Wound bandage being placed on child's wristHelping Houston Parents After a Child Is Burned at Daycare

Burn injuries are among the most serious injuries that a person can sustain and pose an especially serious threat for children. In fact, they are the leading cause of death and disability among children ages 1-4, according to a 2022 study published in the National Library of Medicine. The World Health Organization even lists burns among the top 5 most common childhood injuries.

Because of extensive pain and damage to the skin, burn injuries often require expensive, intense medical treatments and procedures, long-term care, and substantial rehabilitation. In this article, our Houston daycare burn injury lawyers will provide resources and information for what you can do in the event that your child gets burned at a childcare facility in the following cities: Atascocita, Bellaire, Clear Lake, Conroe, Cypress, Deer Park, Friendswood, Houston, Humble, Jersey Village, Katy, Lake Jackson, League City, Missouri City, Pasadena, Pearland, Richmond, Rosenberg, Spring, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, and Tomball.

How Do Children Get Burned at Daycare Centers in Houston?

There are a variety of burn injuries that can happen at Houston daycare centers, and they often happen because of a lack of supervision or inadequate training and procedures.

For instance, our experienced Houston daycare injury lawyers have found that bottle warmers are a common cause of daycare burn injuries for babies and toddlers. Bottle warmer burns can happen when:

  • An unsupervised child pulls a loose cord on the bottle warmer, causing boiling water or milk to spill on them. This is called scalding, which is the primary way that toddlers and children are most likely to be burned, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine.
  • An improperly stored bottle warmer tips over because it is not safely secured
  • A bottle warmer is unsafely left on a surface within reach of a child, and it is knocked over

Burn injuries at daycares in the Houston area can also happen when young children are not adequately supervised around:

  • A hot iron
  • Boiling water
  • Hazardous materials like cleaning products or pesticides that come in contact with a child’s skin
  • Hot beverages like coffee, warmed formula, or hot tea
  • Hot surfaces or objects like a hot plate, stove, or oven
  • Open flames like candles
  • Space heaters
  • Steam from a humidifier

How Can Houston Daycare Centers Protect Children from Burn Injuries?

Nearly 75% of all scalding burns in children are preventable, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. Most children’s burn injuries at Houston daycare centers can be avoided by maintaining adequate supervision with proper child-to-caregiver ratios.

It is important for Houston-area daycare providers to be aware of burn risks and take the proper preventive steps to keep children safe. In addition to adequate supervision, there are three easy steps that daycare centers can take to protect children from experiencing burn injuries:

  1. Keep hot surfaces and objects out of children’s reach. Any hazards such as bottle warmers, irons, or hot plates should be kept out of reach or guarded when in use. In addition, caregivers should be sure to turn them off when not in use.
  2. Safely store chemicals and hazardous materials
  3. Teach children about fire safety, including not to play with matches, lighters, or burning candles

What Should I Do If My Child Gets a Burn Injury at a Houston Daycare?

As we have established, burn injuries at daycares are preventable. If your child experiences a burn injury at a daycare in Houston, follow these five steps to hold the daycare accountable for any wrongdoing and help your child heal:

  1. Take your child to an urgent care clinic, pediatrician, or emergency room as soon as possible for medical attention. For severe burns, several pediatric burn treatment facilities are available in the Houston area, including Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, Texas Children’s Hospital, and Shriners Children’s Texas in Galveston.
  2. Get an incident report from your child’s daycare. The report provides a written record of what happened at the daycare, especially if your child’s burn is severe.
  3. Report the incident to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) by calling the Texas Abuse Hotline at 800-252-5400 or make a report online at TXAbuseHotline.org. Per Texas laws, the daycare center is required to report any incidents resulting in a child injury. Your report ensures that the department has been made aware of the incident, whether or not the daycare center has fulfilled its legal responsibility of filing a report.
  4. Keep track of all correspondence from the childcare facility and its workers. Screenshot text messages and emails discussing the incident, take pictures or make copies of any letters from the daycare or its workers, and make detailed notes of any phone calls with the daycare as they occur. While it may be overwhelming to remember these steps when you are more concerned about your child, keeping a file of correspondence can benefit your family’s legal case to hold the daycare accountable for your child’s burn injury.
  5. Reach out to our experienced Houston daycare burn injury lawyers by calling 281-857-6116 or filling out a contact form. Burn injuries can be very painful and result in significant physical and emotional trauma for your child. In fact, your family may be eligible for compensation to cover your child’s medical expenses, therapy and other helpful resources for mental anguish, lost wages from your job while serving as a caregiver to your child, and pain and suffering. We will be ready to listen and advise your family on the best approach to hold the daycare accountable and get justice for your child’s injuries. However, there is a two-year time limit for filing a personal injury claim in Houston, so reach out to our team as soon as possible.

In addition to the steps shared above, download our free five-step guide to help parents like you whose child has experienced an injury at a Houston-area daycare.

Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Houston Daycare Burn Injury Lawyers

Our team of experienced and compassionate Houston daycare injury attorneys at The Button Law Firm is dedicated to advocating for you and your family if your child experiences a burn injury while in the care of a Houston-area daycare center. With attorneys in Houston, we are ready to listen and fight for your family in Atascocita, Bellaire, Clear Lake, Conroe, Cypress, Deer Park, Friendswood, Humble, Jersey Village, Katy, Lake Jackson, League City, Missouri City, Pasadena, Pearland, Richmond, Rosenberg, Spring, Sugar Land, The Woodlands, and Tomball. Our attorneys at The Button Law Firm are recognized on the prestigious Texas Super Lawyers list, and we can help guide you after a traumatizing incident involving your child. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Call us at 281-857-6116 or fill out a contact form for a free consultation.
Russell Button
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Dallas, Houston, and Midland Texas trial and personal injury lawyer dedicated to securing justice for clients.