the parent must provide receipts showing the costs that have been incurred in the treatment of the child’s injury. With this, it becomes easy to prove financial loss and receive compensation that will cover previous and future costs of treatments.
- Make use of demonstrative evidence.
While dealing with injuries that involve the eye, it is vital to use demonstrative evidence in the form of legal animation. Legal animation will assist the attorney and your expert witness to demonstrate how the injury occurred to the eyes and the short-term and long-term effect of such injury with and without treatment. If you want to be the hero in your toddler’s case, you have to use an undisputed form of evidence, which is legal animation.
