It is always terrifying when someone you love is hurt, but it is especially horrible when it happens to a child. While some of these injuries are unavoidable, many are the result of negligent adults who do not do their job when it comes to caring for children. Here are five ways that negligent adults can cause child injuries:

  1. Dog and animal bites
    • One of the most common ways that children suffer injuries comes from dog and animal bites. Animal owners are supposed to make sure their pets are properly trained and socialized to avoid attacking people, and must be kept fenced in or on a leash to keep them from running away where they might hurt someone. This is especially an issue for children, who can unknowingly antagonize an animal and get bit in retaliation, leading to child injuries.
  2. Negligent supervision
    • People rely on babysitters, nannies, school teachers, playground attendants, and other supervisors to ensure their children are properly cared for when they cannot be around to care for them. This includes keeping children away from dangerous objects, and intervening if they engage in unsafe types of play. Unfortunately, not every supervisor does their job, allowing children to engage in dangerous behavior that can lead to child injuries.
  3. Swimming accidents
    • Children love to swim during the summer, but swimming always carries certain risks, whether at a swimming pool or the beach. Wet surfaces can make for slipping hazards that can lead to children falling and hurting themselves, while the water itself can be dangerous for children who cannot swim well. That is why a lifeguard should always be on duty when a pool or beach is in use, and why pools should be gated to prevent children from entering unsupervised.
  4. Car accidents
    • Children are, unfortunately, more likely to be injured in a car accident than adults. This includes motor vehicle accidents where they are a passenger in a car, as well as accidents where they are hit while trying to cross the road. Negligent drivers who fail to follow the rules of the road, or watch for children at crosswalks and intersections, place children at a far higher risk of child injuries.
  5. Toxic exposure
    • Children have a tendency to put things in their mouths that they shouldn’t, including toys and other items intended for their use. That is why it is so important that children’s items be made from safe materials, and why it is essential to ensure their food and medicine is safe for consumption. When manufacturers use toxic materials in making children’s items, or when they allow food and medicine to be tainted by poisonous substances, they make child injuries much more likely.

If you have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence, you should contact the Tennessee personal injury lawyers at the Keith Williams Law Group. With convenient offices located in Nashville and Lebanon, our lawyers will work with you to create a litigation strategy that protects your legal rights and serves your personal needs. For more information or a free consultation, please contact us at 615-444-2900 or visit our contact page.