Daycares are supposed to be a fun and safe learning environment for children. With daycare costs skyrocketing every year, parents expect a lot with the quality of care that providers give to children which means centres like Eikoh must keep investing in staff and facilities that live up to expectations.
However, in some instances, neglect causes your child to get injured in a daycare setting. According to personal injury attorney Tampa Hunter Law Group, there are many reasons why children get injured in childcare centers:
- Lack of supervision – some childcare centers do not have regular supervision for all children. Childcare providers may be busy attending to other children or doing other tasks.
- Lack of training – even with enough supervision, some childcare providers may not be adequately trained to avoid injuries. The lack of orientation regarding child safety can be a cause for concern among parents.
- Poor teacher to child ratio – many states require a provider to child ratio of 1:6 at the maximum. However, some providers may break this rule when government supervision is not done properly.
Considering these factors, it is important for parents to be armed and ready for the things they should do in the event that their child suffers a daycare injury.
How to Handle Your Child Being Injured at Daycare
1. Seek appropriate medical care as soon as possible
The first step you have to take is to seek healthcare professionals to see if there is any major problem that occurred to your child. At the surface, it may only look like a simple bruise, but in other instances, it could be a cause for alarm due to internal hemorrhage. Be sensitive with the after-injury symptoms that your child is having.
Take note of these symptoms and call your doctor right away if you suspect that something is more serious. Children have more fragile organs, bones, and muscles, so it is best to stay on the safe side when it comes to medical help.
2. Gather reports from providers and witnesses
After addressing the most urgent medical needs of your child, you need to establish evidence to be able to file a claim towards your child’s daycare. You can gather evidence from teacher reports, video footages, witness reports, and other forms of information. This can be used to build your case to help you get settlement payments or coverage of medical costs when necessary.
If you are on the site during the time of the accident, you can serve as a witness of the incident and write down your recollection of the event as soon as possible.
3. Seek help from a personal injury attorney
The next step after gathering evidence is seeking the help of a personal injury attorney. Personal injury attorney Tampa company Hunter Law Group suggests that you find lawyers who have a specialization or wide knowledge in personal injury and childcare laws.
When lawyers are more knowledgeable about your area of concern, the more that it will be easy for them to help you organize the evidence, understand the requirements, and coordinate with other professionals to help get your settlement. Some personal injury attorneys can be paid by agreeing to get a portion of your settlement once the case is won.
4. Respond to due dates for document submissions and hearings
Promptness is important for any personal injury case. Many lawsuits are nulled because some people have not acted promptly to get the justice they deserve. Be sure to respond to due dates for document submissions, and attend hearings when needed.
Alternatively, you can also ask your personal injury attorney to be in your hearings on your behalf.
We should never compromise when it comes to child safety. Remember these basic steps, and you can get one notch closer to getting a settlement or coverage for your child’s injury.
Author Bio: Adrian Rubin is a freelance writer and Philly based photographer.