The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently released the results of a study regarding injuries and playgrounds in the United States. The 12 year evaluation determined that more children are being treated for playground injuries than in the past, and in particular more children are being seen with concussions and traumatic brain injuries as a result of these incidents. On playgrounds in Chicago and in other parts of the nation, swings and monkey bars are the playground structures most likely to cause injuries in youths under the age of 14.
While children will always get bumps and bruises when they engage in outdoor play, serious injuries can often be prevented when responsible parties take control and provide adequate safety precautions. For example, a set of money bars over a soft surface may be significantly less likely to cause children harm than a similar set of bars placed over an asphalt or concrete pad.
Additionally, proper supervision of children on playground equipment can prevent some of the traumatic injuries reported in the CDC study. As such, when children suffer harm while playing on playground equipment there are situations in which a third party may be to blame for the young person’s incurred damages.
Summer camps, sports organizations and other extracurricular and school-based activities often utilize playgrounds for their participants. When those entities assume responsibility over other people’s children, they also generally assume liability for the harm those children may befall while under their care. Parents whose children have incurred harm while playing on playground equipment should understand their legal rights and take steps to determine if third parties may be responsible for the injuries suffered by their kids.
Source: nbcchicago.com, “CDC Finds Most Dangerous Equipment on Playgrounds,” Lindsey Tanner, May 2, 2016
