Playground Injury Lawyer New York City
When many of us remember the days of school recess, we think of swinging on a swing set, hanging from the monkey bars or seeing how fast we could get down the slide…not playground injury.
Playground Injury Lawyer of New York City
For parents and teachers, watching children on a playground can bring a mixture of nostalgia and fear since injuries happen all too easily. If your child or one of your students has been involved in a playground injury, it is important to know your rights, and Greenberg & Stein is here to help you. With over 50 years of combined litigation experience, our firm has a team of school accident attorneys who know how to navigate the legal system to make sure you and your child are protected.
When you send your child to school everyday, you trust that not only will the teachers care for their students but also that the school building and property is maintained so your child is safe from the first bell to the final minutes of the school day. Children need breaks throughout the day, and the playground is the perfect place for kids to run around and get out some of their energy.
Unfortunately, playground injury is all too common despite the state and nationwide safety standards that exist regarding the maintenance of the equipment and the playground itself. For example, surfaces underneath playground equipment need to be made of soft materials, and there must be ample room between equipment areas for children to play and run safely.
Despite these regulations, emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children ages 14 and younger every year for playground-related injuries. Between 2001 and 2008, the Consumer Product Safety Commission investigated 40 deaths that were associated with playground equipment. To learn more about playground injury, consult the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The team at Greenberg & Stein know you do everything you are able to keep your children safe from all the things that can harm them, whether it is buckling them into their car seats, ensuring anything poisonous or flammable in your house is locked up or out of reach or keeping a close eye on your children.
So when they go to school, you want to know they are safe; unfortunately, playground injury is the most common school-related injury among children ages 5 to 14. In fact, there is a wide variety of the types of playground injury that can occur. According to the National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS), more than two-thirds of the incidents involved falls or equipment failure while smaller percentages related to hazards around the equipment (rather than the equipment itself) or collisions with other children or the equipment. Nearly 15 percent of the injuries were severe. Specifically, more than 30 percent of playground injury were fractures while about one fifth were contusions, abrasions or lacerations.
Children also suffered strains and sprains as well as injuries to their internal organs. The data from the CDC points out that the overall rate of playground-related traumatic brain injuries has significantly increased in recent years. To check if your child’s playground meets the standard safety regulations, refer to this guide from the NPPS.
You can also remove any drawstrings from your children’s clothes and remind your children to remove their bike helmets before they play on the playground since straps and drawstrings are potential choking hazards. Once your children are at school, however, you have to trust that the school will take care of them.
Unfortunately, accidents happen and playground injury occurs
If it does, call the team of injury lawyers at Greenberg & Stein. Getting our assistance right away can not only put your mind at ease, but it will also help you understand your rights. When the accident is a result of negligence or misconduct, we can help you recover financial compensation for medical expenses, damages for pain and suffering and even any future reduction in earning power your child may experience as a result of the playground injury.
In some cases, we may be able to recover an award for punitive damages. Greenberg & Stein has over 50 years of litigation experience, so you can trust that we will do everything we can to make your child feel safe again.
To schedule an initial case consultation contacts our firm today. Our NYC office location:
360 Lexington Avenue, Suite 1501
New York, NY 10017
Call us today: 888-411-3966
Email us anytime: seth@greenbergandstein.com