What to Do if Your Child is Injured at a Daycare Center
There is no question that children are accident-prone, as they are physically active, play hard, and sometimes do not consider the risks of injuries. Some are as minor as a bruise or scrape on the knee, but many kids suffer injuries that require medical intervention. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 2.9 million children aged 0 to 14 years old visit the emergency room every year for unintentional trauma. Falls and being struck by an object are the leading causes of these injuries.
Parents keep a close eye on kids to prevent accidents, but you cannot be around them all the time. If you use daycare facilities for childcare, you are trusting that the staff will do just as good a job as you do with monitoring children. This is not always the case, and negligent acts can lead to accidents at daycare. You should contact an Alaska child injuries attorney if your child was hurt, but some tips on what to do are also useful.
Tips if Your Child is Injured at Daycare
You are certainly overwhelmed, worried, and upset to learn that your child was hurt while under someone else’s care. Some pointers should help you get through the experience, protecting your child and legal rights.
- Get your child proper medical care if not arranged already. Treatment is a top priority.
- Take pictures and video of the injuries, as well as the scene of the accident, if you have access to the daycare facility.
- Notify the daycare center of your child’s injuries if they were such that the facility was not aware of an incident.
- Determine whether there were any witnesses to the accident and get their contact information.
- Obtain a copy of an incident report if one was prepared.
- Use caution in conversations with the daycare facility staff or an insurance company if you are contacted. You do not want to say too much and put your child’s injury claim at risk.
Monetary Damages in Child Injuries Cases
A daycare center cannot be liable for every injury, but it may be accountable when negligent acts cause harm to a child. In such a case, you may be able to recover compensation, so note the following:
- You can obtain amounts for medical costs to treat your child’s injuries, such as emergency care, surgery, hospitalization, and other treatment.
- A child will not likely miss work because of injuries, but parents could be away from their jobs for several weeks. You may qualify for lost wages.
- Your family could be eligible for damages that affect quality of life, including pain and suffering, emotional distress, and scarring and disfigurement.
Consult With an Alaska Child Injury Lawyer About the Legal Process
Our team at Power & Power Law can assist with the steps for recovering these damages, so please contact our offices in Anchorage. You can set up a no-cost case review with an Alaska child injuries attorney by calling our firm at 907-222-9990 or visiting us online.