Chicago Injury Lawyer Blog

In the US motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of childhood fatalities and permanent lifelong disability. The child mortality and morbidity rates in car accident have decreased significantly due to tougher laws and education programs regarding car seat use. Although these have decreased the rates, many children die or are seriously injured in car accidents each year.

What is amazing to me is that numerous studies have shown that seven out of 10 car seats are installed improperly. Overwhelming statistics have reported that both improper use of car seats and child restraints has played a major role in injuries and child fatalities from car accidents. Let's take a look at some car seat recommendations from the experts the AAP (American College of Pediatrics). As parents. If we incorporate some basic safety measures we can protect our children from the number one killer in our nation. That is automobile and car accidents.

Have you ever been to your local store to select a car seat? It can be an overwhelming experience. You must first select the appropriate model or type of car seat for your child's age, height and weight. Infants should always be placed in an infant carrier. They can accommodate an infant up to22 pounds. The infant carrier should be used installed in a rear-facing position. According to the AAP (American College of Pediatrics) they recommend that until two years of age, children should be placed in a rear facing. The car seat should have a five-point restraint.

What happens when our children become toddlers? Studies have shown that parents tend to be less consistent with the use of booster seats. It is the law that booster seats are used for children from the age range of 4 to 8. In some instances the child may be older. If your child is under 4 feet, 9 inches, and 80 pounds they need to utilize a booster seat. It does not matter the age of the child, this is the law. Never put a child under the age of 13 or 80 lbs. in the front seat. The air bags are effective at saving lives, but they are powerful. After impact, if they are deployed they can crush a child causing seriuos injuries or death.

Now that we have selected the appropriate car seat, it needs to be installed. The car seat requires proper installation. After removing the car seat from its box, read the car seat instructions carefully before installing the car seat. If you have any questions, hire an expert. We take extreme caution with so many things, take the time to have a professional check to ensure the seat is installed correctly. You can start at your local police stations. Many police stations will check and install the car seat for free. You can use www.seatcheck.org to find a car or safety seat inspection site. If possible, you should avoid buying a used child car seat. Car seats can be expensive; they can also save a child's life. If you must use a previously owned car seat, make sure that it has never been in an accident. Also make sure that it has all the required parts. Never use a car seat that is over five years old.

As a parent, we need to set an example. Every time we drive our cars, we need to use our seatbelts. All the experts and studies reveal that wearing a seatbelt reduces the likelihood of child fatalities and permanent disabilities resulting from a car accident. Whether you are driving cross country or around the corner, children should be in the appropriate car seat and all passengers should be wearing seatbelts. Buckle up, it's the law.

Every day children in Illinois are injured or killed because of the negligent actions of others. Approximately, 2,500 children are killed in accidents or die from an unintentional injury every day. More than that are left with life-long permanent disabilities. Many of these accidents can lead to death or severe disability. Personal injury lawsuits can be filed on behalf of children. It doesn't matter if the injury is caused by a health care provider, a defective product, car or automobile accident, any individual or corporation that injures a child is accountable for their actions.

It's a beautiful day outside, the sun is shining and you are on your way to the playground with your children. Playgrounds, parks and outdoor backyard play equipment offer kid's endless hours of outdoor fun. You never think that an injury could happen during that visit. It is estimated that over 201,000 children are taking to the emergency room of a hospital for an injury from a playground accident. Many of these playground injuries could have been prevented.

Most of the time we automatically assume that since we are going to a local playground, that it is safe. That's not always the case. As parents are tasked with the responsibility of making sure that the playground is safe for our children. One action as parents that we can take is to check the equipment for any potential hazards. We should also instruct our children on proper playground behavior. As well as teaching our children some safety guidelines. Don't allow children to stand on swings. I see this all the time at the local playgroup. Parents watching as their children are attempting dangerous stunts on playground equipment. Teaching our children on how to play safely is critical to playground safety.

