When Your Child Is Injured at A Friend or Relative’s House

Sadly, it seems as though there are constantly news stories involving children being injured by unsecured guns found in homes, like this recent one here in Florida, where a toddler was hospitalized after he shot himself with an unsecured gun found while at his uncle’s house. Fortunately, his condition is now listed as stable and doctors expect him to recover, but for many children each year, this isn’t the case.

Not only can the medical expenses associated with these injuries be catastrophic, but there can also be rehabilitation and even lifelong expenses associated with permanent injuries and disfigurement from incidents like these. In some instances, an injured person should consider filing a claim and initiating a premises liability case. While this can seem awkward, given that the injury may have occurred at a friend or relative’s home, these injuries can place significant financial burdens on families, and it is possible to address the issue without automatically involving a contentious court battle, as we describe below.

Figuring Out What Happened & Who Is at Fault

After ensuring that your child has received the necessary medical attention and care, determining what exactly happened and where the fault lies with the incident is typically the next step. This may be a good time to call your local lawyers for help with the process. Our injury lawyers will assist you with investigating whether you have an injury claim.  To the extent possible, discussing the incident with your child and the homeowner as soon as possible in order to find out details is of vital importance. In addition, any light that can be shed on the situation by doctors or medical experts is also invaluable—i.e. do the injuries tell us anything, for example, what was thought to be a scrape is actually a burn, or what was thought to be the flu was actually poisoning. Perhaps adults were not present when the child was injured and have assumed that the child fell while playing, when in reality they fell due to a porch or stair collapse and the doctor is able to determine this based upon the injury itself. Information provided by the doctor is of vital importance and can help fill in the blanks regarding how exactly the child obtained the injury, also providing an expert opinion that carries significant weight.

Addressing the Issue with the Homeowner & What Filing a Claim Entails

If a premises liability issue caused your child’s injuries, your premises liability lawyers will investigate the details of the incident to determine how to proceed with a claim. Homeowners owe a reasonable standard of care to keep guests on their premises safe. In this case, the homeowner uncle arguably failed to provide adequate security for the child and other visitors by ensuring that the gun was secured, and in failing to do so, the homeowner was negligent.

Not all homeowners will automatically deny responsibility; in fact, it is possible that they may offer to help pay for the child’s expenses out of pocket, especially if they recognize that the child was injured as a result of their negligence. However, if this does not occur, it is important to note that even filing a claim typically involves the homeowner’s insurance policy and not personally suing them directly.

Questions Injuries On Someone Else’s Property Florida Personal Injury & Premises Liability Lawyers

Given how expensive these injuries can be and the fact that there can also be permanent injuries and ongoing expenses, it is best to consult your local injury lawyers. Our premises liability lawyers do not charge a consultation and we will immediately help you investigate the incident to determine if you have a claim. Feel free to contact our Jacksonville premises liability attorneys at the office of Douglas & Douglas, Attorneys at Law if you have any questions about these issues or any other personal injury concerns.

Resource:

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