Playgrounds are supposed to be fun, safe places for children to play games, burn off energy and spend time with their friends. While many children use them at school, there are also plenty of playgrounds at city parks. Almost all children have access to these playgrounds in one fashion or another, and they’re very popular for families with young kids.
But are they as safe and fun as they sound? Or are they just an injury waiting to happen?
Injuries certainly do happen, as well as fatalities
While most children visit playgrounds without incident, doctors do note that they see injuries cases — some minor and some far more severe. The top five types of injuries are:
- Concussions
- Dislocations
- Broken bones
- Sprains and strains
- Internal organ injuries
On top of that, they do note that there are playground-related deaths every year. The most common cause of death is strangulation, which could happen if a child’s shirt gets caught on the playground and then the child slips and cannot free themselves. These cases are very rare, but they do happen. Injuries that require treatment but that are not a fatality risk are more common.
Exploring your options
Ideally, your children will never get injured at a playground. If they do, however, you need to explore your legal options to seek compensation. If someone else was negligent — or an entity like a local school — that negligence could lead to life-altering injuries, high medical bills and many other costs. Sometimes, just telling children to be safe is not enough; inherent issues with the playground put them in extra danger that they cannot recognize on their own.