Anyone with children will know that they can acquire a multitude of cuts, bruises and other injuries very easily through play, rough and tumble. The idea of being accused of harming your child is a nightmare scenario for parents, but for some it can become a painful reality if their child has cuts, bruises or other physical injuries that cannot be explained. In these cases, parents can be accused of inflicting non-accidental injuries.
Non-accidental injury (NAI) is an umbrella term which can be used to discuss various physical injuries or abuses such as Non-accidental head injury (NAHI), Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) and the triad – a collection of symptoms (subdural haematoma, retinal haemorrhage and brain swelling). There are many more injuries that come under NAI, and we are just naming a small minority of these injuries.
If non-accidental injury of a child is suspected due to in injury with no explanation or with an explanation that is not accepted by doctors, children’s services will usually become involved and care proceedings will be started by your Local Authority. In the first instance, they will try to place your child with a relative (such as grandparents) but if this is not possible, or if arrangements are not adhered to, your child may be placed into foster care.
It is important to have legal advice at this time to ensure the best interests of your child are upheld, as well as to help you to understand the process.
We as solicitors, will thoroughly investigate the case with the goal of proving that you were not at fault and did not deliberately cause injuries to your child, as well as reuniting your family.
