After the rush of a busy morning, you’ve finally arrived at work, and you’re ready to start your day. Suddenly, you receive a phone call from the day care facility you dropped your child off at an hour earlier. Your heart drops as you answer the call. On the other line is the day care staff, calling to inform you that there’s been an accident and your child has been injured.
You’re not alone. Unfortunately, many families receive these shocking emergency phone calls. Day care accidents can range from minor injuries that will heal over time to critical injuries and sometimes death. All it takes is a split second for a youngster to swallow an object; minor failures in proper childcare and supervision are the greatest causes of day care injuries and fatalities.
Lack of supervision is caused by understaffing; if not enough adults are watching a group of children, it is very likely one child will be overlooked and get into trouble, unintentionally hurting himself. To prevent day care negligence, state and federal laws require these facilities to follow standards such as removing possible dangers, providing total care and supervision and maintaining a supply of emergency care items. If an accident occurs and the child facility has failed to follow the set standards, it is legally liable for the accident and must reimburse you for your child’s injuries or loss of life.
If you are a parent or guardian evaluating or choosing a day care for your child, consider if the facility meets the following criteria:
- Proper ratio of adults to children
- Proper bathroom facilities and guidelines
- Adequate provision of water and food portions; prescribed by schedule
- Ban on all forms of physical, mental, emotional and sexual abuse
- Policy preventing ‘wandering’ children from leaving facility without authorization
- Immediate access to first aid supplies
There is no arguing that you should be able to trust your day care facility to meet the safety requirements and needs of your child. If your loved one suffers death or injury due to negligence and improper safety reinforcement, you have a right to hold the facility accountable. Contact Parvey & Cavenago to file your claim before it’s too late; getting you the compensation and peace of mind you are entitled to is our number one priority.
