Syracuse, New York Vehicular Heatstroke Accidents

Jed Dietrich, Esq., Recognized as a Super Lawyer and American Institute of Trial Lawyers Litigator of the Year, is Committed to Defending the Rights of Syracuse Families. If Your Child or Another Loved One Was Injured After Being Left Unattended in a Hot Car, You Deserve Effective, Aggressive Representation, and a Vehicular Heatstroke Attorney Willing to Fight for Your Rights.

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Syracuse can sometimes be a city of extremes.

If you have ever spent a winter in Central New York, you probably already know that Syracuse is one of the coldest, snowiest cities in the country. However, as low as the mercury might dip in the depths of winter, it can soar to the opposite extreme in summer. In the warmer months, temperatures can rise above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, with triple-digit days no longer the rarity they once were.

Hot days, just like their colder counterparts, can be dangerous.

For young children, vulnerable adults, and senior citizens, one of the most dangerous parts of summertime is vehicular heatstroke. On a pleasant, 70-degree day, the interior of a car sitting in direct sunlight can heat up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit within an hour. At this kind of extreme temperature, heatstroke can happen within minutes, potentially causing a loss of consciousness, permanent organ damage, or worse.

If your child or another loved one was left inside a hot car, you should not have to pay the cost of recovery out of your own pocket. Filing a personal injury lawsuit could help offset your losses and ensure that your family has the money needed to face the future with confidence.

For more than 25 years, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has filed, fought, and won cases like yours. A recognized U.S. News & World Report Best Law Firm, we know what it takes to overcome a strong defense and long odds. Click here to see what our clients have to say, or look through our results to see for yourself. Call Jed Dietrich, Esq., today at 1-866-529-5334 or send us a message online to speak to a vehicular heatstroke attorney near you and schedule your 100% free, no-obligation consultation.

The Very Real Dangers Of Vehicular Heatstroke

Almost every summer, local government agencies issue warnings about the dangers of leaving pets, children, and vulnerable adults alone in hot vehicles. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation:

1. Since 1998, more than 1,000 children have died due to vehicular heatstroke;
2. In 2024 alone, 34 children died after being left unattended in hot vehicles; and
3. Over the course of an average year, about 37 children nationwide will die from pediatric vehicular heatstroke.

Heatstroke, or hyperthermia, can affect anyone when temperatures rise high.

Hyperthermia occurs when the body’s temperature goes up but either cannot or will not go back down. Sometimes heatstroke develops slowly, offering ample warning that a young child or elderly adult does not feel like themselves. However, this is not always the case. Heatstroke often strikes without announcing itself, and because it can cause mental confusion, victims may not immediately realize that they do not feel well or that something is seriously wrong.

Once hyperthermia sets in, immediate medical treatment is almost always a necessity.

Vehicular Heatstroke, Negligence, And Liability

After an accident, it is all too easy for parents to blame themselves, even if it happened during a school trip or on an ex-spouse’s watch. In the legal field, the term “duty of care” describes a principle that suggests that everyone, in different places and at different times, has a responsibility to act in a manner unlikely to cause injury to another. Parents, guardians, teachers, and nursing home aides all have their own duties of care.

Violating a duty of care can have life-altering consequences, and it could provide the basis for your family to file a personal injury lawsuit.

If you trusted somebody else with a family member’s well-being, only to have them leave your child or parent in a hot car, you could be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit. Since our founding in 2005, the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. has helped our clients in Syracuse and across the state secure more than $250 million in damages. We could help you, too. Please send us a message online or call us today at 1-866-529-5334 to speak to a personal injury lawyer near Syracuse and schedule your free, no-obligation consultation as soon as possible.

Your Potential Compensation After A Vehicular Heatstroke Accident

Heatstroke almost always constitutes a medical emergency.

Since heatstroke can affect the body, mind, and brain, recovery can be complicated and drawn out. Most healthy children, for instance, can start moving past a broken bone in a matter of weeks or months. But hyperthermia can trigger unexpected side effects and cause longer-lasting problems. Aside from upfront costs like hospital bills and ambulance fees, a young child or elderly parent may need physical rehabilitation, therapy, and other specialized treatment. Even with fantastic insurance and solid savings, the costs can take a toll, chipping away at bank accounts, retirement funds, and college savings.

You should never have to pay the price for an accident that was not your fault.

If somebody else caused a family member’s accident, you could be entitled to recover a wide range of damages. These damages could include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Your hospital bills and other medical expenses;
2. The income you lost while taking care of an injured child or parent;
3. Your loved one’s anticipated care needs;
4. The costs of physical rehabilitation and mental health counseling;
5. Physical pain and suffering;
6. Emotional pain and suffering;
7. Diminished earning potential;
8. Loss of enjoyment; and
9. Wrongful death.

Unlike many states, New York does not cap damages in most vehicular heatstroke claims.

While there are no limits on your recovery, there are strict restrictions on how long you have to take action. If you have already looked up New York’s statutes of limitation on personal injury lawsuits, you may have read that most accident victims have three years from the date of injury to file a claim. This is not always true, especially if the defendant is somebody like a teacher, a school district, or a city-subsidized transportation service. In fact, depending on the circumstances of your loved one’s accident, you may have much less than a single year to get started. If you wait too long, you could lose your rights, and you would not get a second chance.

Do not delay: contact the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. today to speak to a vehicular heatstroke attorney near Syracuse and find out how much your case could be worth.

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Call the Dietrich Law Firm P.C. immediately at 1-866-529-5334 so that our aggressive, tenacious, and hardworking personal injury lawyers can fight to obtain the best result for your personal injury claim in Syracuse, New York. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and there is never a fee until we WIN for you!

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