Douglasville Daycare Injury Lawyer
When you send your child to daycare, you trust the daycare workers will provide appropriate supervision and keep your child safe from harm. However, child injuries still happen, leaving families searching for answers. If your young child has been injured at a daycare, a Douglasville daycare injury lawyer at Sherrod & Bernard, P.C. can explain your options for holding the daycare provider financially accountable for your child’s injuries. With over 85 years of combined legal experience, our attorneys are dedicated to helping families get the legal assistance and support they need after a daycare injury.
What Are Some Causes of Douglasville Daycare Injuries?
Daycare injuries often occur because of negligence or unsafe conditions. Some common causes of daycare negligence cases include:
- Lack of supervision — Accidents at daycare facilities are more likely to occur when daycare workers fail to supervise children properly. A child might fall on a playground, get into hazardous areas, or injure themselves while playing with dangerous objects. Adequate staffing and proper supervision are crucial to a daycare provider meeting its legal duty to ensure a child’s safety and avoid preventable accidents.
- Hazardous conditions — Unsafe facilities, such as those with broken furniture, poorly maintained playground equipment, or slippery floors, can cause serious harm. The daycare is responsible for regularly inspecting and fixing or removing any potential dangers to keep children safe.
- Improper training — Staff who lack proper training may fail to respond appropriately to emergencies or care for children appropriately. A lack of staff training can lead to accidents at a daycare facility or make injuries worse if they happen.
- Abuse or mistreatment — In the worst cases, daycare injuries are the result of intentional harm or neglect. Signs of daycare abuse can include unexplained bruises or unexplained changes in your child’s behavior. If you suspect mistreatment, it’s crucial to take action immediately to protect your child and hold those responsible accountable.
No family should have to deal with the pain of knowing their child was hurt because of someone else’s gross negligence or misconduct.
What Are Examples of Daycare Injuries?
Some of the most common daycare injuries include:
- Broken bones — Breaks often result from falls on playgrounds or slippery floors.
- Head injuries — These can occur if a child falls or is struck by an object.
- Bruises and cuts — While some scrapes are part of childhood, others may point to unsafe conditions or mistreatment.
- Emotional trauma — Children who experience abuse or witness distressing events may suffer long-term psychological effects.
If your child has been hurt at a child care, your family deserves compassion and trusted legal guidance. Seeking medical care right away and legal advice soon after is essential. If your child’s injuries are serious, the child may need medical care for years to come. A Douglasville daycare injury lawyer can review your child’s injuries and help you determine the best course of action.
Does Georgia Have Laws and Requirements for Daycare Facilities?
Yes, Georgia has specific laws and regulations to ensure the safety of children in daycare. These rules include:
- Staff-to-child ratios — Georgia daycare facilities must have enough caregivers to supervise all children properly. For example, there should be one staff member for every six children under one year, and toddlers aged one to three years should have from one to eight.
- Background checks — Daycare workers must pass thorough background checks before working with children.
- Safety standards — Daycare facilities must meet safety standards and maintain safe equipment, clean environments, and secure premises.
The regulations are designed to protect children, but not all daycare centers comply. When daycare centers fail to meet these requirements, they can be held responsible for the resulting injury and harm caused.
Who Can Be Held Liable for a Douglasville Daycare Injury?
Depending on the situation, liability for a daycare injury can fall on several parties. Potentially responsible parties include:
- Daycare facility — If the injury was caused by unsafe conditions, poor supervision, inadequately trained staff, or failure to meet safety standards, the daycare may be held accountable. Daycares have a responsibility to provide a safe environment for all children in their care. If a daycare provider fails to deliver the care owed and a young child suffered harm, the parents of the injured child may have a right to demand compensation to cover medical expenses
- Individual staff members — If a specific employee’s abuse, neglect, or careless actions caused the injury, that person might be held directly responsible. Employers may also be liable for hiring or retaining unqualified staff.
- Third parties — A manufacturer or distributor may share responsibility if a defective product, such as faulty playground equipment or unsafe toys, causes an injury. An investigation is necessary to determine if a product defect caused the harm.
What Are Liability Waivers?
Many daycare facilities ask parents to sign liability waivers, which are meant to protect the daycare from certain lawsuits. However, these waivers do not give daycares a free pass to act carelessly or disregard safety regulations. The State of Georgia does not allow waivers to shield daycares from liability for negligence or intentional harm. If your child was injured, don’t assume a waiver prevents you from seeking justice for daycare negligence.
Is Compensation Available for a Douglasville Daycare Injury Lawsuit?
If your child has been hurt at daycare, you may be entitled to demand compensation to cover:
- Medical expenses, such as doctor visits, surgeries, or therapy
- Pain and suffering endured by your child
- Emotional distress experienced by your family.
Every case is unique. An experienced injury attorney can assess the defendant’s conduct and what compensation you may be entitled to claim. At Sherrod & Bernard, P.C., our personal injury lawyers have helped families pursue the financial support they need to move forward after serious injuries.
How Long Do You Have to File a Daycare Injury Lawsuit in Georgia?
Under the Georgia statute of limitations, you typically have two years from the date of the plaintiff’s injury to file a lawsuit. However, certain circumstances, such as cases involving minors, may extend this time limit. An experienced daycare injury attorney can act quickly to preserve evidence and develop your case before the evidence can be destroyed or lost.
Contact a Douglasville Daycare Injury Lawyer
If your child sustains an injury at a daycare, you don’t have to face this difficult time alone. At Sherrod & Bernard, P.C., we understand how overwhelming the situation can be for the injured party and the entire family. Our legal team offers a free initial consultation to help you understand your legal rights and the steps you can take.
With more than 85 years of combined legal experience, our Douglasville personal injury lawyers treat every client like family. Our commitment to respecting our clients and pursuing the results they need has helped families throughout Douglasville and West Georgia move forward with their lives. Our attorneys handle daycare negligence cases on a contingency fee basis. We do not charge a legal fee until we obtain compensation for you.
Call us or fill out our online contact form for a free consultation today with a Douglasville daycare injury lawyer. Let us stand by your side and help you take the next steps toward justice for your child.
NEED HELP? CONTACT US