A child being hit by a car is the kind of event that can leave a parent struggling to think clearly. There may be injuries to deal with, doctors to call, questions from police, and an insurance company asking what happened. It can all feel like too much at once. Pedestrian crashes remain a serious safety problem here in San Jose and across the United States. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 7,080 pedestrians were killed and more than 71,000 were injured in traffic crashes across the U.S. in 2024. Children are among the pedestrians who can be especially vulnerable around traffic. 
If your child has been injured, these are some of the steps worth taking as soon as possible.
1. Get Your Child Medical Attention
Even if your child appears to be doing well after the accident, getting medical attention is important. Some injuries may not be obvious immediately, particularly when a child is frightened or unable to explain exactly what they are feeling. A doctor can check for injuries and determine whether additional care or monitoring is needed. Follow the medical team’s instructions and keep records of appointments, treatments, prescriptions, and bills.
Do not assume that a minor-looking injury will stay minor. Head injuries, broken bones, soft tissue injuries, and other problems may become clearer as time passes. Medical records can also become important if you later decide to pursue a personal injury claim and need to show how the accident affected your child.
2. Report the Accident and Keep the Records
If police responded to the accident, ask how you can obtain a copy of the report. If the crash has not been reported and reporting is appropriate, make sure the incident is documented.
Write down what you remember while the details are still fresh. Note where the accident happened, the time, weather conditions, traffic signals, and what you saw before and after the collision. If there were witnesses, keep their names and contact information. Take photographs of the location, the vehicle involved, visible injuries, clothing, damaged property, and anything else that may help explain what happened. A child may not be able to give a complete account of the accident, especially if they are young or shaken. Other evidence can therefore become particularly useful.
3. Keep Track of How the Injury Affects Your Child
A pedestrian accident can affect much more than a child’s immediate medical treatment. Your child may miss school, sports, activities, or time with friends while recovering. Depending on the injury, they may need help with everyday tasks or require follow-up treatment for weeks or months.
Keep a simple record of these changes. Save school communications, medical instructions, receipts, and records of treatment-related travel. If you have to miss work to care for your child, keep documentation of that as well. In a personal injury claim, these details can help show the wider effect of the accident instead of focusing only on the first hospital or doctor’s bill.
4. Understand Your Legal Options
A child who is injured because of another person’s negligence may have a personal injury claim. The circumstances matter, though. The driver may be responsible, but other factors can affect how liability and compensation are determined.
For families who need help evaluating the situation, a pedestrian accident lawyer in San Jose can review the accident, available evidence, injuries, and insurance issues to explain what legal options may be available. The pedestrian accident guidance from Habbas & Associates notes that the severity and type of injuries can play an important role in evaluating a personal injury claim.
Even when there are no broken bones or head injuries, missed work, medical expenses, transportation costs, and other losses resulting from the accident may also create valid grounds for a claim. Your lawyer can assess the circumstances and help determine whether you may have grounds for a personal injury claim and which losses you may be able to recover.
5. Be Careful When Speaking With the Insurance Company
Insurance companies may contact the family soon after an accident. They may ask for a statement, request medical records, or want to discuss a settlement.
It is understandable to want to cooperate, but parents should be careful about making statements before they understand the full situation. Do not guess about what happened or minimize your child’s injuries simply because they seem better on a particular day. You also do not have to decide immediately whether an early settlement offer is fair. Your child’s medical needs may not be fully known yet.
If an insurer is asking questions about the accident or your child’s injuries, consider getting legal advice from your accident attorney before agreeing to anything. A lawyer can review the circumstances, explain your options, and help protect your child’s interests during discussions with the insurance company.
6. Give Your Child Time to Recover
After a frightening accident, parents naturally want to see their child return to normal as quickly as possible. But recovery does not always happen on a fixed schedule. Follow medical advice about school, physical activity, sports, and other activities. Pay attention to changes in your child’s behavior or mood and mention concerns to their healthcare provider.
Children may also have difficulty talking about what happened. They might become nervous around traffic, avoid crossing streets, or feel anxious about riding in cars. Emotional recovery can take time too.
Final Thoughts
A pedestrian accident can turn an ordinary day into a stressful period for the entire family. The immediate priority is your child’s health, but documenting what happened and understanding your legal options can also protect your family later.
Get medical care, preserve evidence, keep track of expenses and changes in your child’s daily life, and be careful when discussing the accident with insurers. If another person’s actions caused the crash, getting legal advice early can help you understand what steps make sense for your child’s situation.
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