It’s summer time. Children are out of school and on their bicycles all around the Kansas City area. The risk of one of them getting hurt in a collision with a car or truck is higher just because of the greater volume of traffic.
Anyone who has ever witnessed or been the victim of such an accident knows that they can cause life-altering physical damage. About the only safety gear a child is likely to have is a helmet and even that is not a certainty. It is not uncommon for a child to suffer traumatic brain injury. If negligence on the part of another is the cause of such a severe personal injury, it’s important to know your legal rights.
And now, there is some new research that suggests that even if a child fully recovers physically from the injuries suffered in a bike accident, they could suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. And the PTSD could last for as much as a year after the incident.
Those are the findings of a researcher in Sweden. She says that her studies suggest that the mere experience of being involved in an accident can sometimes be more damaging than the physical injuries.
According to this University of Gothenburg scientist, about one in three bike accident victims in one of her studies displayed PTSD symptoms up to a month after their incidents. They included stress and general fear that their lives were in danger. She says about one in six of the children experienced PTSD for up to six months afterwards.
A second study that involved polling 292 child accident victims found that 22 percent still were suffering psychological and social issues attributable to the crashes one year later.
Source: Red Orbit, “After An Injury, Many Children Can Be Affected By PTSD,” April Flowers, May 28, 2014
The legal team at Dempsey Kingsland Osteen works to ensure that the injured are fully compensated for their lasting injuries from medical malpractice or other negligence. We push for comprehensive damages that anticipate the long-term needs of our clients, rather than taking a quick settlement out of convenience.
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