Any Atlanta personal injury lawyer will tell you, things are a lot different today than they were thirty or forty years ago. In most households today, both parents have to work. Even if they don’t both work full-time, there’s a good chance they’re both gone part of the day. That’s why couples with young children need to rely on daycare centers for the mornings and afternoons. The problem is that the people who run these daycare centers are only human. They make mistakes just like everybody else. If one of these mistakes ends up with your child being injured, you should call an Atlanta personal injury lawyer.
Daycare Workers Have a Duty to Keep Your Kids Safe
The main reason people leave their kids at daycare centers is because they believe their children will be safe there. The people who run these places are run by men and women who are licensed to run a professional daycare center. They are trained to take care of children. They’re only allowed to have a certain number of children there so that they can dedicate the appropriate amount of time to each child.
In one sense, daycare centers should be safer than having a babysitter or nanny watch your child at home. At least with a daycare center, you know the person they’re with has been vetted by the state. Daycare workers have a duty to keep your child safe. If they fail to do this, you may have a legal claim against them.
Young Children Tend to Suffer Burns, Falls, and Injuries from Unsafe Products
One reason your child could get injured at daycare is because there aren’t enough employees to pay attention to all of their charges. If one daycare employee calls out, for example, that makes it harder for the rest of them to keep up. While one employee is trying to break up a scuffle between two children, your child may wander over to a hot stove. Or your child could fall on a piece of carpet that needs to be repaired and chips their tooth.
Some of the more common daycare center injuries include the following:
- Burns
- Poisoning
- Falls
- Cuts and bruises
- Inadequate response to a known medical condition
- Food allergies
Thankfully, the odds of your child getting injured is low. While there are not many national or regional statistics regarding daycare injuries, Atlanta personal injury lawyers know these things do happen. Some of the older data shows that more than 300 children died while at a daycare center between the years 1985 and 2003. This number may seem low, but it doesn’t include all of those children who were merely injured.
Most Daycare Centers Take Great Care of their Students
Your Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Will Have to Prove Negligence
In order to prove your case against a daycare center, your Atlanta personal injury lawyer will need to show negligence. To do this, they’re going to have to prove the following:
- The daycare center manager or owner owed you a duty of care
- They breached this duty
- Your child was injured
- Their injuries were caused by the defendant’s breach
We’ve already discussed that daycare centers owe your child a duty of care. The hardest thing for your Atlanta personal injury lawyer to prove will be that they breached this duty. If they’re able to do that, there’s a good chance you’ll be entitled to damages.
Who Will You Actually Have to File Suit Against?
Some clients are unclear as to who they’re supposed to pursue for damages. Even if it was an employee who harmed your child (or allowed them to be harmed), your claim will be filed against the daycare owner. They should have insurance to cover your child’s injury. After your child is injured, your Atlanta personal injury lawyer can file a claim against their insurance carrier. If this claim is paid, you should have your check within a week or two. However, if it’s denied, you’re going to want to reach out to an experienced Atlanta personal injury lawyer immediately.
Talk to an Experienced Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer Right Away
If your son or daughter is hurt while at a daycare center, you need to call an Atlanta personal injury lawyer right away. The most important thing for you to do is make sure your child gets the medical care they need. You may also need to find a new childcare solution. While you do that, your Atlanta personal injury lawyer can focus on the legal side of things. Call right away and schedule your free, initial consultation.
