Children younger than six are especially vulnerable to playground injuries.
Tragic Accident Leaves Teacher Dead, Six Others Injured at Montessori School
According to a KSAT News report, a 22-year-old teacher is dead, and many others were injured in a vehicle accident at a Montessori school this week.
Police reported the accident happened at around 4:15 p.m. Thursday in the 27500 block of Interstate 10 near Fair Oaks Ranch Parkway at a Montessori school. A woman was reportedly picking up her children from a holiday performance when a possible medical episode caused her to accelerate into another vehicle, sending both through the playground fence where teachers were watching children play. One teacher, Alexia Rosales (22), was killed. Another teacher (23) and five children, all around one year old, were hospitalized for their injuries. It is unclear if charges will pressed against the woman, who was not found to be intoxicated.
Did You Know?
Most children injured at playgrounds are between 2 and 9 years old.
Most Common Playground Injuries and When to Sue
Over 200,000 children are treated in ERs for playground-related injuries every year.
The most common playground injuries children suffer are largely preventable, and there are steps you can take as a parent to keep your child safe. However, even the best efforts of a responsible parent can be undermined by unsafe playgrounds or faulty equipment. If negligence or a product defect caused your child’s playground injury, you may be entitled to seek compensation.
The Most Common Playground Injuries
Any child can be injured on a playground, but those ages 5 to 9 are hurt the most often (53%), followed by ages 0 to 4 (25%). Boys are slightly more likely to be injured than girls.
According to the Children’s Safety Network, the most common playground injuries include:
- Fractures: 36%
- Contusions and abrasions: 20%
- Lacerations: 17%
- Strains and sprains: 12%
- Internal organ injuries: 5%
The most common ways children received these injuries were:
- Fall (from, into, or onto the equipment): 44%
- Equipment-related (including breakage, tip-over, poor design, or assembly): 23%
- Incidental (hazards around but not related to the equipment): 8%
- Collision (with other children or the equipment): 7%
- Entrapment: 7%
- Other: 11%
The type of equipment that children were injured on included:
- Monkey bars or playground gyms: 36%
- Swings or swing sets: 28%
- Slides or sliding boards: 21%
- Unspecified: 8%
- Other playground equipment: 5%
- Seesaws or teeter-totters: 2%
Tips for Avoiding Playground Injuries
As a parent, you can reduce your child’s risk of injury at the playground by:
Checking Equipment Conditions
Avoid any equipment that is rusted or appears worn down, has rotten areas, or missing parts. Check metal and plastic surfaces before allowing your children to play during the warmer months to avoid burns from overheated equipment.
Saying No to Ropes and Strings
Don’t let your children bring pet leashes, ropes, or strings onto the playground equipment, as this presents a strangulation risk. Helmets may also cause strangulation and entrapment and should be removed before play. Strangulation is the leading cause of death in playground injuries.
General Safety
Kids should wear closed-toed shoes and clothing that does NOT have drawstrings or jewelry around the neck. Always supervise your children and ensure they are playing on age-appropriate equipment.
When to Sue for a Playground Injury?
You can likely sue for a playground injury caused by negligence or a product defect.
If equipment is designed in a way that makes it unsafe or has a defect that caused an injury to your child, you may have grounds for a product liability claim against the manufacturer.
If the owner of the playground was negligent in maintaining the playground or was aware of an unsafe condition but didn’t fix it, then you may have grounds for a personal injury claim against the owner.
Suing private companies like daycares and indoor play areas is fairly straightforward, but if the park is at a school or on public property, suing for compensation becomes difficult. It’s best to consult with a child injury attorney about such cases.
See Also:
How Trauma Impacts Children After an Injury
Was Your Child Injured on a Playground in Texas? Call Shaw!
If your child was injured in a playground accident, you may be entitled to compensation for things like:
- Ambulance Costs,
- ER Treatment,
- Surgeries,
- Trauma/PTSD,
- Pain and Suffering,
- Missed Work,
- Wrongful Death,
- And More.
We’ll help you find out if you have a case for free.
Call Shaw at 800-862-1260 for a free case evaluation with a Carabin Shaw child injury attorney. No fees, no obligations, just the expert legal advice you need. We’re a trusted name in San Antonio and across Texas because we put our clients first. We look forward to serving you.