Few things are as tragic as childhood injuries caused by car accidents. Children are often passengers in vehicles and when cars collide, children are far more likely to be seriously injured in the ensuing accident. Due to their smaller body size, children are more likely than adults to sustain life-threatening or fatal injuries.

Children who are in car accidents can sustain many serious injuries, including head injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones, burn injuries, and other injuries. Since children are smaller, some injuries may affect them more. For example, in the event of a fire after a car accident, it is easier for a child to sustain serious burn injuries over a larger part of their body, simply because their body surface is so much smaller. In the event that children are thrown in a car during a collision, their smaller body weight may cause them to be thrown around the interior of a vehicle much more than an adult. One reason children may deserve a larger compensation, therefore, is because their injuries are more likely to be severe.

Another reason why children may deserve a larger compensation after a car accident is because their injuries are more likely to be long-lasting. Since children are still growing, they may experience some complications from some car-related injuries. For example, a severe burn injury may affect the way a child’s muscles or tissue grows and develops. Since the tissue is still growing, this can affect how effectively the burned area recovers after an accident.

Some experts also argue that children deserve more compensation after a car accident injury because more than one person is affected by the injury. When an adult is injured, he or she may lose wages because he or she is seeking medical care. While a child with similar injuries also loses school time, the guardians of the child must lose wages and work time as they travel to and fro with the child to seek medical care. A larger compensation amount can help defray this additional cost.

Some people argue that children should receive more compensation after a car accident injury because children may suffer more after an injury. While adults may rationalize or explain away some of the fears and anxiety after an accident, children lack the emotional maturity to find reasons for an accident. They are also less likely to withstand pain easily.

Children may also deserve a larger compensation from a car accident because a car accident and permanent injury may affect their ability to earn a wage. An adult who has sustained injuries in an accident may find their ability to earn a wage stymied temporarily or permanently, but children have not had a chance to find jobs or a career. It is difficult to estimate how much a child may have earned had he or she not been in an accident. Some experts argue that children should receive larger settlements because the compensation should compensate for a lifetime of possible wage earnings.