As a parent, you always want your child to feel safe and protected. When they are in pain, it will break your heart, and it’s hard to know what to do. If your child was hurt and you believe another person is to blame, contact a child injury lawyer at Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C.
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Child Injuries
Attorneys for Child Injury Claims in New York
When your child is injured because someone was careless, reckless, or intentionally malicious, you deserve to know your options. You may have the right to pursue compensation on their behalf. With the help of an experienced New York City personal injury attorney, you can hold the other person’s school or business liable for the harm they have caused. Your decision to pursue justice may also protect other children from similar harm in the future.
At Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C., we are here to answer your questions and seek a result that will set things right. With decades of skill and experience, we know what you are going through and how to help your injured child.
Contact us online or call 212-490-5700 to schedule a free, no-risk case evaluation. There are no up-front costs, and you owe nothing unless you recover compensation.
Common Causes of Child Injuries in New York City
At Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C., we are here to represent your child’s best interests if they suffer harm due to someone else’s carelessness, recklessness, or malicious conduct. There are several types of common child injuries in new york.
School Injuries
When your child is on school property, they—and you—should not have to worry about hidden dangers. They should be safe to roam the halls, classrooms, cafeteria, gym, and playground. If your child is harmed because while on school property, you should talk with us right away.
Additionally, your child may have been harmed because of a student, teacher, or administrator’s actions. If you believe someone in a position of authority hurt your child, or that another child injured your child because someone was negligent, contact us about your options. Depending on the circumstances, you may have a claim against the individual or school district.
Daycare Injuries
Like many parents, you trusted your child to a daycare facility. You may have needed childcare while you worked, or you may have felt it was an important place for your child to gain social skills. While your child is at the daycare facility, you should never have to worry about their safety.
The daycare should be appropriately licensed and staffed with adults who maintain a clean and safe environment and who properly supervise and care for the children. Unfortunately, our child injury attorneys have handled many cases in which children are harmed due to lack of supervision or poorly trained daycare staff. Call us right away if your son or daughter was harmed at daycare. You may have a claim against an individual or the business.
Child Abuse and Molestation
While an injury to a child can arise because of an adult’s carelessness, we also represent children who suffered injuries due to egregious and criminal behavior. If your child was physically or sexually abused by an adult and suffered physical and psychological injuries, call us immediately. While criminal prosecution will be up to the prosecutor in a separate criminal case, you may have a civil personal injury claim against the individual in question, a school, or a church.
Child Injuries From Car Accidents
Car crashes often lead to child injuries when young passengers are in the vehicle. When another car, truck, bus or other vehicle collides with yours, causing your son or daughter harm, contact us right away to discuss your options for recovering much-needed compensation. Additionally, if your child was hurt while riding a school bus, a child injury lawyer will thoroughly investigate the crash to determine if the bus driver was at fault, and if so, whether you have a claim against the school district.
Types of New York Child Injuries
Young children can suffer severe injuries when adults are careless, inattentive, or negligent. Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C. has helped countless families pursue compensation after their sons or daughters suffered:
- Broken bones
- Serious cuts
- Choking or asphyxiation
- Drowning
- Lead poisoning
- Concussions
- Moderate to severe traumatic brain injuries
- Knee Injuries
- Shoulder Injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Paralysis
- Burns
- Amputations
- Degloving
- Dental injuries, loss of adult teeth
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Other psychological trauma
Who is Liable For Your Child’s Injuries?
When your child was injured at school, daycare, or an extracurricular activity, it is important to talk with a lawyer about who is liable and how to hold them accountable. Your first instinct will obviously be to target the specific adult that you believe is responsible. We may undoubtedly file a lawsuit against that individual; however, in many child injury cases, the at-fault adult ‘s actions are indicative of other negligent and pervasive practices, making their employer liable also.
Depending on the circumstances surrounding your child’s injuries, you may have the right to file suit against:
- Public school districts
- Private schools
- Daycare facilities
- Churches
- Private businesses
- Sports organizations
- Boy and Girl Scout
- Bus Companies
- Non-profits
- Municipalities
- Public and private swimming pools
- Camps
- Park districts
Don’t wait to learn who’s ultimately liable for your child’s injuries. Contact us as soon as possible.
