If you have children, you understand how scary being a parent can sometimes be. As your children grow, you will start to realize that you have to let them explore the world around them, and with this exploration, injuries can occur. These injuries can be harmless or catastrophic, but either way, you have a responsibility as a parent to protect your child and to know the dangers that they could potentially face.
Where Could My Child Experience a Catastrophic Injury?
It’s important to first understand what a catastrophic injury is and how it is different from other types of injuries. A catastrophic injury occurs suddenly and leaves the victim with a severe or lifelong debilitating injury or health effect. The injuries usually will seriously affect the brain or spinal cord, and/or will leave lasting scarring or disfigurement.
One place that your child might get seriously injured is at school. It is typically where they spend most of their day, and they will be moving back and forth between the classroom, the playground, the school bus, and any after-school activities. The three main places that your child could be catastrophically injured are:
- Sports practice or game: If your children play sports, you should be hyper-aware of the injuries that they could face, including broken bones, lacerations and severe head injuries. Always ensure that your child has the appropriate headgear and safety equipment before they play sports.
- Recess/Playground: This is the time of the day during school when your child is relatively free, so there are bound to be a few injuries that occur while your child plays with his or her friends. Jumping off playground equipment or inappropriately using any playground toys can easily result in a deadly head injury or serious bruises and cuts.
- Park or backyard: Catastrophic child injuries can also occur in your own backyard. Keep an eye on your children around any pools or poorly installed swings and playground equipment. Also, make sure that a responsible adult is outside with your child at all times, and don’t leave any young children unattended.
The personal injury attorneys at Peters, Habib, McKenna, Juhl-Rhodes & Cardoza, LLP can assist you and your family if your child receives a catastrophic injury. If some other party’s negligence led to the injury, we can help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today.