Daycare Accidents
Many parents and guardians trust daycares to keep their children safe from harm while they are at work; the reality is that daycare accidents do happen. Curious, active children can easily end up breaking a bone, getting a concussion or simple cuts and bruises. When a child is injured badly enough that a trip to the hospital or doctor is warranted, the family may be left wondering who is responsible for the bill. Certainly some accidents are unavoidable but many more could be prevented if daycare employees were more consistently vigilant in following safety guidelines, eliminating hazards and supervising closely.
If your child was injured at a daycare facility and you think the daycare facility or its employees were responsible for the accident, you may benefit from calling a qualified daycare accidents lawyer. The attorney will let you know if you have a case and get to work fighting for the compensation you deserve.
Daycare Accidents: Statistics
According to the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, more than 4.2 million non-fatal injuries were recorded for children at daycare facilities between the ages one to four in 2001 and 2002. Of those accidents, almost 42 percent (more than 1.7 million) were the result of unintentional falls.
Unintentional childhood injuries cost billions of dollars every year in lost productivity and temporary and lifetime medical spending. Many of these injuries could be prevented with better education, environment, product changes and legislation.
Daycare Accidents: Negligence
Whether your child attends a daycare facility run by a corporation, an in-home day care, or a nanny or babysitter comes to your house; each owes a “duty of care” to protect the children they are watching. This means that caretakers can be held responsible for injuries that take place due to negligence – when the duty of care was broken. Negligence can look like inadequate supervision or unsafe facility conditions such as protruding nails on a play set, among other things.
Common Daycare Hazards:
- Wet floor
- Unsafe playground equipment
- Loose handrails on staircases
- Falling objects
- Shelving or TVs not secured to the wall
- Ladders or other cleaning equipment not properly stored
- Chemicals in unlocked cupboards
- Medications not properly stored
- Unsafe or defective toys
- Lack of supervision
- Unsafe parking areas or walkways due to snow, ice, holes, etc.
- Clutter in walkways
- Uneven or crumbling hallways, walkways and doorways
- Access to a swimming pool without supervision
In all of these situations, the accident could have been prevented. There are, in fact, safety rules in place for licensed childcare facilities to reduce the risk of daycare accidents. Always look for a licensed daycare facility to send your child. If your child does experience a daycare accident, the facility or caregiver is legally obligated to report the incident to the parents.
If you or a loved one were injured in an accident, you have enough to deal with. Let an experienced accident attorney fight for the full compensation that you deserve. It is not uncommon to receive a settlement from the insurance company that is five to ten times bigger with the help of a lawyer. Call the caring accident attorneys at Tario & Associates, P.S. in Bellingham, WA today for a FREE consultation! We have been representing residents of Whatcom County, Skagit County, Island County and Snohomish County since 1979. You will pay nothing up front and no attorney fees at all unless we recover damages for you.
