Children are naturally curious, which can lead to minor lacerations or abrasions. However, some of these are severe and can cause lasting damage, especially if they affect your child's face or eyes. Some lacerations or abrasions appear dramatic due to the amount of blood involved but are quite minor when cleaned up. Others appear minor but will not stop bleeding or become infected, requiring medical intervention. Lacerations and abrasions on the face can cause permanent scars if not treated properly.
If your child suffered a laceration or an abrasion which you think was caused by someone else's negligence or through an animal attack, contact the California child injury attorneys at Woods Williford, P.C. today at (888) 340-2440.
Lacerations
A laceration is a tear in the skin caused by an injury, usually blunt force trauma. If your child's laceration is more than half an inch long or is located on the face, they may need stitches to stop the bleeding and reduce scarring. Contact your child's doctor or take your child to the emergency room. Your child may require a tetanus shot or treatment for infections to prevent serious complications.
Major bleeding that cannot be stopped is a medical emergency, so call 911 immediately. If blood is spurting out of the wound, your child may have cut an artery, which can cause them to lose a large amount of blood very quickly, leading to death. Deep cuts to the abdomen, chest, neck, or head, such as cuts from a knife, are also serious medical emergencies that require an immediate call to 911.
Your child's doctor may perform an X-ray, CT scan, or ultrasound to determine if your child has debris embedded in the laceration or deep tissue damage. Lacerations to the face, especially near the eye, always require medical intervention.
Call your child's doctor if you are unsure of the date of your child's last tetanus vaccination or if your child has not had the vaccination in more than five years.
Abrasions
An abrasion is a superficial rub to your child's skin that may bleed, bruise, or swell. Abrasions can be extremely painful, especially if they cover a large area of the body, such as an entire limb.
Your child's abrasion could have debris embedded and may become infected. The doctor should check for deeper injuries under the abrasion, such as damage to blood vessels, tendons, or nerves. The wound may require stitches or a skin adhesive to heal with the least amount of cosmetic damage.
Children less than one year old should see a doctor for any abrasion, but for a child of any age, contact your child's doctor or take your child to the emergency room. Like lacerations, your child may need a tetanus shot or treatment for infections.
Contact a California Child Laceration/Abrasion Injury Attorney
If your child was injured and suffered a laceration or an abrasion which was caused by someone else's negligence in California, contact Woods Williford, P.C. for experienced legal representation.
While most lacerations and abrasions are minor injuries, some require medical intervention to heal and others may cause permanent scars. Our team fights for just compensation for your child's injuries. Call us today at (888) 340-2440 or fill out our online form for a free consultation.