Claims Against New York School Districts
The New York City Department of Education governs the city’s public school system. If your child was injured while at a public school or on other school district property, you may have the right to pursue compensation due to:
- Bullying that escalated to physical violence
- Unsafe property conditions
- Negligent supervision
- Physical abuse
- Sexual abuse
The school district is a government agency, which means specific rules and procedures apply to injury claims against it. If you wish to pursue a claim, you need to file a Notice of Claim within 90 days of your child sustaining an injury, or of you learning of your child’s injuries. You might not have learned of your child’s injuries right away if they suffered physical or sexual abuse by someone at school.
This Notice of Claim is not the same as filing a lawsuit. By filing the notice with the appropriate government agency, you allow that agency time to respond and resolve the issue before going to court. Also, the 90-day time limit is not a statute of limitations. You have a longer period to file a lawsuit if the at-fault agency does not resolve your claim. However, filing a timely Notice of Claim is required prior to filing a lawsuit.
It is essential that you work with an experienced lawyer if your child is hurt at school or during an after-school activity. Many procedural rules apply in these circumstances that do not apply in other personal injury claims, including the rule that you must identify the specific appropriate agency. For example, if you file a claim against New York City and not specifically against the Department of Education, your claim could be dismissed.
What if Another Child Hurts Your Child
When another adult hurts your child, the steps you can take to hold that adult responsible are relatively clear. You may be able to file a formal complaint with that adult’s employer and file a personal injury lawsuit against the adult and, if that adult was working at the time, their employer.
However, when you discover that another minor has harmed or continuously harmed your child, you may not be sure of your options. You may wonder whether you can sue that minor’s parents.
Sometimes, it is possible to seek damages from the other child’s parents. One possibility is to file suit under New York’s Parental Responsibility Law, New York General Obligation Law §3-112, which states that parents may be liable for the actions of their child who is between the ages of 10 and 17. When a child turns 18, they are an adult and can be sued directly.
The Parental Responsibility Law applies to biological and adoptive parents and lawful guardians. However, it does not apply to foster parents. In a lawsuit based on this law, you must prove that the other parent’s child harmed yours through willful, malicious, or unlawful conduct.
Compensation in New York Child Injury Claims
Through an administrative claim against a school district or a lawsuit against another individual or business, you can pursue compensation for your child’s physical and psychological injuries as well as the financial harm resulting from their injuries.
A child injury lawyer from Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C. will fight for you and your child to receive compensation for any:
- Past and current medical expenses
- Future medical expenses
- Mental health care expenses
- Other injury-related expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Disfigurement
- Disability
- Loss of earning potential
- Loss of normal life
When your child was hurt because of an adult’s actions, it is always important to speak with a lawyer about your rights. The more severe your child’s injuries and the greater the likelihood the injuries will impact the future, the more critical it is to speak with an attorney right away and devise an aggressive strategy.
When an adult’s conduct causes your child long-term or permanent harm, we will help you fight for the maximum compensation possible. This financial recovery may be crucial in ensuring your son or daughter can obtain medical care throughout the future and will have enough to support themselves if they are now unable to work.
Call Our NYC Child Injury Attorneys Today
When you receive a call that your child has been injured, your first thought is their health and safety. This should always be your top priority. However, once your child has received the appropriate medical care and is at home recovering or stable at a hospital, the next step should be to call Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C. and schedule a free consultation with a child injury attorney.
We understand how stressful this situation is, and how important it is to provide clear, concise information. Once we ascertain what happened, we will advise you of your right to file a Notice of Claim against a government agency or to immediately file a personal injury lawsuit against the at-fault individual or business.
If your child has a valid injury claim, we will aggressively pursue compensation on your and your child’s behalf. Contact us online or call 212-490-5700 to schedule your free, no-risk consultation.
CLIENT REVIEWS
09/09/2021
When I spoke to Mr.Noah Reiss he gave me valuable legal advice. Connected the dots who and why. He is a great asset to this firm. Will call him again as a friend. Thank you so much.
5
Harendra Gautam, HKD CLIENT
08/11/2021
Ross Raggio, did an amazing job on my case. The office staff was responsive and very helpful to my questions and concerns. I had a very good experience. I highly recommend this firm.
5
patricia Carnevale, HKD CLIENT
06/22/2021
I had a great lawyer with a great Paralegal that made everything easy to understand.
5
Deniece Buffaloe, HKD CLIENT
04/01/2021
I am extremely satisfied and pleased most of all grateful for the services of Jonathan and his team! It is such a relief to have a strong team supporting you through a process that’s stressful. Thank you again for everything.
