Our children’s playgrounds pose unnecessary and preventable risk to serious and sometime fatal injuries. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported a dramatic increase over the past two decades in playground-related injuries to preschool and elementary school children who are treated in emergency departments. Every year about 200,000 preschool and elementary school children are treated in emergency departments after being injured on a playground. Severe injuries—fractures, internal injuries, concussions, dislocations, amputations, and crushes—account for about 35% of all playground injuries. Each year, 17 children die from incidents related to playground equipment, primarily from strangulations and falls. Playground injuries occur in a variety of settings: schools, public parks, day care centers, and residences. 

Falls from swings, monkey bars, climbers, and slides are the leading cause of playground injuries. Improper surfacing is the leading cause of life threatening injuries. Hard surfaces such as asphalt, blacktop, concrete, grass, packed dirt, or rocks are not acceptable. 

The National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS) promotes playground safety awareness on a "SAFE" framework: proper Supervision, Age appropriate equipment, proper surfacing for Falls, and proper Equipment maintenance. We encourage all parents to be active in insuring that all playgrounds are safe, and that our children are protected.

If your child is injured in a playground accident, they may have important legal rights, including the right to compensation for their injuries. Depending on the type of injury, the following are a few important legal, factual and evidentiary issues to consider when evaluating a possible playground injury claim.

• Was the equipment unsafe, defective or poorly designed?

• Was the equipment age appropriate?

• Did the equipment meet playground standards?

• How large is the equipment and how many swings were present?

• Were photographs or a video taken of the playground and equipment?

• Did the equipment have metal and wooden seats instead of soft seats?

• Was there an adequate fall zone?

• Were there adequate guardrails or protective barriers?

• Did the equipment pose dangers for head entrapment?

• Was the equipment unsafe for clothing strings causing strangulation?

• Were children clothing properly designed to prevent strangulation?

• What can we do to prevent pokes and scrapes from equipment?

• Were there proper fall zones?

• Did the playground have proper surfacing and cushioning?

• Did the manufacturer provide test results for appropriate surfacing depth?

• Was the equipment and playground improperly maintained?

• Was the equipment  improperly stabilized?

• Were materials improperly allowed to deteriorate? 

If your or a friend’s child is a victim of a playground accident, you should take immediate steps to protect their interest. Do not compromise your rights by making statements to the press, insurance investigators, potential defendants, their representatives, or by signing any documents. After calling law enforcement authorities, obtain needed medical attention, read our accident guide, and call us immediately. We are here to help. At Larry King, P.C., we recognize the unique issues pertaining to accidents. You can call us at (757) 595-8100 seven days a week, 24 hours a day, everyday of the year. We also offer a free legal-infoline service, and you can now contact us on this web site by using our Personal Injury Contact form. We are committed to doing the extra things it takes to help our clients.