As a parent, you’re likely always worrying about the safety, health, and security of your child. You may not be an expert in all situations, especially when it comes to legal issues. As the first point of defense for your child’s rights, knowing when it’s time to contact legal assistance is vital to protect them. Learning what types of attorneys are available is an excellent first step in advocating for your child’s rights and your own as a parent. From family emergencies to injuries, certain attorneys can help guide you through uncertain waters to save you time, resources, and major heartache.

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Child Abuse

Child abuse can come in many forms, from physical to emotional to sexual. Even the most protected and well-parented children can be exposed to abuse from bad actors, even community members like teachers, church leaders, or babysitters. Even when you’ve educated your child well on what to do or how to get help if an adult is near them who engages in questionable behavior, you should always know what your options are should an emergency occur. If you’re unsure whether to report abuse, find an attorney, or contact the abuser yourself, a child abuse attorney specializes in all types of cases and can help you. They can help you navigate the legal process of reporting the abuse to authorities, investigating it, and filing civil lawsuits if desired. In Belleville, Illinois, the St. Clair Juvenile Center sexual abuse lawsuit helped parents seek justice, work closely with child protective services, and prosecutors obtain evidence. If your child discloses abuse or shows signs of abuse-related trauma, it’s important to know your options and contact an attorney to help you.

Child Injury (Personal Injury)

While it’s not unusual for your children to earn a scrape or two on the playground, some injuries can be serious or occur due to the negligence of a third party. Major injuries can disrupt a child’s entire life and family, and can be doubly upsetting when they could have been avoided. From a classroom injury due to poor supervision or a car accident at the fault of a drunk driver, a personal injury attorney can help you understand your options for seeking justice and compensation when someone harms your child. Child injury attorneys are experienced in cases with minors, assisting families to pursue compensation for medical bills, pain and suffering, and long-term care. Car accidents, unsafe premises, inadequate supervision, or faulty products are some of the many circumstances where a child injury attorney can help you. Consultations are usually free, so it doesn’t hurt to discuss case eligibility.

Family Law

Divorce and custody agreements can make family life tricky for children. A divorce is emotionally trying for all families, and not knowing what your rights are when it comes to your child can be very upsetting. A family law attorney helps you and your co-parent come to an agreement when it comes to divorce, asset division, and custody schedules. These attorneys specialize in even the most complicated separations or custody battles. If you’re worried about your separation, divorce, visitation schedules, or parental rights, a qualified family attorney is the first person you should call.

Juvenile Defense

When your child reaches their teenage years, they can make some poor decisions. You don’t want these poor decisions to cost them, but it’s difficult to know where to turn. Should you help them? Should you step back and let them understand the consequences? What if they were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time? Regardless of individual circumstances, you want to make sure your child’s rights are protected, even if they make mistakes. A juvenile defense attorney fights for a minor’s rights under the law and helps them navigate the juvenile justice system more easily. These attorneys also ensure that your child is rehabilitated instead of punished. If your child is ever accused or arrested for a crime, a juvenile defense attorney can help you explore your options for rehabilitation.

Estate Planning

When you have children, you are no longer solely responsible for yourself. You need to include your children in your life plans, even when your life comes to an end. Even if you’re far away from your retirement years, accidents or emergencies can happen. You want your child to be well taken care of in case something goes wrong. It’s never too early to plan for emergencies. Planning your estate can help you decide what happens to your child in terms of guardianship and inheritance if something happens to you. Creating a will and assigning a guardian can all take place while planning your estate. The legal paperwork and filing laws can be confusing to understand; an estate planning attorney helps you fill out the paperwork, file it, and understand your options when it comes to providing care and support for your child in emergencies.

Medical Malpractice

While healthcare facilities are places that are meant to help your child prevent and heal from diseases and injuries, mistakes can happen in the medical field. If inappropriate supervision, misdiagnoses, or healthcare errors resulted in harm to your child, you’ll want to know what your rights are. A medical malpractice attorney serves as a guide for what your next steps can be, especially if you’re interested in pursuing a claim to protect other children and receive compensation for your suffering and medical expenses. Pediatric malpractice cases can be complicated, and an attorney can help represent you.

Education Law

Your child is supposed to learn and thrive at school, but inadequate staffing or a lack of resources can cause harm to your child in worst-case scenarios. If your child receives disproportionately unfair discipline or is denied basic accommodations, you have every right to be concerned. Contacting an education law attorney will help you understand your child’s rights in either a public or private school system, and can help fight for your family if something goes wrong.

Conclusion

While finding an attorney isn’t usually at the forefront of most parents’ minds, it’s smart to be prepared for emergencies and worst-case scenarios as a parent. Knowing what types of attorneys are out there who can protect your child and their rights is very important, even if you never end up utilizing their services. From divorces to abuse at school, you’ll want to know which attorneys will specialize in your case, especially when it comes to juvenile victims. Even if you don’t want to pursue a civil case, attorneys help you navigate the law, assist in investigations, and protect your rights.

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