5
thabossladi87, HKD CLIENT
03/01/2021
Hetch,Kleeger & Damashek, P.C., is the law office I highly recommend. My attorney Judd Kleeger, accomplished to represent me, support my needs & secure my future after suffering a traumatic accident. Other lawyers couldn’t guarantee this to me but Judd…
5
Stephanie Campos, HKD CLIENT
02/25/2021
I can say without hesitation that if you are injured due to someone else’s fault, that no one will fight harder and more passionately for you than Jordan Hecht and Judd Kleeger. I have worked side by side with them…
5
lisa kessler, HKD CLIENT
02/23/2021
I highly recommend the law firm of Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek – as well as my attorney, Jordan Hecht. Jordan was able to answer all of my questions and put me at ease. He was always responsive and patient. He…
5
Emily Weinstein, HKD CLIENT
02/23/2021
I have referred numerous cases to Judd Kleeger and the team at HKD. I feel very confident when i refer a client that they will be treated with the highest regard. Each of my referrals has had very positive experiences…
5
Jason Bauer, HKD CLIENT
01/29/2021
I was always able to reach my attorney Judd Kleeger with any concern I had about my case. He responded timely and with the utmost courtesy to my sometimes desperate phone calls and email. He knew exactly what to do…
5
VIRGINIA BOOTHE GORDON, HKD CLIENT
01/19/2021
The attorneys at Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek are smart, professional, responsive and dedicated to achieving the best results for their clients. Most importantly, they are trustworthy and genuinely good people who you can depend upon.
5
Richard Leff, HKD CLIENT
01/18/2021
Judd Kleeger and his team are extremely competent, super professional and have achieved consistently better results than I or my clients had anticipated. He is my “go to” PI team. This was my experience over a decade and not just…
5
Larry Schatz, HKD CLIENT
01/15/2021
I have known Judd Kleeger for over a decade now. By far the smartest hardest working attorney I have ever dealt with. His advice has been spot on time and time again. Highly recommend him.
5
Michael nessim, HKD CLIENT
01/15/2021
I retained Judd Kleeger for a personal injury case. I would, without hesitation, recommend Judd, and his firm, for anyone who finds themselves in a situation that demands a tenacious advocate who will not stop fighting until he gets results.
5
Lisa Dawn Angerame, HKD CLIENT
01/15/2021
I can’t recommend Judd Kleeger enough. He is without a doubt the most professional lawyer I’ve encountered. Judd Kleeger is diligent and quick in his responses, always making sure his clients are in the right hands. I’ve never had to…
5
Emily Halperin, HKD CLIENT
01/14/2021
Judd Kleeger is an exceptional attorney who makes sure to get the best possible outcome for his client. He is always available, and is knowledgeable, prepared and dedicated to his clients. He is not afraid to go to trial and…
5
Didi Hutt, HKD CLIENT
01/14/2021
Mr. Judd Kleeger and his team at Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek are great! They always provide very thoughtful and caring advice. Mr. Kleeger is extremely professional and very easy to work with.
5
Alan Levine, HKD CLIENT
01/06/2021
We quickly had to get legal counsel and we contacted Jordan Hecht. The rapport and guidance was outstanding at all times, prompt, timely and open for calls and updates. I can’t thank Jordan enough for his care, work and expertise….
5
Luljeta Chisolm, HKD CLIENT
12/29/2020
Had a great experience with attorney Ross Raggio. He was professional and attentive every step of the way – would highly recommend.
5
Carter Martin, HKD CLIENT
12/28/2020
Mr. Ross Raggio and his team at Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek, P.C., provided excellent legal services. His team and him were absolutely great, always returning calls or emails when we had questions about the case. Always very cordial, caring and…
5
Marisol Pitre, HKD CLIENT
12/11/2020
My wife and i are very grateful to Mr. Jordan Hecht for his sincere compassion and legal assistance during one of the most challenging time in our lives. He was extremely professional and answered all of our concerns. Mr. Hecht…
5
peggy lamarre, HKD CLIENT
12/10/2020
Very professional and very responsive. I would highly recommend this firm to anyone in need of an attorney. The attorney Ross Raggio, who was personally assigned to my case consistently followed through and was able to bring the case to…
5
Rene David Alkalay, HKD CLIENT
12/08/2020
Mr. Ross Raggio went above and beyond to settle my case during the height of the pandemic, a time when my options appeared limited and the likelihood of a satisfactory resolution seemed slim. He was responsive and professional, and was…
5
Kjanecaron, HKD CLIENT
12/07/2020
I was a sole practitioner specializing in personal injury law in NYC for more than 36 years. When I decided to retire, I had to make several critical decisions before terminating my practice. To whom should I refer my clients…
5
Martin Munitz, HKD CLIENT
12/07/2020
Ross was always available and working with my best interests, also very thorough with any questions I had along the case. Will recommend to others!
