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Playgrounds are an essential part of every child’s life and places where children spend quite a bit of time. For this reason, children should feel and be safe when playing on a playground. However, the environment of a playground calls for many potential safety hazards. The equipment, surfaces, and structure of the playground could all lead to potential injuries on the playground.

Who should be held accountable for the injuries to your child from a playground? Depending on the nature of your child’s injury, many different people could be liable for the harm caused. Some of these include:

• The owner of the property
• The playground manufacturer
• Contractors who set up the playground
• Contractors who maintain the playground
• Those responsible for supervising your child

Has your child been seriously injured on a playground? Contact a Child Safety Attorney at the Law Office of D. Hardison Wood. 1-877-829-7211.

Close supervision can create an enjoyable experience on the playground and at the same time assist in preventing injuries. Inspecting the area, surfaces, and equipment which your child is playing on can help ensure your child is playing in a safe environment. Further, make sure that your child is using and playing on equipment that is appropriate for his or her age. Most importantly, always keep a close watch on your child while he or she is at play. Dangerous situations can possibly be avoided by making sure your child is playing and behaving properly on the playground. For more playground safety tips refer to the CPSC playground safety checklist below:

• Make sure surfaces around playground equipment have at least 12 inches of wood chips, mulch, sand, or pea gravel, or are mats made of safety-tested rubber or rubber-like materials.
• Check that protective surfacing extends at least 6 feet in all directions from play equipment. For swings, be sure surfacing extends, in back and front, twice the height of the suspending bar.
• Make sure play structures more than 30 inches high are spaced at least 9 feet apart.
• Check for dangerous hardware, like open "S" hooks or protruding bolt ends.
• Make sure spaces that could trap children, such as openings in guardrails or between ladder rungs, measure less than 3.5 inches or more than 9 inches.
• Check for sharp points or edges in equipment.
• Look out for tripping hazards, like exposed concrete footings, tree stumps, and rocks.
• Make sure elevated surfaces, like platforms and ramps, have guardrails to prevent falls.
• Check playgrounds regularly to see that equipment and surfacing are in good condition.
• Carefully supervise children on playgrounds to make sure they're safe.

Playgrounds should be a place where you and your children have fun. At the same time, precautions and preventive measures should always be taken in order to protect your child from injuries. However, not all injuries on the playground are preventable as some are due to the negligence of another. The carelessness of an owner, manufacturer, or anyone else should not come at the cost of a child’s pain.

If your child has been injured on a playground due to another’s negligence, contact a Child Safety Attorney at the Law Office of D. Hardison Wood. 1-877-829-7211.

Pools can be an excellent way to relax and get some relief from the hot sun during the summer. While pools can provide enjoyment, there are some risks involved with going to pools. Pools can also create many safety hazards, especially for children. It is important to be informed and keep children informed about the potential dangers involving a pool.

Serious injuries could result from swimming pool accidents. Some of these include:

• Head injuries
• Neck injuries
• Fractures to limbs
• Brain damage
• Spinal cord injuries

Due to the seriousness of all these injuries, it is imperative that safety precautions be taken while at the pool. Unfortunately, sometimes these injuries could result due to the negligence of another party. The property owner may not have safely secured the pool or fail in properly maintaining the pool. The pool manufacturers may have built an unsafe pool that could have defective or dangerous parts. Further, the adults in charge of supervising your children in the pool may not be doing an adequate job.

If your child has been injured or drowned in a pool due to the negligence of someone else, contact a Child Safety Attorney at the Law Office of D. Hardison Wood. 1-877-829-7211.

In order to help prevent any swimming or drowning accidents, make sure you are taking safety measures while you and your children are at the pool. The following is a list of pool safety tips from the American Association of Pediatrics:

• Never leave children alone in or near the pool, even for a moment.
• Make sure adults are trained in life-saving techniques and CPR so they can rescue a child if necessary.
• Surround your pool on all four sides with a sturdy five-foot fence.
• Make sure the gates self-close and self-latch at a height children can’t reach.
• Keep rescue equipment (a shepherd’s hook – a long pole with a hook on the end – and life preserver) and a portable telephone near the pool.
• Avoid inflatable swimming aids such as “floaties.” They are not a substitute for approved life vests and can give children a false sense of security.
• Children are not developmentally ready for swim lessons until after their fourth birthday.
• Swim programs for children under 4 should not be seen as a way to decrease the risk of drowning.
• Whenever infants or toddlers are in or around water, an adult should be within arm’s length, providing “touch supervision.”

Pools are a place for fun and relaxation for both you and your children. However, as a parent, it is important to always keep in mind the dangers associated with being around and swimming in a pool. Serious injuries could result from swimming accidents. It is even more unfortunate if the injuries result due to the negligence of another person or party.

Have you or your child faced injuries due to a swimming accident or drowning incident? Contact the Law Office of D. Hardison Wood today! 1-877-829-7211.

Babysitters can be a great help to parents during the workday or when they need to get away from home. However, as a parent, employing a babysitter can be somewhat of a nerve-wracking matter. You trust your children and their safety to another person when hiring a babysitter. You expect that your babysitter will care and look after your child just as you would. Therefore, hiring a babysitter is not an issue to be taken lightly.

Since your child’s safety lies in another person’s hands, it is important that you are careful when hiring a babysitter. Make sure that your babysitter is capable and reliable when it comes to taking care of your children. The following is a list of helpful tips to follow from the United States Department of Education when employing a babysitter:

• Ask for names and phone numbers of people who have hired the babysitter before. Call these people and ask what they liked and didn’t like about this sitter.
• Interview the babysitter. Look for someone who is trustworthy, capable and comfortable with babies.
• Have a trial run. Have the sitter care for your baby while you are at home. You can watch the sitter with your baby.
• Describe your routines. Give the sitter information on your baby’s habits and preferences for eating, diapering, playing, and sleeping.
• Give clear instructions. Make sure the sitter knows how to deal with emergencies.
• Tell the sitter how you can be reached. Give the sitter the name and phone number of a friend or relative to call if you can’t be reached.
• Write down the phone number of the baby’s doctor.
• Give a tour of your house. Let the sitter know about anything unusual.
• Let the sitter know when you’ll be home. Call if you will be late.
• Make sure the babysitter understands all your safety rules for your baby.
• No matter how cautious you may be when finally hiring a babysitter for your children, sometimes a babysitter might not provide perfect care and attention to your child. A small lapse in attention to your child could result in serious injuries. While this is an unfortunate situation since you expect your babysitter to keep your child safe, your babysitter could be held responsible for injuries your child may sustain while under his or her supervision.

If your child has faced serious injuries due to the negligence of a babysitter, contact the Law Office of D. Hardison Wood today. 1-877-829-7211.