Daycare facilities are supposed to be safe, secure places for parents to bring their children when they have busy schedules. Parents should be able to trust daycare centers and staff members to take proper care of their children – with no serious injuries or harm befalling kids. Unfortunately, many young children are sent home with daycare injuries each year.
Injuries From Falling
It is normal for children to fall down, especially when they are learning how to walk. Your child may suffer injuries such as scrapes, bruises or strained muscles in a normal fall incident while at daycare. However, if your child suffers more severe injuries in a fall – such as broken bones or deep lacerations – further investigation may be warranted. The daycare center might not have had a barrier in place to stop children from accessing stairwells, for example, or the playground might be littered with sharp sticks or glass. It is the daycare center’s responsibility to ensure a reasonably safe space for children in its care.
Playground Injuries
Time spent on a playground or in a play area could lead to normal child injuries, such as bumps, bruises and scrapes. If the playground equipment has fallen into a state of disrepair or contains defects, however, child injuries could be much more severe. Dangerous playground equipment could lead to serious pinch injuries, amputated fingers, traumatic brain injuries, neck injuries from falls and broken bones. In these situations, parents may be able to bring a product liability lawsuit against the equipment manufacturer or hold the daycare center responsible for failing to maintain a safe playground.
Injuries From Other Children
Another relatively normal type of daycare center injury is harm caused by other children. Even with proper supervision, staff members might not always be able to separate children in time to prevent fights, slapping or hitting, pinching, kicking, or biting. These incidents could result in noticeable bruises, bite marks, scratches, or face and eye injuries for children involved.
When Is a Daycare Injury Cause for Concern?
Many common daycare injuries are not cause for alarm. They are normal childhood injuries that can arise from everyday play and interactions with other children. However, there are some circumstances and types of injuries that should be red flags for parents and a sign that something more sinister may be happening. Examples include:
- Dangerous premises: unprotected stairwells, exposed sharp instruments, easy access to chemicals or medications, dilapidated furniture, or items on shelves that could fall are all examples of premises defects and hazards that could put children in daycare at risk. In these scenarios, the parent of an injured child may have grounds to file a premises liability claim.
- Negligent supervision: children who are unsupervised by adults, wander outside or off the premises, get forgotten at a playground, wander into the road, and fight with or bite each other without intervention is a sign of negligent child supervision. Not enough staff members for the number of children is also a sign of daycare center negligence.
- Child abuse or neglect: repeated or serious injuries with no explanation, stories that don’t add up, dislocations, broken bones, excessive fear of the daycare center, and malnourishment are potential signs of child abuse or neglect at a daycare facility. If you suspect child abuse, call the police to report your suspicions right away.
If your child suffers a serious injury while at a daycare center in Arizona, contact The Law Offices of John Phebus Glendale Criminal and Personal Injury Lawyer for a free case review. Your family may be entitled to financial compensation from one or more parties for negligently causing your child’s injury, such as a daycare center, staff member, product manufacturer or property owner. We can help you seek justice for your child after a preventable daycare injury.