.png)
Indoor playgrounds are more dangerous than you might think. Where are the most common playground injuries? The monkey bars, with 46% of all injuries, according to Texas Health Resources.
If your child gets hurt at an indoor playground in Texas, it’s important you get them medical attention right away, document the incident, and report your child’s injury to the indoor playground staff.
Our experienced Texas child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm also explain why the indoor playground can be held liable for your child’s injury.
1. Get Medical Attention for Your Child
If your child is injured at an indoor playground, your immediate priority should be to seek medical attention at a local emergency room or urgent care center. (In some cases, you can also reach out to their pediatrician.) Many playground injuries aren’t obvious right away, like head trauma or damage to internal organs, which is why getting medical help is important. Bone fractures, which can also be hard to detect in some children, are the most common playground injury our legal team has seen at these facilities.
Once a doctor has seen your child, you can ask for a copy of the medical records from that visit. Having a copy of their records can be helpful in strengthening your case if you decide to hold the indoor playground accountable for your child’s injuries.
2. Document the Incident
Once your child has received medical care, the next important step is gathering information about what happened. Documenting the scene where your child was hurt helps preserve evidence if you choose to take legal action in the future.
Our experienced child injury lawyers encourage you to:
- Take photos of the playground area and equipment where the incident occurred, your child’s injuries, and any damaged netting, fences, or gates on the playground. (Use our tips in this article to help you spot and document hazards at indoor playgrounds.)
- Collect contact information from witnesses, such as indoor facility workers and other parents who were nearby when the incident occurred.
- Write down what happened in a notebook or in your phone’s notes app.
The more information you document, the more it helps our lawyers gain a clear picture of what happened to your child and how they got hurt at the indoor playground.
3. Report Your Child’s Injury to Playground Staff
Indoor playgrounds should have a process to document any incidents that result in a child’s injury. It’s important for you to report what happened to your child to the playground staff so they are aware of the incident. While the hope is that staff will take your child’s incident seriously and investigate and fix any unsafe equipment, that may not always be the case. Still, going on the record with staff is a necessary step to show you took action to prevent future injuries.
The report from the indoor playground should include details like where the injury happened, what may have been the cause of your child’s injury, what first aid was administered, and what staff members observed.
We encourage you to request a copy of the written incident report, as it will include helpful information for you to use if you take further legal action.
If My Child Was Hurt at an Indoor Playground, Can I Hold the Facility Responsible?
Yes, indoor playgrounds may be responsible for your child’s injury when important safety protocols aren’t followed. Our experienced legal team has identified several unsafe conditions that signal negligence on the part of the indoor playground and can provide evidence to hold the playground liable for your child’s injury.
The common forms of negligence our lawyers see at indoor playgrounds include:
- Lack of supervision from staff who fail to enforce safety rules
- Overcrowding, which makes it harder for staff and parents to monitor children safely
- Unsafe or damaged equipment
- Poor maintenance, like slippery floors or loose parts
Even if you signed a waiver with the indoor playground, you could still hold the owners and staff accountable for failing you and your child. Read more about waivers at indoor playgrounds and their role in the legal process in this article.
Contact The Button Law Firm After Your Child’s Indoor Playground Injury
If your child was hurt at an indoor playground, you have the right to hold the facility or the owners accountable. If you have any questions about taking steps to hold an indoor playground responsible for your child’s incident, contact our experienced Texas child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm. With offices in Dallas, Houston, and Midland, we will help explain the legal process and possible next steps for your family. Call us at 214-699-4409, email us at intake@buttonlawfirm.com, or fill out our online form for a free case evaluation.
