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Chicago Child Head Injury Lawyer
Compensation for Children with Head Injuries in Chicago
A dedicated child head injury lawyer from Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers helps families navigate the complex legal process after a brain injury. As experienced child injury attorneys in Chicago, we work to seek compensation and protect the child’s future.
Children are particularly vulnerable in situations involving a head injury. In 2022, approximately 2.3 million children and adolescents aged 17 years and younger in the United States had received a diagnosis of a concussion or brain injury, according to the CDC. When a traumatic brain injury affects a child, the consequences can be devastating and long-lasting.
Should You Hire a Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer?
When a child suffers a brain injury, the stakes are exceptionally high. Hiring a Chicago child cranial injury attorney ensures your family has advocates who understand pediatric medical issues and the complexities of traumatic brain injury cases.
A personal injury attorney familiar with child injuries will fight to recover damages for medical expenses, lost wages of caretakers, pain and suffering, and the full scope of lifelong needs.
Verdicts and Settlements from Our Child Injury Cases in Chicago
We understand that a traumatic brain injury can change the entire course of a child’s life, and we are dedicated to fighting for the full financial resources necessary for long-term care, recovery, and stability. Some of our notable results include:
- $7,150,000 settlement for a child injured by construction material while exiting her school.
- $4,500,000 recovery for a minor who suffered a brain injury in an ATV accident.
- $1,799,000 carnival ride injury settlement for a 6-year-old girl who fell from a slide due to missing safety equipment.
These results reflect our law firm’s commitment to securing the future needs of children who suffered serious injuries due to negligence. We approach every brain injury lawsuit with the compassion it deserves and the tenacity it requires, knowing that no family should have to face the long-term challenges of a brain injury without the financial support and justice they deserve.
Common Causes of Child Head Trauma
Children sustain brain injuries through common and everyday events, including falls from playground equipment, motor vehicle accidents, bicycle crashes, sports-related impacts, pedestrian accidents, and unsafe premises incidents. These accidents often result in head injuries requiring emergency medical care and, in severe cases, ongoing care.
Why Skull Injuries Can Have Lifelong Impacts on Developing Brains
A traumatic brain injury in a child disrupts normal brain development, leading to cognitive, behavioral, and physical deficits. Since children’s brains are still forming, even mild injuries can alter their intellectual growth, emotional regulation, and social skills permanently.
Severe brain injuries may result in lifelong disability, the need for special education, or even complete dependency on caregivers.
Brain Injury Symptoms in Children and Toddlers
Recognizing brain injury symptoms early is critical, especially in children whose developing brains are more vulnerable and who may struggle to express how they feel. Parents, caregivers, and medical professionals must watch carefully for both physical signs and subtle behavioral changes after any significant impact.
Physical and Sensory Signs:
- Headache: Children may complain of pain or pressure in the head or simply appear unusually sensitive or irritable.
- Nausea or vomiting: Persistent vomiting after a cranial injury is a red flag that requires immediate medical attention.
- Drowsiness or fatigue: Unusual tiredness or trouble staying awake could indicate a traumatic brain injury.
- Dizziness or loss of balance: Difficulty walking, frequent falls, or a wobbly gait may suggest neurological disruption.
- Blurred vision: Complaints of “fuzzy” or “double” vision could reflect swelling or damage to visual processing centers.
- Ringing in the ears: Known as tinnitus, ringing or buzzing sounds can occur after head trauma, even if no ear injury is present.
- Sensitivity to light and sound: Increased discomfort around lights or noise is a common symptom of brain injuries in children.
- Slurred speech: Difficulty forming words clearly or speaking coherently may indicate more serious damage and should be evaluated urgently.
Cognitive and Behavioral Changes:
- Confusion or disorientation: Children may seem dazed, forget where they are, or not recognize familiar people immediately after an accident.
- Difficulty concentrating: Trouble following instructions, completing tasks, or staying focused can be signs of a brain injury.
- Memory issues: Forgetting recent events, conversations, or daily routines could indicate deeper brain function disruption.
- Mood swings, irritability: Sudden outbursts, crying, anger, or withdrawal can stem from the emotional impact of a skull injury.
- Changes in sleep patterns: Sleeping significantly more or less than usual may signal that the brain is struggling to recover.
- Anxiety or depression: Emotional changes, even in young children, can appear following a traumatic brain injury and may persist without intervention.
What to Watch For in Very Young and Non-Verbal Children:
- Persistent crying: Inconsolable crying beyond normal fussiness could point to pain or disorientation from a cranial injury.
- Loss of interest in favorite activities: A baby or toddler suddenly uninterested in toys or favorite games may be signaling brain trauma.
- Changes in eating or nursing habits: Refusing food, struggling to nurse, or altered appetite may reflect nausea or discomfort.
- Changes in sleep: Sleeping excessively or being unable to settle into sleep can signal neurological issues.
- Seizures: Any seizure activity following a head wound requires immediate emergency care and evaluation for traumatic brain injury.
