Most parents would agree that children are clumsy and that accidents happen from time to time, resulting in minor injuries. However, the unfortunate truth is that every single day in the United States children are injured in a range of different accidents. It is a parent’s worst nightmare to see their child in pain because of a serious injury that could have been prevented. In the event your child sustains a serious injury or tragic death due to the negligence of another party, you may be able to take legal action against the party or parties who made a misstep and failed to protect or care for your child. Children can be injured in many different environments, such as school, daycare, the playground, or somewhere they are participating in an afterschool activity. Regardless of where the accident happened, it is important that you understand your rights and contact a personal injury attorney from AMA Law right away if your child has been injured. Statistics indicate that the leading cause of death in children over the age of one is some form of trauma, such as an accidental injury or because of negligence or carelessness of another person.
Types of Child Accidents
While it is true that most children do recover completely and more quickly than many adults who suffer injuries, this does not mean that these injuries should be taken any less serious. Sure, children tend to be more resilient when it comes to pain and the recovery period itself; however, there are many different causes of child injuries that can be extremely serious and life changing. Here is a look at a few of the most common types of child injuries and accidents:
- Car accidents
These types of accidents include ‘backovers’, which is when the driver of a vehicle does not see the child because of a blind spot and accidentally runs over them. The leading cause of accidental death in children who are 14 and younger is some type of car accidents, which may include the before mentioned back over accidents or DUI accidents.
- Dog/animal bite injuries
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), there are nearly 80 million dogs in the United States. While most dog owners are extremely responsible and diligent, we still see instances where misbehaved dogs lash out and bite children, resulting in serious injury or death. In fact, the CDC reports that nearly 5 million people are bit by dogs in the United States each year and 70 percent of all dog bite victims are children.
- Unsafe playground accidents
Even if properly supervised, children are quite susceptible to accidents on school or public playgrounds. In many cases, playground equipment can become unsafe because of defective design, regular wear and tear, inadequate maintenance, or improper use. The Consumer Product Safety Commission states that roughly 200,000 children are treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms every year for injuries caused by playground equipment. The most serious injuries related to school or public playgrounds involve falls or strangulation.
Some of the most common types of serious injuries that occur in the above listed accidents include broken bones, neck and spinal cord injuries, concussions, traumatic brain injuries, burn injuries, and poisoning. If your child has been injured because of the negligence or distraction of another person, or due to a defective product, please contact an Oklahoma personal injury lawyer from AMA Law today.