Articles Posted in Child Injuries

Two years ago, the family of a 4-year-old boy killed in a 2011 escalator accident at the Auburn Mall Massachusetts reached a settlement with the escalator manufacturer and owner of the store where the escalator accident took place. escalator

The child was fatally injured when a guardrail on the escalator pulled him through a gap between a plexiglass divider and the escalator and he fell 18 feet onto a display case below. He died at the hospital the next day of blunt force trauma to the head.

According to recent statistics published by the American Association for Justice, this case was indicative of so many escalator accidents that happen every year in that it:

  • Involved a young child;
  • Involved a fall.

The report indicated there are a growing number of escalator injuries in the U.S. every year, most involving children or the elderly, and a significant number involving not entrapment, but falls. Continue reading

High school students are well known for engaging in many activities that the average adult would not consider safe, or for that matter even a sane thing to do. According to a recent news feature from Lehigh Valley Live, a 14-year-old girl was injured when she jumped out of a moving school bus and hit her head on the pavement. Doctors are worried the teen may have suffered a traumatic brain injury and labeled her condition as “concerning.”schoolbus

Believe it or not, the reason she jumped out of the rear door of a moving school bus is because it is a well-known tradition in the area for students to do this on the last day school each year.  However, one school official said that while the acts do occur, they are not a tradition at this particular school.  He said he is hopeful that other students will learn about the dangers of jumping out of moving school bus and not repeat this same behavior each year. Continue reading

A recent news feature from ABC News reports that a five-year-old boy was allegedly injured by bullies at a daycare in Tampa, Florida.  Authorities are saying that the boy suffered serious wounds to his face and abdominal region as result of that they are calling severe physical bullying or abuse. The family has released pictures showing the child with bruises all over the side of his face from his jaw to his forehead.

1350860_hand-in-handWhen the incident occurred, his parents immediately called the local police and the Department of Children and Families, which is the agency responsible for investigation of any incidents of child abuse and also with the oversight of daycare facilities within the state, including the one which this child was attending. Continue reading

Police in Tewksbury report a 3-year-old girl suffered personal injury following a Massachusetts dog bite by a reportedly aggressive American bulldog. dog

Officers were called to a private home shortly before 5 p.m. on a Saturday, where the girl, who along with a few friends, had been playing in a neighbor’s yard when the dog attacked and bit her on the ear. She was rushed to the general hospital in Lowell for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The dog, which reportedly belongs to the girl’s neighbor, has been quarantined. It has no history of violent attacks on humans.

Police have decided not to file charges against the owner. However, that does not mean the owner can’t be found liable in civil court for the girl’s injuries.

Federal data shows that children account for a disproportionate number of dog bite victims, accounting for 41 percent of all deaths. And while only 9 percent of all dog attacks resulted in criminal charges in 2014, they accounted for one-third of all homeowner liability insurance payouts that same year. There were approximately 16,600 dog bite claims made in 2014.  Continue reading

These days, remote controlled unmanned aircraft, known as “drones,” are appearing in the headlines on a regular basis. In some cases, we are talking about large military drones, such as the infamous Predator, and how they are used for surveillance and military strikes in the Middle East. These are very large drones with wingspans of nearly 50 feet, and each one costs over $4 million. They can fly virtually silently and launch Hellfire missiles with extreme precision.

rq-1-predator-1532872However, these are not the same kind of drones making headlines and stirring up controversy in the United States. In this case, we are talking about the small battery operated helicopters with four rotors that you get at BestBuy for around $1,500. The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) does not regulate these drones because they do not carry passengers and are not used for commercial purposes. If they were to be used for commercial purposes, the FAA would have oversight, and the agency currently prohibits their use. We have even seen cases were reporters were trying to use them for news footage since they normally contain cameras, but this was deemed commercial use and prohibited. Amazon also tried to use them to deliver packages, but this is not yet allowed, though there may be some changes in the future. Continue reading

Some activities, while they can be quite fun, come with a certain level of danger. For example, if you go skydiving, you are assuming the risk that you may be injured. If there is an accident that is nobody’s fault, you could break bones or even be killed. You or your surviving family members would probably not have a valid lawsuit to file because this a risk you had assumed when deciding to go skydiving, and if a judge determines there is assumption of risk, it is unlikely you will prevail on a negligence theory. Continue reading

Teens and college kids in Massachusetts love to have bonfires. While a bonfire can be a lot of fun, it is not hard to imagine how a giant tower of burning, unstable wood could result in serious personal injury.

firewood-on-fire-1-1199452-m.jpgOne of the more famous bonfire accidents occurred in 1999 at Texas A&M University during an annual event known as the Aggie Bonfire. During that horrific incident, which featured a world-record sized bonfire, the logs collapsed while lit and resulted in 12 deaths and more than 20 other serious personal injuries.

While this event got a great deal of national media attention, there are still bonfire accidents happening each year that do not manage to capture national attention but still result in serious personal injury. According to a recent news article from the Westwood, Massachusetts Patch, the Westwood Police Department was called to respond to a teen bonfire after it was reported a girl had been injured.
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According to a recent news article from IJReview, a family was at an amusement park in Phoenix, Arizona when their two children were injured on a boat ride. The two boys were riding bumper boats when their boat broke down. A park employee attempted to restart the boat’s motor, when the gas tank burst into flames, and a massive fireball erupted from the engine, causing the two boys to suffer second-degree burns.

motorboat-868147-m.jpgPark managers have a released a statement expressing their condolences to the family for any pain and suffering experienced by the child and said they are investigating why the fire occurred and are speaking with the ride’s manufacturers about what went wrong with the boats.
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According to a recent report from Fox News, a judge has issued a warrant for the arrest of woman who ran an unlicensed childcare center in Indiana. While defendant did not have a license to run a daycare facility, it was within state law, because she was watching fewer than five children at a time.

hand-cuffs-12754-m.jpgAuthorities allege defendant battered a child to death and then tried to cover his death up by claiming the child choked to death. The young victim was 19 months old at the time of his death.

Prosecutors say this is not the first time defendant has had issues with the law. In 2006, she was charged with neglect of a child in her care. In that instance, child’s mother went to police after her two-year-old was injured by a blanket that had become tied around her child’s neck. Fortunately, her child survived that incident.
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Parents of special needs children are often in the often stressful position of having to rely on others to take care of their loved one during the day. According to a recent news article from AZ Central, a special needs child was seriously injured when he jumped from a school bus in Phoenix, Arizona.

Witnesses say the 11-year-old boy suffered a serious head injury after he jumped from the moving school bus and is listed in extremely critical condition. The young victim was a student at a special academy connected with an elementary school. He was traveling with the bus driver and his personal aid when he apparently ran for the back door of the school bus.

When police responded to the scene of the morning accident, they provided immediate medical attention and transported victim to a local child trauma emergency room. This was not the first time victim had attempted to escape from the bus while it was moving, as he had also tried to go out the back door the previous Wednesday.
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