Did you know pediatric limb amputations are more common than adult amputations? Over a 12-year span, 111,600 children were treated for traumatic amputations in emergency rooms around the country, according to a medical article published in the National Library of Medicine. Nationwide Children’s Hospital states these serious injuries are most common in children under the age of 5.
Unfortunately, traumatic limb loss and amputation injuries can happen at daycare centers in Texas. Our knowledgeable Texas daycare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm are educating parents about how these injuries happen and what you can do if your child suffers an amputation-related injury while in the care of a local daycare center.
Common Causes of Amputation Injuries at Daycare
Most traumatic limb loss and amputation injuries are easily preventable in a daycare setting when facilities take the necessary steps to supervise children, ensure classrooms are child-proof, and the premises are properly maintained. We have seen firsthand how little ones can lose a finger, leg, or arm, when daycare centers are negligent and do not comply with the state’s safety laws, also known as the minimum standards.
The three most common causes of amputation injuries at daycare centers include:
- Fingers Closed in a Door: Children’s Health in Dallas cites finger amputations as the most common traumatic injury to the hand. When caregivers are not closely supervising the children in their care or do not ensure all the children in a class are safely through a door, little fingers can get caught in a door hinge or slammed by the heavy door. This can cause the fingers to be seriously damaged, requiring an amputation, or even severed off.
- Furniture Tipping or Falling: Unsecured furniture in a daycare classroom is a serious hazard that can lead to a child’s traumatic limb loss. When heavy pieces of furniture like bookcases, dressers, and changing tables are not properly anchored into the wall of a daycare center, they can fall on the fragile bodies of little ones. The crushing of an arm, leg, or finger can require the child’s limb to be removed.
- Exposure to Sharp Objects: A deep cut that runs the length of a finger caused by a sharp object is another culprit of a child’s finger amputation injury at a daycare center. The most common scenario is when playground equipment or chain-link fencing at the daycare center are not maintained and sharply stick out, puncturing little fingers. In addition, unsupervised children who have access to sharp objects like scissors or knives used at snack time can seriously cut a finger that requires an amputation.
Filing A Lawsuit If Your Child Suffered an Amputation-related Injury at a Texas Daycare Center
Traumatic limb amputations are serious injuries that impact a child’s physical and emotional well-being. In fact, these injuries require an average of four medical procedures and lengthy and hospital stays that can add up. In addition, long-term care management is needed to evolve with the size, necessary functions, and technology innovations for a child’s prosthetic limb.
Adjusting to everyday life and participating in common activities can feel overwhelming for the whole family. That’s why your family may have the option to file a claim to hold the daycare responsible for causing your child’s amputation-related injury and failing to keep them safe. Perusing legal action enables parents like you to get answers, justice, and, potentially, compensation.
In Texas, you have two years to file a claim to seek compensation, also known as damages, and hold the daycare center accountable for its negligence. By filing a claim, parents may be compensated for the following damages:
- Emotional distress
- Medical expenses, including a child’s ongoing or future medical treatments and therapy
- Pain and suffering
Do you have more questions about taking legal action or your parental rights after a child’s amputation-related injury at a daycare center? Call us at 214-699-4409 or email us at [email protected]. Our experienced Texas daycare injury lawyers will listen and determine the best way to help you and your family move forward.
Tips To Help Your Child Cope with an Amputation-Related Injury
A few ways to help your child following a traumatic limb loss or amputation-related injury at a local daycare center include:
- Educating your child’s teachers and classmates about the amputation
- Encouraging your child’s participation to resume activities
- Finding a support group in your neighborhood or city to help your child relate to other children with a similar experience
- Preparing your child for questions and conversation with other children about their amputation
- Reading books about characters who have physical differences
- Seeking out a child life specialist at a local children’s hospital (Children’s Health, Cook Children’s, Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, Dell Children’s Medical Center, El Paso Children’s Hospital, Texas Scottish Rite Hospital)
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