Preventing Playground Accidents
With summer only a few brief months away, it’s almost time for children to be out of school and spending a great deal of time outside. Most young children love the opportunity to play on the playground, and indeed there are many benefits to playground play. Playing on a playground can help children learn to interact with peers and develop important social skills. Additionally, playgrounds initiate and facilitate physical activity, which can help keep your child healthy, strong and active. Although they have many benefits, playgrounds can be dangerous if they are not built or maintained properly, if they are used inappropriately, or without supervision. Although some accidents can’t be prevented, others may be caused by negligent behavior on the part of a homeowner, childcare provider, or playground builder or owner. If your child has been injured in a playground accident due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation.
Staying Safe
As a parent, there is nothing worse than your child suffering serious injury. While accidents can happen anywhere and to anyone, you can follow simple guidelines in order to prevent many playground accidents and injuries. First, always supervise your child when he or she is using playground equipment. This way, you can make sure your child uses the playground safely and appropriately, minimizing the risk of accident and injury.
Next, make sure your child is dressed appropriately for playground use. Loose fabric hanging off of clothing, like strings on a hooded sweatshirt or a scarf around the neck, can catch on equipment and present a choking hazard. Helmet strings may also get caught on equipment and strangle a child, so be sure your child removes his or her bicycle helmet before playing on the playground. Because falls are the most common playground accident, ensure that equipment is dry and provides proper traction before allowing your child to play. Check for soft surfaces that can help minimize injury in case of a fall. Finally, do not let your child play on equipment that is too high or otherwise inappropriate for his or her age.
Even if a parent takes every possible precaution, accidents can still happen, especially when someone has been negligent in the construction or maintenance of a playground. If your child has been injured on the playground, negligence may be to blame, and you may be entitled to compensation.
A personal injury lawyer can help you navigate the complexities of civil litigation and achieve the best possible outcome. A lawyer will collect evidence like pictures of injuries and equipment, medical records, and witness testimony. He will use this evidence to help determine if someone is to blame for your child’s injury.
When a loved one has been injured, it’s time to focus on healing. Let the experienced team of lawyers at Diamond and Diamond handle everything else so that you can focus on taking care of yourself and your child. Contact us today to begin your consultation.