When you send your child to daycare, you’re putting their well-being in the hands of the employees that work there. It can be hard to leave your child in the care of someone else, but you’ve likely done your research and selected a daycare that you feel can keep your child safe. However, injuries can occur at even the most highly recommended daycares, and it’s important to know your rights if your child is injured.
Common Causes of Injuries at Daycare
While accidents happen, if your child was injured at daycare, there’s a good chance it was a result of negligence on the part of the staff. Some common situations that result in injuries at daycares include:
- Unsafe playground equipment—playground equipment should be well- maintained, and repairs should be made immediately. Most injuries that occur at daycares are the result of unsafe playground equipment.
- Falls—falls can be caused by things like torn carpeting, slippery surfaces, cracked pavement, and failure to ensure that children are properly secured in high chairs, cribs, and changing tables.
- Insufficient child to staff ratios—daycares are required by licensing regulations to maintain appropriate child to staff ratios. For instance, in New York, with children nine months old, there must be one staff member for every four children. Injuries can easily occur if children aren’t properly supervised.
- Abuse—caring for children can be difficult, and sometimes this leads to abuse by daycare staff.
What to do if Your Child Has Been Injured
If your child has been injured, it can be a stressful time. The first thing you should do is take your child to receive medical care. Mention to the doctor that your child was injured at daycare. In addition, you should try and collect as much evidence as you can. Unfortunately, with small children, it can be difficult to piece together what actually happened. The daycare has a duty to report the injury to you immediately. See if there are any witnesses to what happened and get their contact information. Many daycares have surveillance cameras, so obtaining that footage can be crucial to your case.
Contact an Injury Attorney
One of the most important things you can do if your child has been injured at daycare is to contact an experienced injury attorney. At Bonina & Bonina, P.C., we’ve been helping injured children for over 50 years. Contact us online or call us at 1-888-MEDLAW1 to schedule your free consultation. Home and hospital visits are available. Se habla español.