A sobering and sad reality is that unintentional child injury accounts for more than 30% of all deaths for children between one and 14 years of age.
It’s the leading cause of death in those categories. Even ahead of tumors, homicide, suicide, congenital anomalies, and heart disease combined. That is, ahead of other “top five” reasons causes for death for children in the USA.
If you’re a parent or child caregiver, keep reading to see what you can do about it.
Child Injury: What Can You Do?
Of course, almost no one intends for a child to get injured or killed. Even if it’s unintentional you do have legal options as recourse.
Child injury lawyers such as Reich and Binstock (https://www.reichandbinstock.com/houston-personal-injury-lawyers/wrongful-death/) can help bring closer and justice to such situations.
However, in the event of an injury that doesn’t incur wrongful death as well, it’s important to know what to do — immediately. Not only in the case of the parents, but in the case of the healthcare or educational professional as well.
What Can Caregivers Do?
Immediately contact parents for any serious incident involving injury. Minor injuries can get reported to directors and supervisors immediately for them to report to parents. Monitor the child closely, as what appears to be a minor incident without visible injury can escalate into a major incident.
Even mild injuries should get reported to parents as soon as possible. This helps the parent determine what should get done as a proper course of medical treatment for their child.
They shouldn’t be negligent to follow all procedures and should never take a “shortcut.” An example would be changing a baby’s diaper without using safety straps or restraints. You may never have had an incident before, but it’s that one time that you do that results in a baby’s death, or permanent and life-altering injury.
What Can Parents Do?
Make yourself aware of any daycare facility’s injury or accident policy. It’s your responsibility to do your due diligence before enrolling your child in any daycare or educational service.
Make sure their employees’ licenses, background checks, and any basic safey or medical training have been completed or obtained. Also bear in mind that religious facilities are often cheaper alternatives but also exempt from such licensing requirements.
Regardless of the actions of the facility, if you’re aware of an injury or accident that occured at the facility, you should immediately get medical care for your child. This rules out any after effect or missed diagnosis which can and does easily occur.
Visible signs that your child is injured aren’t always present for major injuries. Children also don’t often have the tools available to process and efficiently relay the severity of their injuries or what they’re feeling.
Remember that the health of your child is the first priority if your child was injured at daycare. Any legal considerations come long after the daycare injury is inflicted. Fortunately, following through with all your child’s health concerns also gives you a legal basis for recourse if it’s necessary to follow that path.
How to Deal with Child Injury or Wrongful Death
Determining the legal rights after a child injury come long after any caregiver follows through with their obligations and parents follow through with medical care. What’s most important is always the health of the child and their emotional needs.
In the case of the wrongful death, make sure to follow up on a thorough investigation as soon as possible.
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