In 2021, 140,672 children in Houston visited emergency rooms at Texas Children’s Hospital, according to the hospital system’s annual report. Multiply that number by every major Texas city and you can imagine how many children across the state needed to visit an emergency room. Injuries caused by sharp objects are among the many reasons for the children’s ER visits.
Sharp object injuries such as stabbing, puncture, and laceration wounds are a major concern for parents with young children in Texas daycare centers. Our Texas daycare injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm are helping parents and daycare providers understand the causes of these injuries, how to prevent them, and why it is crucial for daycares across Texas to create a safe and secure environment for the children in their care.
How Are Children Seriously Injured by Sharp Objects at Texas Daycares?
No parent wants to receive a call from their child’s daycare informing them that their little one has been hurt, especially from a preventable injury caused by a sharp object.
Incidents involving sharp objects can occur at Texas daycare centers when:
- Fragile materials like glass water cups or vases fall and break and are not cleaned up properly, resulting in cuts on little hands
- Decorative pieces like mirrors are not properly secured to a wall, causing them to shatter on classroom floors
- Kids have access to toys with sharp points that are inappropriate for their age
- New construction projects around the daycare, such as renovations in classrooms or to the exterior or playground, are not properly monitored and cleaned up (For instance, neglecting to remove loose nails or other materials that could harm a child.)
- Playground equipment or spaces around the daycare facility are not properly maintained and may have protruding screws or nails or broken pieces that have sharp points
- Pointed edges and corners of furniture, like tables that are not childproofed with foam or soft coverings
- Sharp tools such as scissors, cooking knives, box cutters, or newly sharpened pencils are not properly stored and easily accessible to curious little hands
What Kinds of Injuries Can Young Children Sustain from Sharp Objects?
Young children are curious and unaware of the dangers or consequences of handling objects with sharp edges or points, making them especially vulnerable to injuries. Most often, children will get surface cuts that can be treated with a Band-Aid. However, sharp objects at daycares in Texas can cause serious harm including:
- Deep cuts that require stiches
- Eye injuries that can permanently impact a child’s vision
- Head injuries
- Puncture wounds that sever tendons and require a tetanus shot
- Severe infections when cuts are not properly cleaned and treated
How Can Texas Daycares Protect Children from Injuries Caused by Sharp Objects?
While the dangers of daycare injuries caused by sharp objects may seem daunting, the good news is they are preventable. The onus is on daycare facilities across Texas to create safe spaces for the children in their care. Most injuries caused by sharp objects can be easily avoided when the daycare maintains adequate supervision with proper child-to-caregiver ratios.
Another important way to prevent sharp-object injuries is keeping classrooms or work areas where children frequent free from potentially dangerous objects. This means ensuring that all playthings and learning toys are in good condition, free from sharp edges or corners, and not easily breakable. Caregivers should also make sure that sharp tools, such as scissors and cooking knives, are stored in secure locations that are out-of-reach from children.
Daycare owners and caregivers also need to be mindful of maintaining child-friendly and safe facilities. This includes:
- Conducting regular inspections and maintenance of playground equipment using the playground safety checklist created by the Texas Department of State Health Services is a good starting point
- Childproofing all classroom furniture—pieces with sharp edges should either be taken out of the classroom or edges should be covered with protective foam or padding
- Properly securing mirrors or other decorative pieces to the walls to avoid falling and shattering on little ones below
Our knowledgeable Texas daycare injury attorneys have created a free guide to find a safe daycare to help working parents, like you, have peace of mind about your child’s safety.
Can I Sue the Daycare If My Child Was Hurt by a Sharp Object While in Its Care?
An injured child’s parents or legal guardian has two years from the date of an incident at a Texas daycare facility to file a lawsuit to seek compensation and hold the negligent daycare providers and caregivers accountable. Our lawyers at The Button Law Firm will serve as your family’s advocate, so you can focus on helping your child heal from their injuries.
Your family may be eligible for compensation to cover the following in the event that a child is injured by a sharp object at a daycare center in Texas:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Future expenses to manage your child’s recovering from injuries
It is important to speak with experienced daycare injury attorneys, like our team at The Button Law Firm, who will listen and advise on the best path forward for you and your family.
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Texas Daycare Injury Lawyers After Your Child Is Hurt by a Sharp Object
Our team of experienced and compassionate daycare injury attorneys at The Button Law Firm is dedicated to advocating for you and your family if your child is injured by a sharp object at a Texas daycare facility. With attorneys in Dallas, Houston, and Midland, we are ready to listen, fight for your family, and help your family move forward. 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 214-699-4409 or fill out a contact form for a free consultation.
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