Children and Brain Injuries: Special Considerations for Young Accident Victims

• January 28, 2025
• Attorney David Mann
• Personal Injury

Brain injuries represent a dangerous situation for people of any age, but they’re especially dangerous for children. About 1 in 25 children receive an official diagnosis of a concussion or brain injury before age 17, according to the CDC (U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention). Such injuries can carry severe long-term consequences, because the child’s brain is still developing. Learning more about brain injuries in children can help you seek the best possible course of treatment for them.

Understanding Brain Injuries in Children

Children can suffer brain injuries in a variety of ways. A young soccer, volleyball, or football player could suffer a brain injury or concussion through the normal course of play. If a youth sports organization fails to provide the necessary safety equipment or the proper training for coaches, it could be liable for any brain injuries that occur.

Diagnosing and understanding brain injuries in children can be easier if you know how the injury occurred in the first place. Some of the most common causes of brain injuries in children include:

• Falls
• Car accidents
• Bicycle accidents
• ATV accidents
• Scooter accidents
• Sports injuries
• Child abuse.

Symptoms of Brain Injuries in Children

Children may exhibit different symptoms than adults do after an accident that causes a brain injury. A child might lash out emotionally after the injury or exhibit violence.

Some children may have fogginess or a feeling of exhaustion. Others may complain of nausea, headaches, and a ringing in the ears. A sudden inability to concentrate or to remember the accident and what occurred before it can be signs of a brain injury.

Severity of Brain Injuries in Children

According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, children commonly suffer one of three different severity levels in brain injuries.

• Concussion: Concussions cause symptoms ranging from mild to severe. A reduction in alertness for a couple of minutes to a few days is possible with a concussion.
• Contusion of the brain: A bruise on the brain is a severe brain injury, sometimes diagnosed as a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Effects of a TBI can linger for months or years. Some TBIs can result in dementia in the future or other symptoms and illnesses that never heal.
• Skull fracture: If the accident results in a skull fracture, children could suffer a puncture of the brain with severe symptoms.

Long-Term Impacts of Brain Injuries

When a child suffers a brain injury in an accident, it can affect the ability of the brain to develop as expected. The injured child may take longer to hit milestones and may struggle to achieve life goals.

Cognitive Effects

After a brain injury, you may notice cognitive issues for the child, including reduced success in school. The child may struggle to pick up new skills or may forget how to do already-mastered tasks. Sitting still and paying attention in school can be a challenge after the accident.

Problems with both short- and long-term memory are possible after a brain injury accident, too.

Physical Effects

After a severe brain injury accident, a child may lose some fine motor skills or sensory sensitivity, causing significant difficulties with mastering tasks. Brain injuries can cause the child to suffer seizures, which can result in physical damage to the brain and body that may not heal properly.

Social and Emotional Effects

You may have mental health concerns for your child after a brain injury accident. The child may need help from a professional therapist.

Behavioral problems, challenges in managing emotions, and difficulties relating to peers both in and out of school may appear after a brain injury accident. All these items require specialized medical care for the best possible results.

Seeking Specialized Care and Support for Brain Injuries

When a child suffers a brain injury, it’s important to seek specialized care and support for the child’s health. Some of the most important factors with medical care for kids with brain injuries include:

• Seeking early medical diagnosis so treatment can begin immediately
• Asking for a neuropsychological evaluation from a medical specialist
• Participating in occupational, physical, and speech therapy sessions
• Requesting support and accommodations at school for test taking and studying
• Going to a counselor for emotional support for the child and for the remainder of the family.

Legal Considerations for Child Brain Injury Cases

When a child could have significant hardships related to the brain injury accident for months and years into the future, it can affect their lives significantly. The injury may compromise the child’s ability to complete educational goals or earn a living. Even though these are long-term situations, you need to address them now if you are filing an injury lawsuit.

If another party’s negligent actions led to the injury, you may want to hire a personal injury lawyer who can help with managing all the aspects of an injury lawsuit. Some of the legal considerations for child brain injury cases include:

• Long-term finances: A successful personal injury lawsuit can give the child money that eases life in the future.
• Parents’ role: Your pediatric brain injury lawyer can explain and define your role as the parent or guardian in the pursuit of the lawsuit and in handling any money from the claim.
• Determining damages: Your attorney’s experience is invaluable in determining the proper amount to request in a damage award from the insurance company.
• Statute of limitations: Your lawyer can explain the deadlines in filing your case and can ensure the case moves forward as quickly as possible.

Our Attorneys Can Help With Understanding Brain Injuries in Children

After an accident that wasn’t your fault, one of your children may have a diagnosis of a brain injury. Understanding brain injuries in children and how such injuries can affect their long-term outlook for success in work and school is vital when deciding to hire a Georgia brain injury lawyer to bring a lawsuit against the negligent party. Because a child’s brain injury accident case can involve significantly different medical care choices than an adult’s brain injury accident case, you need a pediatric brain injury lawyer who has experience with helping children specifically.

To learn more about how the experienced team at Mann Law Firm can help with your child’s injury lawsuit, call us today at (478) 742-3381 for a free initial consultation.