Playground Accidents

There’s a common saying that many parents repeat: it’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye. This is used when children are doing something dangerous without fully appreciating the risk, which happens all the time. Children of all ages take risks in almost everything they do. That’s why new parents spend hours and hours baby-proofing their homes. It’s important for children to have a safe space to play to prevent injury.

Getting past the dad jokes, one of the places that children do end up getting injured is playgrounds. Each year, over 200,000 children are sent to the hospital because of injuries that happen on a playground. With so many injuries happening to our children, it makes you wonder why they’re allowed to happen at such a staggering rate.

• Playground Falls: At all ages, children enjoy climbing. While some falls will happen no matter what we do to try to prevent them, many are preventable falls that can cause serious injury. That’s why special attention needs to be provided to children who are climbing off the ground, no matter how high.
• Playground Defects: Oftentimes, communities or private owners will have the best intentions when building a playground. Even so, defects can happen in many ways. Some playgrounds are built with defects. Other playgrounds are allowed to get into a state of disrepair that endangers children.
• Improper Supervision: A playground is only as good as the adult who is supervising it. That’s because there are a lot of ways that an otherwise safe playground can become a hazard. This includes children playing in a playground that isn’t age-appropriate, as well as children playing in a way that is inappropriate for the type of equipment.

Most communities take playground safety seriously. That’s why you see phone numbers to call to report playground issues. So, when you’re at a playground, be on the lookout for some of these unsafe conditions:

• Protective Surface: Children will inevitably fall. Make sure playgrounds have enough mulch, sand, or other similar materials to absorb a fall.
• Ground Buffer: Make sure that all playground equipment is surrounded by protective surfaces by at least 6 feet. Swings should have more, depending on their height.
• Enough Space: Ensure that there is enough space between playground equipment to keep children safe from each other.
• Protruding Hardware: Check for hardware that is protruding, such as a bolt or “S” Hook
• Tripping Hazards: Make sure there are no tree sumps, concrete footings, or anything else that a child could trip on.
• Guardrails: Any elevated surface should have a guardrail to prevent a fall.

If your child was seriously injured in a playground accident, it can be a shocking event. Parents expect a bump or a bruise not a broken bone or other similar injury. At Marcotte Law Firm, we understand the intricacies of these cases. We understand that injuries to children can have lifelong implications, and we do our best to hold people accountable for their actions.

If your child was injured in a playground accident, call the experienced Personal Injury Lawyers at Marcotte Law Firm for a free, no obligation consultation.