- Loss of newly acquired skills: Regression, such as losing the ability to crawl, walk, or form words, is a serious warning sign.
Diagnosing a Child’s Brain Injury: What Doctors Look For
Medical professionals assess the severity of brain injuries through careful observation and testing. Tools like the Glasgow Coma Scale help classify injuries as mild, moderate, or severe. CT scans detect bleeding or fractures, while MRIs provide detailed imaging of brain tissue to identify traumatic brain injury damage invisible to X-rays.
Immediate Steps to Take After a Child’s Skull Injury
Any suspected brain injury demands immediate medical attention. Even if symptoms seem mild, parents and guardians should treat all head trauma seriously. Quick action not only improves a child’s chance of full recovery but also creates crucial medical records that can support a future personal injury lawsuit if negligence plays a role. Here are the essential steps to follow:
Step 1: Seek Emergency Medical Evaluation
Take your child to the emergency room or urgent care immediately after any significant blow to the head. Symptoms can worsen quickly or may not appear right away. A prompt medical exam helps detect issues like swelling, bleeding, or fractures early.
Step 2: Monitor Symptoms Closely
Even after initial treatment, continue to observe your child for the next 24 to 48 hours. Watch for any signs of worsening confusion, persistent vomiting, difficulty waking, severe headaches, seizures, or personality changes. These can be delayed indicators of a brain injury.
Step 3: Follow All Medical Instructions Carefully
Adhere strictly to the doctor’s recommendations, whether that means bed rest, restrictions on screen time or physical activity, or follow-up appointments with specialists. Following medical guidance supports recovery and strengthens any personal injury claim.
Step 4: Document Everything
Write down the timeline of events, your child’s symptoms, treatments received, and any changes in behavior. Keep all medical bills, test results, discharge papers, and receipts related to treatment. This documentation can be vital if you decide to file for compensation.
Step 5: Contact an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney
If the head damage resulted from another party’s negligence, such as a reckless driver, unsafe premises, or defective product, it’s crucial to consult a qualified personal injury attorney. A Chicago child injury attorney can explain your legal rights, help gather further evidence, and start the process to claim financial compensation for medical costs, psychological and physical impact, and long-term care costs if needed.
The Glasgow Coma Scale and Assessing Severity
The Glasgow Coma Scale measures a child’s responsiveness in three areas: eye-opening, verbal responses, and motor responses. A low score indicates a more severe injury, guiding urgent treatment decisions. Pediatric medical experts also monitor evolving symptoms that could suggest worsening brain injury.
Long-Term Care and Rehabilitation Needs Following Brain Injury
Recovery from a brain injury typically requires a multidisciplinary approach, including:
- Physical therapy to regain strength and balance.
- Occupational therapy to relearn daily activities.
- Speech therapy for language or swallowing difficulties.
- Psychological counseling for emotional and behavioral challenges.
- Special education services to address cognitive or learning delays.
Severe injuries can require lifelong support, and families must account for these future medical expenses.
Legal Rights When Negligence Causes a Child’s Brain Injury
If negligence caused your child’s brain injury, Illinois law allows families to pursue a personal injury claim. Responsible parties may include reckless drivers, negligent property owners, product manufacturers, or daycare providers.
A personal injury attorney investigates the circumstances and builds a brain injury settlement for financial recovery.
Calculating Damages: Compensation for Lifelong Needs
Damages in traumatic brain injury settlements usually include:
- Past and future medical bills.
- Rehabilitation costs.
- Special education needs.
- Lost future earning capacity.
- Parents’ lost wages due to caregiving responsibilities.
- Pain and suffering.
- Loss of enjoyment of life.
Compensation seeks to protect the child’s future, reflecting the lifelong impact of serious bodily damage.
Why You Need Specialized Chicago Brain Injury Lawyers for Child Cases
Pediatric brain injury claims require lawyers who understand both personal injury law and child development. Experienced brain injury lawyers work with neurologists, pediatricians, therapists, and life care planners to project a child’s needs decades into the future.
Child brain injury lawyers negotiate with insurance companies, who often resist fully compensating for the profound losses associated with a serious traumatic brain injury.
How Our Firm Handles Pediatric Brain Injury Claims
Our Chicago brain injury lawyers approach each case with compassion and precision. We:
- Gather extensive medical records to document brain injury severity.
- Consult pediatric neurologists and rehabilitation experts.
- Calculate medical expenses and lost wages resulting from caregiving.
- Project the full future costs associated with lifelong care.
- Fight aggressively in negotiations or court to secure justice.
Book a Free Consultation!
If your child has suffered a traumatic brain injury due to negligence, our child head injury attorneys are ready to help. We offer a free consultation and work on a contingency basis. That means you pay no legal fees unless we recover damages on your behalf. Protect your child’s rights and future by contacting an experienced personal injury attorney today.
Every brain injury case deserves focused attention, and every child deserves the chance at a meaningful recovery.
Contact us today at (888) 424-5757 or through our online form to schedule your consultation.
All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.