Minneapolis Playground Injury Attorney

At Knutson + Casey, we sincerely hope we never hear from you regarding a playground injury. The playground should be a place of productive and safe fun. Childhood injuries on playgrounds can leave lasting physical, mental, and emotional effects on the victims. Getting a phone call that your child has sustained an injury at school, a daycare center, or a friend’s house can be a frightening experience. Sadly, more than 200,000 children visit emergency rooms for playground injuries in the U.S. every year. Knutson + Casey wants to help you explore your rights as the parent of an injured child in Minneapolis.

Common Types of Playground Injuries

Playground injuries from playing sports, running around, and having fun with friends typically do not require legal involvement. Children are prone to the occasional bump, scratch, and bruise. However, some injuries go beyond typical “kids will be kids” accidents. They stem from defective playground equipment, inadequate adult supervision, and unsafe premises. These are acts of negligence that can lead to preventable childhood injuries on public and private playgrounds. Common playground injuries related to negligence include:

• Slips, trips, and falls. Hazardous objects on playgrounds such as sharp sticks and tree roots can lead to slip and fall injuries. It is up to the playground maintenance crew to repair known hazards and search for unknown issues in time to prevent child injuries.
• Falls from heights. Improperly supervised children may climb on top of playground structures and fall off, often leading to broken bones and head injuries. Monkey bars and swings are common obstacles that lead to dangerous falls. Supervisors should watch children at all times while playing on equipment.
• Injuries from defective equipment. Playground equipment such as a swing missing a link, a slide with an exposed metal lip, or a merry-go-round that can pinch fingers are all examples of defective or inherently dangerous products. Parents may be able to bring suits against manufacturers for defective play equipment.

Playground injuries also can occur from unsupervised children running out into the road, improper playground maintenance, and even bullying. It is up to you as a parent to investigate your child’s playground injuries and discover whether someone could have prevented them. If the injuries were preventable, it’s time to talk to an attorney in Minneapolis.

Negligence and Playground Injuries

Safe playground equipment, proper employee training, and adequate adult supervision can all help prevent playground injuries. It is up to the owner of the playground to invest in equipment that is safe for play, such as safe ground surfaces and structures that abide by government safety codes and regulations. Just one mistake or oversight on the part of the equipment manufacturer, facility owners, or playground supervisors can change your child’s life forever.

Victims of playground injuries can suffer broken bones, lacerations, amputations, pinched fingers, burns, head injuries, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, eye injuries, and innumerable other personal harms. Some children may have permanent scars or disabilities after catastrophic playground incidents. Others may suffer emotional damages such as nightmares or post-traumatic stress disorder. If you have reason to suspect that someone else’s negligence caused your child’s playground accident injuries, talk to an attorney.

You may have grounds to file a lawsuit against the school or daycare facility, an individual supervisor, a product manufacturer, municipality, or other entity. The lawyers at Knutson + Casey can listen to your story and tell you if we believe your case has merit in the civil courts of Minnesota. Then, we can investigate your child’s accident and help you identify the likely defendant(s). Call (507) 344-8888 or get in touch online today.