- Poisoning
- Falls
- Car crashes
- Burns
- Struck by object
The DOH also tracks fatal child injuries. Looking at the same period from 2009-13, there were 788 child deaths in Washington State, an average of 157.6 a year.
Most children were killed due to the following things:
- Suicide
- Car crashes
- Homicide
- Suffocation
- Drowning
Child Injury Statistics In The United States
No parent wants to see his or her child suffer, particularly when the injury was preventable. And these cases can be difficult and time consuming to pursue in the legal arena. Most of the time, the adversary is a powerful insurance company that is willing to bankroll an aggressive and time-consuming defense (even when the case involves a seriously injured child).
When a child has been seriously injured, the parents are often both angry and sad, sometimes filled with guilt, and basically overwhelmed with the legal process that may ensue.
Here are some additional types of child injuries in the United States:
Car accidents: By far the most common type of injury accident involving children are those that also involve motor vehicle collisions. According to the National Center for Statistics and Analysis (NCSA), nearly 250,000 children are injured every year in car accidents.
Pedestrian accidents: Pedestrians account for about 30 percent of all traffic fatalities involving children under the age of 15 years.
Bicycle accidents: More than 70 percent of children ages 5 to 14 (27.7 million) ride bicycles. This age group rides 50 percent more than the average cyclist, accounting for 21 percent of all bicycle-related deaths and nearly 50 percent of all bicycle-related injuries.
Dog bites: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are an estimated 68 million dogs kept as pets in the United States. There are more than 1 million dog bites reported each year. Of the one million or so dog bites reported each year, about 60 percent involve an injury to a child.
Playground injuries: The CDC reports that more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger are treated at emergency rooms each year for playground-related injuries. About 45 percent of injuries on playgrounds are severe, i.e., fractures, internal injuries, concussions, dislocations and amputations.
Swimming and water accidents: The CDC reports that there are on average nearly 10 drowning accidents occurring every day. More than one in four fatal drowning accidents involve children ages 14 and younger.
Household accidents: Home injuries are one of the top reasons why children under the age of 3 years visit the emergency room. Nearly 70 percent of children who die at home from unintentional injuries are age 4 and younger.
Medical malpractice: Some studies have shown that birth injuries occur in five out of a thousand births (0.5 percent). Most birth injuries occur when a doctor, nurse or mid-wife fail to adequately assess or respond to conditions that occur during pregnancy and/or the child’s delivery.
If Your Child Has Been Injured…
Regardless of the situation, child injuries are unique in the regard that they create a significant amount of trauma for families and loved ones. In addition, the physical and emotional trauma that injured children often suffer can take a long time to recover from, especially when the child is young.
If you or someone you know has a child that has been injured in an accident, it is likely in your best interests to explore the legal rights and options afforded to parents of injured children by contacting an experienced child injury attorney. Contact Davis Law Group Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers, to discuss your options and legal rights by calling 206-727-4000, use the chat feature below or fill out the contact form on this page for your free case evaluation.
Parents Of Injured Children Have Legal Rights
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Get your complimentary copy of “Little Kids, Big Accidents: What Every Parent Should Know About Children & Accidents” absolutely free by clicking the “Order Now” button below. Award-winning child injury attorney Chris Davis has written a series of FREE books, including one about child injury cases in Washington state. These books answer common legal questions that people and their loved ones may have about their legal rights, including how to handle your claim on your own and when you might need an attorney’s help.
The Washington Accident Books™ is a collection of books, reports, and other materials designed to educate the public about the nature of accidents and the legal rights of injury victims. The Washington Accident Books™ were created as a public service for Washington state residents and is sponsored by award-winning author and attorney Chris Davis of Davis Law Group Car Accident and Personal Injury Lawyers
