A 6-year-old boy was seriously injured in an accident on Interstate 10 in Santa Rosa County in western Florida on Friday night. The driver of a Ford F-150 veered off the roadway onto a shoulder to avoid a vehicle directly in front that slowed suddenly. In the process, the truck’s driver from Crestview struck a tree near the road. The 6-year-old boy was in the truck at the time of the accident and was seriously injured. Minor injuries were sustained by five others, including one adult.

Injuries sustained in accidents like this can be deceptive. What first seemed to be a superficial cut or bump may progress into internal pains or symptoms like dizziness or a loss of balance. If such problems emerge later, it is very important that they are documented correctly at the time of the accident because, if they are not, there may not be a sound basis for pursuing a legal case.

In this particular instance, the driver who caused the truck to veer off the road to avoid a rear-end collision was at fault. She was charged with impeding the flow of traffic, failure to display registration and failure to provide proof of insurance. The official documentation of these charges and the police investigation is what allows a case to be made and prosecuted.

Similarly, if someone is injured in such an accident, all of the medical details must be documented properly, so the victims can bring a case to court if there is good reason. Victims of personal injury sometimes don’t know the full extent of their injuries until after the accident. Soft tissue injuries, vascular injuries and even traumatic brain injuries may not appear immediately, and yet their diagnosis and documentation is key information in a personal injury case.

And in an accident like this one where children are involved, the consequences of an injury are greater. Children’s bodies and minds are growing at a continuous rate, and untreated medical injuries could interfere with their physical, mental and social development. Having a competent Florida personal injury attorney can help cover the finances required to care for victims of auto accidents.