What You Need to Know if Your Child Is Injured on a School Playground

Was your child injured on the school playground? These accidents are more common than you think. As children of various ages and abilities run around and play together, it is important that schools have adequate supervision, well-maintained equipment and safety measures.

Many accidents are just that, accidents. But there are many factors that can increase the risk of accidents and may make the school negligent such as:

• Not enough supervision—in some cases two or three cafeteria aides are asked to watch over 100 kids.
• Untrained supervisors—lunch aides are given the responsibility of watching kids in the playground usually are given none or very little training
• Distracted supervisors—just like with drivers, phones are a distraction for aides watching kids
• Defective or improperly installed equipment
• Equipment that is not properly designed or up to today’s safety measures—today’s equipment must meet more stringent standards than the see-saws and monkey bars of the ‘70s
• Poorly maintained equipment—equipment needs to be checked regularly for wear and tear, corrosion, broken parts and worn-out surfaces
• Equipment that is not age-appropriate
• Too wide a range of ages and abilities playing together

When any of these factors are present, you may have a case. Playground accidents can lead to serious injuries including broken bones, concussions and head injuries, spine and neck injuries, strangulation, dislocations and even death.

If your child was seriously injured at a public school, it is especially important to call a school accident and injuries attorney as soon as possible if you are considering a lawsuit because there are certain specific procedures and deadlines that must be followed when suing a government entity. In New York, you must file a Notice of Claim within 90 days or you lose the right to sue. There is also a shorter statute of limitations. A good lawyer can help you with all the proper paperwork.

Have Questions?

Give our school injury lawyers a call today at 516-217-9097 or fill out our webform. Our compassionate and dedicated lawyers are experienced working with children and their families to help ensure our clients collect the maximum compensation they deserve while also doing what is in the best interest of the child. We provide free consultations with no obligation so we can sit down with you and discuss your legal options and best course of action.

Let Goldstein and Bashner help you win your case!