Most of us can remember the unbridled joy we felt as children when we swung on the monkey bars or tumbled down the slides into a pile of woodchips. While it’s normal to come back from the playground with some scrapes and bruises, most playgrounds are quite safe for children and their parents. Playgrounds, however, are comprised of large, complicated metal structures that are often very high off the ground. There’s no question that without proper safety precautions, you could be dealing with every parent’s worst fear: a tragic accident involving their children.
Staying Safe (While Still Having Fun)
As a parent, one of the first things you should do upon reaching the playground is to check if the equipment appears to be properly maintained. It’s also important to check for any specific safety-related rules posted on nearby signs. It could be dangerous to run near certain play equipment, for instance. Make sure there are railings and other protective structures in place to protect your child if he or she trips. Additionally, it’s important to look for anything near the play equipment that could be dangerous, such as large rocks, ground areas covered with cement, and obstructions that are in the way of slides.
Some of the most popular areas on a playground include the climbing equipment. Unfortunately, they can also be the most dangerous. If you find that the surfaces are wet, it’s important to not let your child climb on these structures, as they can become very slippery and cause a fall. When it comes to the monkey bars, it’s important to only allow one child on them at a time. Overcrowding the monkey bars can lead to roughhousing, and roughhousing can quickly lead to injuries.
If your child is playing on the swing sets, it’s important to take precautions to ensure they don’t accidentally fall from a great height. Be sure that they keep both hands on the chains and that they sit properly in the seat. And even though it may seem fun, it can be dangerous to let your kids jump at the height of their swing. Even if they land on the woodchips, they are still falling from a great height, and could suffer serious injuries.
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What to Do If Your Child Is Injured
If your child sustains a serious injury on the playground, it can be a terrifying situation for everyone involved. After getting your child proper medical care for the injury, you might start to wonder how to go about holding the right parties accountable. The answer, unfortunately, is far from simple. Liability in a playground accident depends largely on whether it was due to faulty equipment, a lack of adult supervision, or poor grounds maintenance. If it can be shown that the accident happened because of malfunctioning playground equipment, the organization that owns the playground equipment could be held liable. If it was due to poor grounds maintenance, the responsibility would again fall on whomever owns the playground and is responsible for its upkeep. When the accident occurred due to a lack of supervision, it must be shown that the injuries could have been prevented had the adult been monitoring the playground properly.
At DiBella Law Offices, P.C., we understand that every parent’s first priority is their children. When the unimaginable occurs and your child is contending with a serious bodily injury, you’ll want answers. You’ll need an experienced Boston premises liability attorney who can help you seek the correct amount of financial compensation to cover any required medical expenses and other bills that directly resulted from your child’s injuries. Start getting the help you need and allow us to give your family the proper legal guidance to fight your case. Give us a call at (617) 870-0907 for a free consultation.
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