5
Dan Greenberg, HKD CLIENT
12/04/2020
Jordan Hecht of Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek is the best lawyer I’ve ever worked with. He is smart, tough, and very professional. I highly recommend the firm and could not have asked for a better outcome.
5
Ben S, HKD CLIENT
12/03/2020
The HKD law firm is highly professional, responsive and caring. They were willing to handle my case when other firms declined. Not only did we win our case, but received a huge settlement.
5
Linda Winikoff, HKD CLIENT
12/03/2020
My representation by Jordan Hecht and the whole staff at Hecht, Kleeger and Damashek was top notch professional and very productive
5
Peter Visconti, HKD CLIENT
12/02/2020
I have had the pleasure to work alongside Ross Raggio on several matters. He is an extremely talented attorney with an exceptional understanding of the law. I would recommend him and HK&D to anyone looking for a personal injury attorney.
5
Robert Dallas, HKD CLIENT
12/02/2020
I came to know the firm through my relationship with one of the partners, Jordan Hecht. Jordan and I became close friends in law school. I have since referred several cases to Jordan and his firm ranging from a mesothelioma…
5
Jeffrey Jagid, HKD CLIENT
12/02/2020
From the moment that I contacted this Law firm and got assigned Mr. Ross. They have been nothing but helpful, Especially Mr. Ross. In the time that Mr. Ross took my case, it took him 3 months to a get…
5
Kelvin Morel, HKD CLIENT
01/21/2020
I cannot speak highly enough about this firm. The situation that necessitated my need for legal representation was very stressful on me and my family and the lawyers here were with me every step of the way. I could always…
5
David Irwin, HKD CLIENT
07/05/2015
I retained Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek for a serious personal injury case. They were very professional and managed to obtain a settlement for me that far exceeded my expectations. I would strongly recommend this firm for anyone’s legal needs.
5
Peter M., HKD CLIENT
07/05/2015
After meeting a half dozen lawyers at different firms, I decided to go to Hecht, Kleeger and Damashek. As soon as I met Jon Damashek, I knew I had to look no further. Mr. Damashek made me feel at ease…
5
Michael R., HKD CLIENT
07/05/2015
After meeting with Jon Damashek I knew immediately he was the right attorney for me. I had met with other attorneys in the past, but Jon’s experience, knowledge, and track record were most impressive. I highly recommend Jon Damashek and…
5
Ryan G., HKD CLIENT
07/05/2015
I know all three named partners at this firm and highly recommend them. They are very professional and tireless advocates for their clients. If you need a personal injury attorney, you cannot do better than Hecht, Kleeger & Damashek.
5
Eric G., HKD CLIENT
07/05/2015
I have worked with countless attorneys over the years and Jon Damashek stands out among them. I have seen first hand him advocate for his clients vigorously. He fights for the rights of the seriously injured, does not back down…
5
Wendy B., HKD CLIENT
07/05/2015
I had the opportunity to work with Jon Damashek and had an amazing experience. I have known Jon for many years and always felt very comfortable relying on his expertise and knowledge of the law and more importantly his ability…
5
Steven B., HKD CLIENT
07/05/2015
I cannot recommend Jon Damashek highly enough. I attribute the favorable outcome to my case to his consummate and tireless dedication and tenacity. Just as important, he was truly there with me every step of the way. He was very…
5
Mike W., HKD CLIENT
06/05/2019
I had the opportunity of having this amazing team of lawyers work on my case. When I first met with Jordan Hecht and Michael Kusz, I really liked their energy and the spunk that they had, it meant business and…
5
Anonymous, HKD CLIENT
05/01/2015
“I had the opportunity to work with Jon Damashek and had an amazing experience. I have known Jon for many years and always felt very comfortable relying on his expertise, knowledge of the law, and more importantly – his ability…
5
Steven, HKD CLIENT
05/01/2015
“I cannot recommend Jon Damashek highly enough. I attribute the favorable outcome of my case to his consummate and tireless dedication and tenacity. Just as important, he was truly there with me every step of the way. He was very…
5
Mike, HKD CLIENT