Daycare Injuries

One of the most traumatic phone calls that any parent could get is one from a daycare center, telling you that your young child has been injured while in the care of another person.

At the outset, there are a number of things that people can do to ensure that they are only using a safe daycare. One question that should be on the mind of any parent is class size and the teacher to child ratio. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under two years be in class sizes that are limited to 6 children, and have no more than 3 children for every one teacher.

Also, there are a number of safety features that a safe daycare will have present at its facility. These features include:

• Smoke alarms;

• Carbon Monoxide Detectors;

• Safety covers on all outlets;

• Window covering cords that can't be reached by kids;

• Hinged child gates at stairways;

• Equipment that is clean and well maintained; and

• Soft surfaces under outdoor play equipment.

From a legal perspective, it is also important to make sure that your daycare facility is both licensed and insured. While it may feel uncomfortable to ask a daycare facility for a Certificate of Insurance, it is a good idea and a reputable daycare should be able to provide it with no real hassle.

If the nightmare scenario at a daycare is realized, and your child is hurt, the Massachusetts day care injury attorneys at Mirick O’Connell can help. Over the years, we have handled a number of daycare injury cases, and we have the resources available that we can dedicate to these cases to ensure they are worked properly.

The following is a list of the types of daycare cases we are able to handle:

• Falls by children;

• Failure by the daycare to supervise children and other employees;

• Child abuse claims;

• Burns;

• Injuries caused by being struck by another child.

If your child has been injured, and you suspect that a daycare may be responsible, please do not hesitate in contacting us. The sooner we know about the potential negligence, the sooner we can get to work on our investigation. Time is often of the essence, as employees leave daycares frequently, and less reputable centers often close.

At Mirick O’Connell, we understand just how serious injuries to a child are, and we will be there to help you through every step of the process. We can help you communicate with the police if there is a criminal investigation, we can talk to the licensing board, and we can even help you with a referral to a grief counselor if you would like.