If a child knows and understands the rules of the playground, this will reduce injuries. As always, every playground should have adequate adult supervision. This can help prevent a playground injuries. It's a very simple and easy solution. As adults and parents we need to monitor that children are using the playground equipment properly. Proper instruction on the use of playground equipment can reduce the incidence of playground accidents. Adults also need to be in attendance in the event that an injury occurs. The adult can assist the child, and then can call more emergency medical help if needed. I have seen children obeying the rules of the playground injure themselves. On one visit to a playgroup, a young girl was swinging from the monkey bars. One minute she happy and laughing, the next minute she was on the ground. In moments she had lost hold of the bar and crashed to the ground. She struck her head very hard on the asphalt. Her parents immediate checked her level of consciousness and called for help.

This is a great example as to why children should always be supervised on the playground. Young kids have troubling determining the distances between equipment. This girl misjudged the arms distance from the bars, causing her to strike her head. Some children feel the need to test their limits on the playground. How fast can I run, how high can fast can I swing. All these types of activities can cause serious or catastrophic injuries.

According to Chicago Child Injury lawyer David Nemeroff, emergency departments of hospitals treat more than 201,000 children for playground-related injuries. Statistics have shown that greater than forty percent of playground-related injuries are severe injuries such as a head injury or traumatic brain injuries, fractures, internal injuries, concussions, dislocations, and amputations.

When a child is injured due to an accident, the child's parent or guardians can bring a lawsuit on behalf of the injured child. In the tragic event of a child's death, parents and family members may have legal rights under the Illinois Wrongful Death Act. An experienced child injury attorney can advise you and your family what damages may be recoverable, and how best to pursue your claim.

The summer is coming to an end, school will start soon. Many Illinois families will be traveling to amusement parks for the last weekend of the summer. Families are going to these amusement parks for a day filled with fun, laughter and thrills. I always have concerns racing through my mind when I am at an Amusement Park. How safe are the rides? How much training and experience do the ride operators have? Are they distracted? Did this park have any accidents from negligence? Children account for 50 percent of those injured or killed in amusement park ride accidents.
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This year in Chicago, a young child suffered a fatal head injury at an amusement park in Chicago, Illinois. The child was on a roller coaster called the Giant Python, at the Go Bananas Amusement Park in Chicago. The 3yr old boy somehow slid under the safety bar and fell out of the roller coaster. Several thoughts enter my head, as I heard this tragic news. Was the ride properly maintained? Was the child tall enough to be allowed on the ride? Was the ride operator negligent in assessing the child's height? Many questions are left unanswered.

Amusement park ride safety should be the number one priority for Amusement park owners and ride operators in Illinois. I did some research regarding statistics on amusement park accident statistics. This is what I found according to the Federal Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Over 8,000 individuals were injured on carnival or amusement park rides in 2008. That would be over 4,000 children. In a ten year period, over 50 deaths results from accidents on amusement park rides. Roller coasters (16 deaths) and whirling rides (11 deaths) had the highest number of fatalities. Children in the age category from 10 to 14 yrs. of age suffered the largest number of injuries of any age group.

As a Chicago child injury lawyer, I have extensive knowledge regarding the legal rights of amusement park injury victims. In the state of Illinois, Amusement Parks are regulated by the State Department of Labor under the laws pursuant to Carnival and Amusement Parks Safety Act. Amusement parks and carnivals are mandated by this law to submit an annual ride for inspection application. Amusement parks are required to provide proper documentation for each ride. They also are required to provide documentation for employees or operators of the ride. This documentation needs to include the training of the operator on each ride. You can access additional information pertaining to Illinois Laws and Regulations of Amusement Park Rides at the Official Website for the State of Illinois Department of Labor.

Amusement Parks need to adhere to strict compliance with the State laws and regulations. If they do not do so the safety of our children will be compromised. The tragic death or injury of a child as a direct result of the negligence of an amusement park, carnival, or theme park owner and operator can be very tragic for parents. Amusement park and theme park ride injuries are preventable.

Source:
http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2011-04-04/news/ct-met-roller-coaster-death-20110404,