What You Need to Know About Playground Injuries
Most of us can remember the joy of being a child playing on a playground during summer break. Playground equipment like slides, monkey bars, jungle gyms, and swings can be a source of endless fun for children. However, this type of equipment must be accurately constructed and carefully maintained in order to be safe for children to enjoy. When a park or playground is not adequately maintained, unsafe conditions can lead to a child being seriously injured or even killed. If you have a child who has suffered an injury or wrongful death in a playground accident, an Illinois personal injury attorney may be able to help.
Most Common Playground Injuries
Children playing on a playground at a daycare, school, city park, church, health club, or other facility are probably not worried about whether or not the equipment they are climbing on is safe—nor should they have to be. Facilities with playground equipment have a duty to ensure that their equipment is not flawed or faulty in such a way that it presents a hazard to those lawfully using it.
Unfortunately, serious playground accidents can and do happen. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 200,000 children under the age of 14 require emergency room treatment for a playground-related injury each year in the United States. These injuries can include serious fractures and broken bones, concussions, internal injuries, dislocations, and amputations. Some of these injuries are so severe that they can change a child’s life forever.
Who is Legally Responsible for Playground Injuries?
Playground equipment is subject to certain rules and regulations designed to minimize the number of serious injuries that occur on the equipment. When playground equipment manufacturers, distributors, or companies tasked with maintaining the equipment fail to obey these rules, they can be held responsible for accidents.
There are several factors that will influence the question of liability regarding playground accidents. If the accident occurred on a public park, liability could lie with the city or county responsible for the park’s maintenance. There are many complexities involved with filing a claim against a municipality, but it may be possible to recover compensation. If a defective design of a piece of equipment is the cause of the accident, the company that designed the equipment could responsible. Similarly, if improper playground installation or construction is to blame for the accident, the company that built the playground could be held legally responsible for damages caused by an accident.
Contact a DuPage County Playground Accident Lawyer
If your child has been seriously injured or killed in a playground accident, contact an experienced Aurora personal injury attorney at Kinnally Flaherty Loran Hodge & Masur P.C. to discuss your legal options for pursuing compensation. Schedule a free consultation by calling us at 630-907-0909 today.
Source:
https://www.cdc.gov/HomeandRecreationalSafety/Playground-Injuries/playgroundinjuries-factsheet.htm
