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Playground Accidents can Leave Children with Serious Injuries

Public and private playgrounds are an excellent resource for busy parents and children alike. In addition to allowing active children to expend their excess energy, they also serve as places where children develop important physical and social skills. Most of us have fond memories of playing on the playground as children, as well as the occasional memory of the skinned knee or bruised elbow.

While some playground injuries are unavoidable and the result of normal play, others can be extremely serious and may be the result of some issues with playground equipment or the playground itself. When this occurs, victims may be able to recover for their injuries by filing a personal injury claim against the person or party that is responsible for the design or maintenance of the playground at issue.

Playgrounds can be perfect for helping kids to socialize, exercise, and develop motor skills. Unfortunately, some are inherently dangerous. If your child has suffered an injury on a playground, it’s time to talk to Lavalle, Brown & Ronan personal injury attorneys.

Boca Law’s experienced Boca Raton personal injury attorneys are here to help.

Playground Accidents Injure Thousands of Children Each Year

According to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), emergency departments around the country treat over 200,000 children under the age of 14 each year for injuries sustained in playground accidents. In addition, nearly half of these injuries were severe, including fractures, dislocation, concussions, amputations, and internal injuries.

Many children will only suffer minor injuries, but others are not as lucky. If a playground is improperly designed, installed, or maintained, your children could be at serious risk.

Consider some key statistics from the CDC Childhood Injury Report to keep things in perspective:

• 12,175 children die each year in the United States from unintentional injury.
• A total of 9.2 million children visit an emergency department annually for an unintentional injury.
• Slips and falls are a leading cause of nonfatal injury.
• Being struck by or against an object is the next leading cause.
• Children under four years of age are at the highest risk of suffering nonfatal falls.

While these statistics also cover areas outside of the playground, they are still an area of concern. Keeping your family safe is your top priority. If your child has been injured on a playground, it’s important that the owner or operator takes responsibility. Some parents can be hesitant to file lawsuits, assuming that the process will be time-consuming, stressful, and expensive. However, legal action could actually help to make the operator accountable and prevent further incidents.

If you aren’t sure how to proceed, you can talk to us in the first instance. We will offer advice regarding any legal action that you could take and are standing by to provide representation throughout a lawsuit. Our experienced personal injury attorneys in Boca Raton can streamline the entire process.

What to Consider Before You Sue for Personal Injury in Boca Raton

An injury on a playground will sometimes fall under premises liability law. The cause of the injury can often be attributed to the property owner’s negligence. This is not always intentional. The liable party is the property owner, and compensation can come from insurance or a civil lawsuit.

Claims need to be supported by evidence. If you are seeking damages for injuries caused, you may need documentation like a police report, hospital/insurance records, financial evidence, and testimony from a doctor or other medical professional outlining the injury’s cause, recovery expectations, and long-term impact on finances, health, and quality of life.

If your child has suffered only a minor injury that is covered by insurance, you can still make a claim, but it is necessary to consider the legal fees and likely outcome. Contact us today if you believe you have grounds for a lawsuit. We can assist with documentation requirements and initial research to determine the best way to proceed and the likely outcome of your suit.

Negligence Can Cause Serious Boca Raton Playground Injuries

Not every injury that a child sustains on a playground is legally actionable. In many cases, a child falls or trips due to simple clumsiness or as part of the normal course of play. In others, however, someone’s negligence was the reason a particular accident occurred. Some of the more common examples of hazardous conditions at a playground that may be the result of negligence include the following:

• Lack of shock-absorbing material underneath playground fixtures.
• Unsafe premises.
• Inadequate security.
• Defective fixtures.
• Exposed hardware.
• Inadequate supervision.
• Fixtures installed unreasonably close to trees or buildings.
• Dangerous debris on the premises.
• Surfaces that can become unreasonably hot.

There are many other examples of dangerous conditions at a playground that could result in an accident, so it is important for anyone whose child has sustained an injury while playing at a playground to discuss their case with a Boca Raton personal injury lawyer.

What Types of Injuries Can A Child Sustain In A Playground Accident?

The kinds of injuries that a child may sustain at a playground are similar to those that he or she may sustain while engaging in any physical activity. Some of the more common are listed below.

• Fractures.
• Lacerations.
• Bruises.
• Concussions.
• Accidental amputations.
• Soft tissue injuries.
• Dislocations.
• Sprains.
• Burns.
• Catastrophic injuries.

These and other injuries that children can sustain in playground accidents may result in thousands of dollars in medical expenses and may significantly affect their quality of life. In addition, children may develop disabilities after an injury that significantly alters the course of their lives.

As a result, it is extremely important for parents of children who have been injured to ensure that their legal rights are protected by discussing their options with an experienced Boca Raton personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

Contact A Boca Raton Personal Injury Attorney to Schedule A Free Consultation

The Boca Raton lawyers of Lavalle Brown & Ronan are dedicated to representing the rights of people injured in preventable accidents. To schedule a free consultation with one of our lawyers, call our office today at (561) 395-0000.

Resources and References

• Child Injury Data
• Premises Liability