You hire a daycare provider or child care center to watch after your children while you are at work. They are supposed to be responsible, hire trained care professionals and keep your children safe. Unfortunately, childcare centers can be a safety hazard for children. While these injuries are often labeled as “accidents,” the majority of them are preventable.
Unintentional Daycare Injuries Are Common
Unintentional injuries are extremely common in care facilities. That means that the care provider did not intend for these injuries to occur, but that does not mean that these injuries were not preventable. Some common unintentional injuries seen in daycare facilities include, but are not limited to:
- Minor Injuries – These can range from cuts to scrapes to bruises. They often are the result of falls, trips, spills, etc. Some are explained by a child’s lack of balance or just child play, while other times safety hazards in the facility facilitated these injuries.
- Severe Injuries – These can include dislocations, broken bones, neck injuries or head trauma. While still accidents, these are more serious injuries that are often caused by some type of negligence – such as defective playground equipment, inadequate supervision or violence from another child.
- Poisoning – Whether it is from food poisoning or a dangerous chemical, poisoning cases are seen in daycare facilities. Often these are the result of improper food handling procedures, sick day care workers returning to work before they are cleared or improper storage of dangerous and hazardous chemicals.
- Burns – Burns can occur in the kitchens, near heaters, etc. These are often due to negligent supervision or a day care facility’s inability to properly childproof their grounds.
- Car Accidents – Some daycare providers will take children to and from school, transport them to special activities, etc. While often the car accident is caused by another driver, there are instances where the daycare worker was negligent – such as being distracted while driving or even under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Choking – This can occur when a child is allowed to play with a toy that is too small or because of inadequate supervision. In these cases, a child could suffer from long-term injuries or even death.
What If My Child Is Injured?
If your child was injured at a daycare facility or in a car accident while being transported by the daycare facility, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact a Kansas City personal injury attorney at Horn Law today. We can discuss the facts of your case and help determine if you have a valid claim against the daycare facility, employees or another party. To get started, schedule your case assessment appointment at 816-795-7500 or fill out an online contact form with your questions.
