Children are vulnerable to many types of injury accidents. While caring parents always keep a close eye on their child, understanding the most common injury accidents that children are more vulnerable to can increase a child’s safety. The most devastating thing that can happen to a parent is severe injury or loss of a child, especially if the action could have been taken to prevent the tragic incident from occurring. A child’s small size can put them at greater risk of increased bodily harm when some type of force impacts their bodies, just as their naive, yet curious nature makes them more prone to take risks and engage in activities that can hurt them.

Children can be injured and lose their life by the malicious intent of another party, from unintentional acts, other entities’ negligence, as well as from their own mistakes. When negligence on behalf of another party is what caused the incident that leads to your child’s injuries, call Sheftall Law. Sheftall Law has qualified and strategic Jacksonville personal injury attorneys that will help you get the justice you deserve by holding negligent parties accountable for their part in harming your child. Every step of the way, from the time the police look at incident reports and all the way to the courtroom, the Florida child injury attorneys at Sheftall Law will be with you have your back.

What Injury Accidents Harm Children Most Often?

Exercising increased precautions and proactively safeguarding your child in the following situations can reduce the chances of serious injuries and death:

• Car accidents are the leading cause of injury and death across the country for all people, but children aged 1-20 die in car accidents more commonly than any other age group. For young children aged three to 14, motor vehicle accidents cause more death than any other type of deadly accident situation. There is much going on inside a car from switching music on the radio to checking GPS, loud children crying in the back seat, and taking in all the movement and action that is happening on the road can divide your attention easily. If you add in other diversions like using your phone or eating, you are increasing the risk for an accident and inflicting bodily harm on your child.
• Young children that have potential items which are choking dangers or any child that has defective products near them when they sleep can lead to deadly outcomes. Make sure you stay up to date on recalls and also look at the toys or other items that your child has near them when they sleep. They could be hazardous and pose a serious risk for harm if your child puts them in their mouth or is unable to get out of a situation where smothering can happen.
• Many household cleaning supplies are extremely toxic and can cause significant damage to a young child’s health that accidentally ingests them. Even if a child spills a cleaning substance on their skin they can be subject to chemical burns or they could get the substance in their eyes and become blind. Every year there are more than seven million poisonings in the country and the vast majority of them, approximately 75% are little ones age six and younger.
• Drowning accidents happen frequently among younger children. Even if you are in a location with a lifeguard you should never take your eyes off of your child because it can only take seconds for a child to succumb to a drowning incident. Their tiny lungs can fill up quickly with water and in no time they can lose their life.
• A very popular pastime for children is bike riding. Riding a bike is the closest form of freedom to being old enough to drive a car. Children should be taught bicycle safety and made to wear the appropriate safety gear. Not allowing children to ride around your neighborhood alone until you know that they understand the dangers of the road and are attentive and cautious while riding about can help keep them safe.
• School busses do not have seatbelts and when in an accident, this can lead to significant injuries for children. Children can also be hit and injured by a bus if they are not waiting for their ride in a safe location off of the road and on the sidewalk.
• Unsecured weapons like knives and guns can be deadly when an inquisitive child starts to play with them.
• Children eating food they are not ready for can lead to a choking incident. Also, while your young babies are starting to move from formula or nursing to solid food make sure that you pay attention to their reaction after you introduce new foods so that you can act should they have a violent allergic reaction.
• Children are active and putting them into sports helps them learn new skills and have fun, while also getting some healthy exercise. Many sports are contact and very physical. Children’s Hospital in Boston reports that annually three million children will suffer injuries from sports and other types of active recreational activities.
• It is extremely sad when a child is abused and neglected, it can even make people feel anger when these appalling situations happen. Even though abuse and neglect are shocking and awful, they do happen. In the United States in 2019, there were approximately five children who died from abuse and neglect each day that year.

What Can Parents Do To Prevent Child Injuries?

Parents can not shield their children from all harm but they can reduce the chances that a severe injury accident happens by:

• Keeping children secure in appropriate car seats that were installed correctly every time a child is in a car. Also having children wear seatbelts when they are too big for a safety seat and avoiding distractions while driving improve car safety.
• Keeping recalled products, foods, and items that are so small they could make a child choke away from young children is important.
• Lock up cleaning supplies and put them in areas that are high up where a child will not be able to access them. Also, talking to children about how cleaning supplies are very toxic and can hurt them.
• Keeping a locked fence around a pool, making sure that a child who is unable to swim independently learns the skill and wears flotation gear when in the pool, along with watching children carefully while in bodies of water can reduce drowning incidents.
• Teaching children how to ride their bicycle safely, always having them wear protective gear, and making sure that before you let them out on their own you know they understand how to watch out for cars and other hazards.
• Keeping weapons, especially guns locked up in a safe.
• Wearing protective gear while playing sports.
• Reporting any incidents where abuse and neglect are suspected.

Speak to a Florida Child Injury Attorney Today

If negligent acts by another party were the reason that your child was injured in Jacksonville, call the Jacksonville child injury attorneys at Sheftall Law to schedule a free consultation at ‌(904)‌ ‌638-7712‌.