Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog
This week a group of parents spent time in Washington, D.C., urging lawmakers to act on a law, initially introduced some five years ago, which is aimed at preventing tragic accidents by requiring rear view cameras on cars.
It has been estimated that over 1,500 kids have been killed as a result of limited visibility in blind spots. Many parents who’ve tragically lost their children in these types of accidents believe that rear view cameras may have prevented these tragedies. At least one graphic claims that up to 62 children can be hidden within a Chevy Suburban’s blind spot.
One mother recounted the tragic death of her one and a half year old son two years ago, whom she accidentally hit when she didn’t see him as she backed her car out. The car the mother was driving did have motion sensors, but did not detect her son. A week after the accident, the woman and the rest of her family got cars which were equipped with rear view cameras. She has been advocating for them to be installed in cars ever since.
The legislation that would require rear view cameras has allegedly been tabled four times, with lawmakers citing concerns over technology and additional costs. The ‘Kids and Cars‘ advocacy group claims that adding a rearview camera to a car only adds an additional $175 to a car’s sale price, and that for parents it is a small price to pay.
Additionally, these sorts of tragic accidents are not reserved solely to children, although they may be more likely to stand behind cars without realizing the potential danger. It has been estimated that similar accidents kill 1,7000 people a year.
In these types of incidents, an injured child’s parents are potentially entitled to compensation for the child’s past, present, and future medical expenses. Parents may also be able to recover additional damages arising out of the personal injury accident claims. Unfortunately, in many cases involving children, and especially in these types of cases, negligent or reckless acts can result in the death of a child. The individuals whose actions lead to the death may be legally responsible under a wrongful death action. The purpose of these wrongful death claims is to attempt to compensate family members for their tragic loss. In addition to a wrongful death claim, in some situations, a parent may also be able to bring a surival action on behalf of the child. Many of these claims can be brought regardless of the age of the child, even if he or she was older than 21.
If your child has been hurt as a result of someone else’s negligence or recklessness, contact the personal injury law firm of Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers. Our attorneys have extensive experience with the laws regarding injuries to children & minors. Call us today at 1-800-654-1949 in order to schedule your free, no obligation consultation. You can also contact us through our website.
More Blog Posts:
U.S. Supreme Court to Rule on Liability of Generic Drug Manufacturers, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, published April 9, 2013
Ford Announces Nationwide Recall of Certain Freestar and Mercury Monterey Models, Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog, published March 28, 2013