Was Your Child Injured While Playing at a Playground?
Few people expect their children to be the victims of an accident, but it can happen, and many times these accidents are preventable. The parents of these children need skilled litigators who understand that children should not have to suffer as a result of another person's responsibility. Parents in the greater Salt Lake City area can turn to Younker Hyde Macfarlane, PLLC in their time of need. Our catastrophic injury lawyers are dedicated to injury victims and their families, and we will not fold before major interests or parties of influence.
One source of injury to children is playground equipment. Let's explore these matters in some detail since it's surprising to some parents (but not all) that playgrounds can be very dangerous places.
Playgrounds Are More Dangerous Than You May Think
Slides, swing sets, and jungle gyms may look like fun, but sometimes they can be the source of falls, cuts, and major bumps. Worse injuries can occur as well, particularly if a child takes a hard fall from a relatively high place.
Some common locations where playground accidents have occurred include:
- Public and private schools
- City parks
- Daycare centers
- In backyards
Reasons for Playground Accidents and Child Injuries
In most cases, there are three common causes of playground accidents and injuries.
- Poor Playground Design: Sometimes the materials used in playground equipment can lead to injury, such as poorly fashioned plastics or sharpened metal edges; other times the design of the playground set itself makes children more prone to injury
- Poor Playground Maintenance: Wear, tear, and weather will take their toll on a playground, and poor maintenance of a playground can make it a hazardous place where potential falls and cuts can occur.
- Lack of Adult Supervision: A major issue at daycares and schools, it's important that adult supervision be present whenever children are at play in order to prevent dangerous actions when possible; a lack of adult supervision may be an act of negligence
Combinations of the above causes are common as well, so it's important to keep all three in mind at all times. If parents see something that's dangerous on a playground, it should be reported as soon as possible so injuries can be avoided and the problem fixed.
Types of Injuries That May Occur
Some of the most common kinds of injuries that are experienced during playground accidents include:
- Bruises
- Cuts
- Sprains
- Concussions
- Head injuries
- Joint dislocations
- Fractured or broken bones
Ways That These Kinds of Accidents Can Be Prevented
No matter where they occur, it's important that playgrounds be as safe as possible. This means purchasing safe playground equipment to begin with and making sure that older playground equipment remains safe for children to play on.
With regard to schools, daycares, and even private residences, adult supervision needs to be present in order to ensure that children are playing safely and are not doing anything that could be potentially harmful to them or to others.
Discuss Your Legal Options When Your Child Is Harmed
If your child was injured while at a park or a playground that should have otherwise been safe, it's important that you contact our personal injury attorneys today. Our attorneys will be sure to go over all of your options so that you can receive just compensation.