A parent’s greatest fear is getting a phone call that their child has been injured. One Houston family received such a call, according to a story reported by Houston’s KPRC 2 News: “There’s blood everywhere,” a local mom recalled hearing on the phone. In a horrible daycare incident, her 2-year-old son had just endured a traumatic finger injury. The little boy’s fingers were crushed in a gate swinging open at the daycare center.
Unfortunately, too many children are injured at daycare centers in Texas each year. A report by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services recorded 1,415 confirmed serious injuries happened in licensed daycare centers across the state between the fiscal years of 2018 and 2019. A majority of these preventable incidents happen when daycare centers in Houston do not follow state-mandated minimum standards for daycares and cut corners to reduce costs.
Due to the number of children who are hurt while in the care of these facilities, our experienced Houston daycare injury attorneys are sharing the top five things parents should do if their child is a victim of negligence at one of the daycare centers in the Houston metro area, including 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.
Five Steps to Follow If Your Child Is Injured at a Houston Daycare
Helping your child after they have experienced a serious injury at a Houston-area daycare can feel overwhelming. Here are five steps every parent should follow:
- Seek immediate medical attention by taking your child to an emergency room at Houston’s Texas Children’s Hospital or Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, an urgent care center, or your pediatrician’s office. Often, the full extent of a child’s injuries, such as broken bones or organ damage, is not visible. In addition, young children may not be able to talk or easily explain the extent of what has happened to them. That’s why having your child evaluated by a medical professional is the best way to determine the severity of their injuries.
- Request an incident report from the daycare. In Texas, daycares are required by law to notify parents about incidents and injuries that happen at the facility. It’s important to get a detailed incident report as soon as you can. The incident report may be useful in a potential lawsuit to hold the daycare accountable for any injuries to your child.
- Report the incident to Texas Department of Family and Protective Services by calling the Texas Abuse Hotline at 800-252-5400 if your situation is urgent and needs to be investigated within 24 hours. Visit txabusehotline.org if your situation does not need to be investigated right away. The state needs to know about all daycare incidents, even if your child’s incident seems minor. A record of daycare deficiencies could help protect other children from future injury.
- Inform yourself and investigate. Talk to the daycare center’s employees and administrators to find out as much information about the incident as possible. Also, speak with other parents to see if similar incidents have occurred to other children at the daycare center.
- Know your rights. As a parent, you have a right to help your child recover and seek compensation for any medical expenses or damages. Houston-area families have a legal right to file a lawsuit to hold negligent daycares and caregivers accountable for their reckless actions. Reach out to our experienced Houston daycare injury lawyers by calling 281-857-6116 or filling out a contact form.
Time is of the essence. A daycare injury can create significant physical and emotional trauma for your child. We are ready to listen and advise you on the best approach to hold the daycare accountable and get justice for your child’s traumatic experience and injuries. Our aggressive pursuit of your claim for your child’s injuries may help prevent the negligent daycare from harming other children in the future. However, there is a two-year time limit for filing a daycare injury lawsuit in Texas, so reach out to our team as soon as possible.
To learn more about how to handle your child’s daycare injury, be sure to download our free guide: Five Steps to Take After a Daycare Injury.
Free Resources to Find Safe Daycare Centers in Houston
As discussed, we help families hold negligent daycares in the Houston area accountable for their reckless behavior. To help Houston families protect their children while they’re in daycare, we’ve created free resources for parents:
- 10 Tips to Find a Safe Daycare
- How to Identify Red Flags of Unsafe Daycare Centers
- What You Need to Know Before Entrusting Your Child to a Small Employer-Based Childcare Operation
Schedule a Free Consultation with Our Houston Daycare 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 is injured while in the care of a Houston daycare facility. 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.
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