Playground Injury Lawyer
We send our children to playgrounds with the expectation that they’ll have a great time. We expect them to run, shout, play with friends, laugh and burn off some of the boundless energy that children are blessed with. We even expect, on occasion, a scraped knee or a minor bump or bruise.
But as our kids run toward their favorite swing or slide, we have other expectations, too…expectations so basic we rarely talk about them. For example:
Expectations of safety on playgrounds
- We expect playground equipment to be properly designed, installed and maintained.
- We expect playgrounds at schools or daycare centers to be properly supervised.
- We expect playgrounds to be free of litter, broken glass, and rusted or damaged equipment.
- We expect playgrounds to meet the safety standards suggested by the American Society for Testing and Materials or the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Unfortunately, sometimes our expectations are not met. Our kids don’t always have fun at the playground. Even worse, sometimes the people we trust to keep our children safe on playgrounds don’t live up to their responsibilities – and our kids wind up hurt.
The unhappy truth is this: if your child suffers an injury on a playground, it might have been avoidable. A third party might be at fault.
Types of playground-related injuries
The Center for Disease Control estimates that over 200,000 children are brought to the emergency room for playground-related injuries each year. About 45% of these injuries are severe: bone fractures, internal damage, brain injuries, dislocations and amputations.
Frighteningly, about 15 children die annually of playground-related injuries. The majority of these deaths are caused by strangulation. Most other fatalities result from head or neck injuries.
Causes of playground-related injuries
Playground injuries can be caused by a number of circumstances. Negligent design, installation, or maintenance of playground equipment are among the most frequent causes. The number one common cause of playground injuries is negligent supervision of play, particularly at schools.
How to keep your child safe on the playground
- Ensure your child stays on age-appropriate play structures
- Never allow your child to play on rusted, broken, or unstable equipment
- Inspect equipment for protruding bolts, nails, and splinters
- Don’t allow your child to wear a scarf, hood, jacket or sweatshirt with drawstrings, as these can become tangled in the equipment and result in strangulation.
- Make sure the ground surface is covered with soft or pliant material, such as rubber, mulch, or sand, to cushion a fall.
- Supervise your child at all times.
Has your child been injured on the playground? Contact an attorney.
If you believe your child’s playground-related injury may have been caused by the negligence of others, contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you determine whether you have a viable legal claim.
Peter Ventura is a personal injury lawyer dedicated to helping families in the Massachusetts area recover compensation for their child’s playground-related injuries. Call for a free consultation today at 508-755-7535.