Why car crash injuries suffered by children can cost more

Every parent lives in fear of somehow causing an injury to their child, yet most of them still have to engage in behaviors, like driving with kids in the car, that can put them at risk.

While cars are a necessity for many modern families, especially those with multiple children, vehicles remain a major cause of death and injury to children of all ages. In 2017, for example, more than 116,000 children suffered noteworthy injuries in crashes. You can get into a crash, possibly caused by another driver, that could leave your kids with injuries and you with a lot of expenses.

Anyone who gets hurt in a car crash can have medical bills, but injuries to children can often cost more. There are several factors that influence the expense involved with two kids.

Children are still growing, which impacts the care they get

A growing human body will have different needs than a body that has already reached full maturity. Broken bones in children, for example, could carry the risk of damage to the growth plate, which could result in uneven bone maturation as a child develops.

Growing bodies can also have greater risks for scars and will experience severe hardship after lesser amounts of blood loss when compared with adults. Additionally, children may require more intensive therapy to help them overcome experience because of an injury. They may also require multiple rounds of reparative or cosmetic surgery to address scarring and tissue damage as they continue growing.

The best specialists in pediatric trauma care will also likely be able to command a premium for the services that they provide, which can mean medical care for kids can be more expensive than similar treatments for adults.

An injured child may require a parent to stay home

In addition to medical bills, a child with an injury from a car crash can mean expenses in the form of lost wages. Appearance might be out of work for several weeks or might even have to quit their job and later re-enter the job market, resulting in the long-term diminishing of their earning potential.

The more severe the injuries, the more likely it is that full-time support from a parent will be necessary during convalescence. Your family needs to seriously consider the potential financial impact of an injury before you make any decisions about offers from an insurance company or what kind of compensation you should seek.