Maryland Child Injury Lawyer
As a Maryland child injury attorney, one leading factor in child injuries I come across is poor supervision or lack of supervision.
Child care providers know that the only way to ensure the children are safe is to have their eyes on them at all times. As we all know, accidents can occur at any moment. Reasonable care requires providers to know each child’s whereabouts. Lack of supervision can prevent these leading causes of child injuries:
- Falls
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Walking into roadways
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Rough housing that can cause serious injuries
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Exposure to dangerous substances
To speak with a Maryland child injury attorney, call 410-849-9529
Household Chemicals are Dangerous if Ingested
It is important that schools and day care safely store household chemicals to prevent exposure or ingestion by children.
Regular Inspection of Equipment
Providers and schools had a duty to ensure that equipment under their control is safe for the children to use. This means proper installation and frequent inspections to maintain a safe environment. Although rare, it is also possible that particular equipment may be unsafe as a result of the design or manufacturing, which would result in a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer.
Hiring and Supervision of Personnel
Day care providers and schools have a duty to ensure that personnel interacting with children are properly vetted and supervised. This means that extensive background checks and on going monitoring of all staff to ensure children are not exposed to unsafe conditions.
Maryland day care centers are required to obtain a license and subject to routine inspections. That can be a good starting point for parents researching their options.
Filing A Child Injury Claim
Negligence – First, you must prove Negligence on the part the school or day care provider. Not all child injuries are the result of negligence. Accidents happen all the time. The duty of a school or day care provider to properly supervise your child is easy to establish if the injuries occurred under their care. The more difficult aspect is establishing that a school or day care employee failed to act in a reasonable manner when caring for your child and that such failure resulted in your child’s injuries.
Damages – To receive compensation for your child, you need to prove the damages in both injuries, physical and mental, as well as financial expenses incurred as a result of the occurrence. Significant injuries such as broken bones or disfigurement present serious challenges for the child and his or her family and deserve fair compensation.
To speak with a Baltimore personal injury attorney, call 410-849-9529
Other Causes of Child Injuries
Children may also suffer injuries as a result of automobile accidents, dog bites, or injuries while at a friend’s home. Although no one relishes the idea of suing friends or family members, significant injuries can cause a lifetime of pain and requires extensive financial resources.
Car Accident Related Injuries
It is important that all parents and caregivers adhere to child safety standards when transporting children. Children without car seats or safety belts were almost three times more likely to suffer serious injuries than those who were restrained, according to the National Highway Safety Administration. Caregivers also have to exercise reasonable care when operating the vehicle transporting minor children.
Friend’s Home
Parents and caregivers have a duty to supervise the children they allow into their homes. Proper supervision of children at a sleep over or a pool party will not only provide a safe environment, but also may shield providers from negligence lawsuits.
Dog Bites
Children are less capable of appreciating the risk posed by unsafe pets. Whether it is staying away from a pet that is acting in an aggressive manner or engaging in safe play, children may not realize the danger they are facing. Dog owners may be liable for injuries caused by a dog or pet they knew or should have known was dangerous. Liability can also result if a dog owner does not engage in reasonable care under the circumstances leading to the injury. The one bite rule means that once a dog bites someone, then the owner is held strictly liable for all subsequent bites.
Injuries to children can have long standing effects. You cannot afford to waste any time because you need to collect and preserve evidence from the scene of the accident and witnesses before it disappears or memories fade.