Playgrounds are places where children can laugh and play together. Many kids are seriously injured while playing at these each year though. Data published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that more than 200,000 U.S. children wind up in emergency rooms after being injured at a playground each year. The CDC estimates that roughly 75% of those injuries take place at public playgrounds at schools or day care centers. The cost associated with these injuries totals more than $1 billion annually.
The gender breakdown of children are hurt is 55% girls and 45% boys. Kids between the ages of 5 and 9 are most at risk for suffering physical trauma.
Most injuries happen on the swings. Safety analysts believe that this is due to children attempting to climb the apparatus. This often results in falls. Kids are often left with cuts, bruises and breaks because of this.
Defective playground equipment tends to be more prevalent in low-income areas versus higher-income ones. Equipment may be rusty, broken and even have trash on it in more rundown neighborhoods.
Hard surfaces, such as asphalt and concrete, tend to be inherently dangerous. Grass that becomes worn due to weather-related deterioration may not cushion a child when they fall. Playgrounds should be free of broken glass, debris and other sharp objects that children may fall on.
Any equipment must be properly spaced to minimize the risk of a contact injury occurring. Researchers at the Amplatz Children’s Hospital at the University of Minnesota have stated that equipment like trampolines, monkey bars and exercise rings are never safe for kids to use.
Children often get hurt while playing on playgrounds in Louisville. This may happen because they run into another child, lose their grip or due to some other type of oversight. It’s in instances in which they’ve been injured by poorly maintained equipment that children tend to suffer the most serious injuries.
It’s the responsibility of playground equipment owners to make sure that they keep their premises reasonably safe to use. You may be entitled to monetary damages if you get hurt because a Louisville property owner didn’t properly maintain their playground equipment. An attorney can advise you of what type of compensation you’re entitled to under Kentucky law if you or someone you love has been seriously hurt.
