When children enter their daycare building, sometimes they have to walk across a busy parking lot to do so. In some cases, the daycare workers are responsible for the child to cross the parking lot safely. But even with careful guidance, children can be injured in daycare accidents. When a child falls, is injured, or a car hits them, it’s not always easy to know who is responsible. Our Midland Tx child injury lawyer details more.
Common Accidents in Daycare Parking Lots
Accidents of many types can happen on daycare parking lots. Any time your child suffers an injury, it is essential to gather information to find out what happened and why.
- A vehicle strikes the child
- The child runs, falls, and hits their head on the pavement or other hard object
- A pothole in the parking lot causes the child to fall, causing serious injury
- The pollution from vehicles or the environment causes the child injury or illness
Frequent Injuries Associated With Daycare Parking Lots
When a child is injured in a daycare parking lot, especially if they’re hit by a car, they can suffer numerous injuries. These injuries can also be catastrophic and require long-term care.
Types of Injuries
- Head injuries, which can result in traumatic brain injuries
- Broken bones
- Spinal cord injuries in various degrees of severity, including some that cause paralysis
- Internal injuries due to lacerations or taking a hit to the midsection
- Facial injuries caused when the child scrapes their face on the pavement
- Fatalities, often the result of the child being hit by a car
Determining Liability When a Texas Accident Occurs
If you pursue a personal injury claim for your child’s accident, it’s sometimes difficult to establish liability. A driver of a car who strikes the child could be held responsible due to negligence, and/or the daycare could be liable if they are responsible for transporting the child to and from a car or bus.
For example, if a daycare employee needs to walk the child from the daycare center to a bus for a field trip or to a playground, they may be responsible for ensuring that your child does so safely. Or if the child leaves the building unattended, and a daycare worker is not paying close enough attention to the child under their care, that worker and/or the daycare center may be held responsible for an accident.
What to Do After Your Child Has Been Hurt
If your child suffers any type of injury as a result of a parking lot accident, take action immediately.
Steps to Take After a TX Daycare Accident
- Get emergency medical help, even if the child seems okay, to document the injuries
- Call the police to have the situation documented properly, especially if you believe negligence occurred
- Follow up with the director of the daycare to gather information about what happened
- Get witness statements and contact information
- Report it to the state
Additionally, it’s important to contact an attorney to discuss your case openly and fully. Working with a daycare negligence attorney in Texas can give you more insight into your rights after this type of accident.
Possible Damages in a Daycare Negligence Case
When someone who has a legal obligation to supervise another person fails to do so in a responsible manner, you can file a claim for negligent supervision. There are a variety of damages you can pursue a daycare negligence case.
Potential Damages in a Texas Daycare Injury Case
- Coverage for emergency medical care
- Costs related to hospital stays and procedures
- Rehabilitation help
- Medication costs
- Loss of time at work to take care of your child
- Pain and suffering