Spring, Texas, a northern suburb of Houston, is growing quickly. The city is home to many big companies, from ExxonMobil and Southwest Energy to Waste Connections, and attracts numerous working families. In addition, according to the July 2022 Census report, 34.1% of Spring’s population is under 18 years old.
The combination of concentrated working families and plentiful young children in Spring creates an increased demand for childcare in the area. However, not all daycare centers are created equal. Local incidents such as a bus driver leaving a child alone on a bus, as reported by FOX 26 Houston, and a daycare worker arrested for indecency with a child, as reported by ABC 13, have harmed children in Spring. If your child was abused at a childcare facility in Spring, our Houston daycare abuse attorneys at The Button Law Firm may be able to help you get the compensation and justice your family deserves. Call us at 281-857-6116 or fill out a contact form for a free consultation.
What Is Considered Child Abuse at Daycare Centers in Spring?
Any physical injury to a child that results in substantial harm or a genuine threat of substantial harm by a caregiver at a daycare center in Spring, is considered abuse. Instances of physical abuse at Spring daycare centers can happen at the hands of a caregiver or worker at the facility or even another child in the classroom.
Our experienced daycare abuse attorneys have seen firsthand how unqualified workers at Spring daycare centers who use improper discipline techniques on the young children in their care are most likely to abuse them. The most common forms of physical abuse at daycare centers in Spring include:
- Pulling or yanking a child’s arm or leg, or dragging children by their arm or leg
- Hitting a child with an object such as a belt or paddle
- Kicking a child as a form of punishment
- Purposely burning a child with a cigarette or hot water
- Shaking a baby
- Shoving a child onto the floor, into a door, or even into another child
- Slapping a child’s face or body
Child-on-child abuse that occurs at daycare centers in Spring is also not acceptable. In fact, the childcare facility can be held accountable for the lack of supervision in the classroom that enabled the abuse to take place. Examples of these preventable incidents at Spring daycare centers include:
- Biting hard enough to leave teeth marks
- Choking
- Hitting and kicking
What Kinds of Injuries Can Happen from Child Abuse Incidents at Spring Daycare Centers?
Providing knowledge of potential injuries stemming from child abuse incidents at local daycare centers empowers parents in Spring to recognize red flags and swiftly seek support for their children. In addition, awareness also helps hold negligent daycare centers in the community accountable for any shortcuts or safety failures.
The four most common injuries that children sustain from physical abuse at daycare centers include:
- Brain damage, which can manifest in the dilation of pupils, dizziness or loss of balance and coordination, vomiting, fatigue or drowsiness, changes in sleep habits, and mood swings
- Broken bones
- Organ damage
- Severe bruising
If parents in Spring observe any of the following marks or signs on their child’s body, the child may be experiencing instances of physical abuse at a local daycare center:
- Bruises
- Bumps
- Burns
- Cuts or sores on the face, arms, and legs
- Imprints or marks from handprints, belts, buckles, or other objects
- Patches of missing hair
- Scratches
Besides the physical indicators of child abuse taking place at a Spring daycare center, a distressing ordeal may manifest through shifts in a little one’s behavior and personality. Abuse by a caregiver or another child at a Spring daycare center can prompt the following coping mechanisms in child victims:
- Aggression toward other children or family members
- Regression to infant-like behaviors such as wetting the bed or thumb-sucking
- Shifting to extreme shyness or withdrawing from others
- Sleep disturbances
- Spiked anxiety or fearfulness
Given their close bond with their child, parents in Spring are able to differentiate between usual and unusual behaviors. If you suspect your child is being physically abused at a daycare center in Spring, call the Texas Abuse Hotline at 800-252-5400.
Can I Sue a Daycare Center in Spring If My Child Was Physically Abused in Its Care?
Families in Spring have a right to file a lawsuit to hold a negligent daycare center and, if necessary, its caregivers accountable for physically abusing a child. The lawsuit also provides an opportunity to seek compensation, also known as damages, for any monetary, physical, emotional, or psychological impacts that resulted from the abuse. The lawsuit may help your family get justice for the harm your child suffered, as well as protect other children in Spring from experiencing the same injuries. It is important to note that a lawsuit must be filed within two years of the date when the abuse occurred.
Parents in Spring may be eligible for compensation to cover:
- Emotional damages such as pain and suffering
- Medical expenses
- Mental anguish
In the tragic event that a child passes away because of severe injuries caused by physical abuse experienced at the daycare center, Spring parents may be eligible for compensation to cover:
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Punitive damages if the daycare’s gross negligence caused a child’s death
- The emotional toll of losing a loved one, especially a child
- Other unexpected expenses
Speak with our experienced Spring daycare injury attorneys at The Button Law Firm, who will listen to you and advise you and your family on the best path forward.
How The Button Law Firm Helps Spring Families After Daycare Abuse Incidents
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 was physically abused by a caregiver or another child while in the care of a Spring childcare facility. With attorneys in Houston, we are ready to listen and fight for your family. 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 case evaluation.