Sand Law LLC is here to defend Minnesota children injured by schools and daycares that act abusively or negligently.
Parents would be there to nurture and protect their children 24/7 if possible. But with work and other responsibilities, many have to place their children’s health and safety in the hands of daycare staff. Sadly, not all daycare facilities have children’s best interest at heart. A child abuse report is made every ten seconds. Too many of these incidents are taking place within Minnesota childcare facilities, including daycares, preschools, and after-school programs.
Abuse-related injuries are especially impactful during the development years. They can stunt children’s physical and emotional growth and even compromise their cognitive abilities. Treating these injuries is a major financial hardship in the midst of raising a family.
If your child has been abused at daycare, Sand Law can help you to seek compensation and hold the perpetrators accountable. Please contact us to learn about your options.
Signs of Negligence at Daycares
- Hunger and thirst. Daycares are required to provide food and water to children in their care throughout the day. If your child is constantly hungry or thirsty at pick up, the facility may not be meeting his or her nutritional needs.
- Employee turnover. A revolving door and constant stream of new faces is not a good sign. When an environment is unpleasant for employees, chances are it’s toxic for your child as well. Daycare owners may actually push quality employees away. Child care providers are mandatory reporters, and decent ones won’t stay silent about signs of abuse. Daycare owners who are up to no good don’t want to risk being caught.
- Behavioral changes. If your child becomes skittish, fearful, or withdrawn, it could be a sign that he or she is living in fear of an abuser. Some children become aggressive after abuse. They may kick, scream, and hit seemingly out of nowhere. Others respond by regressing into themselves. This may present itself with bedwetting, thumb-sucking, and unusual crying.
Types of Daycare Abuse
Lack of supervision
Daycares have to meet staff to child ratio requirements that vary based on the children’s age range. Yet some daycares deliberately stay understaffed to cut their costs. In some situations, inattentive or under-trained staff members will lose sight of the children they are caring for. Children may wander into a restricted area or even outside of the secure premises. This type of negligent supervision may lead to your child experiencing inadvertent injuries.
Emotional abuse
Sadly, there are adults who belittle, isolate, and threaten children. Emotional abuse affects children’s mental health. This type of abuse hurts a child’s confidence. It can even affect their future relationships by establishing expectations of how they will be treated in future situations.
Physical abuse
It is illegal for caregivers to use corporal punishment. But that doesn’t stop some workers from hitting, kicking, and otherwise harming children.
Sexual abuse
A fifth of abusive childcare providers commit sexual abuse. Sexually abused children are two to four times more likely to battle depression than their peers.
Most Common Daycare Accidents
Playground accidents
On an annual basis, over 200,000 children in the United States visit the emergency room because of playground injuries. Young children often aren’t aware of the dangers in their surroundings. It’s the daycare workers’ responsibility to monitor them and to set appropriate boundaries. When employees aren’t doing their job, children test the limit. They can hurt each other while roughhousing or suffer injuries from a fall after climbing too high.
Daycare centers are also responsible for the upkeep of the premises. This includes keeping playground equipment secured to the ground, meeting safety standards like having guardrails, and regularly clearing debris. Strangulation is the cause of death in about 50% of accidents involving playground equipment. This can happen when children’s clothing snags on poorly maintained equipment.
Choking
Toys with tiny parts are not safe for all age groups. Some negligent daycare centers allow children to get a hold of these choking hazards. Another danger that can lead to choking is allergic reactions. Every employee is required to know the food allergies of children. When children’s dietary needs aren’t observed, it can be life-threatening.
Falling objects
Children are naturally curious. As such, they are bound to climb for items on high counters, shelves, and other raised platforms. When daycares don’t keep these things out of reach, they can fall and strike the children below. Heavy objects like unsecured shelves can also fall and crush children.
Common Injuries from Daycare Accidents
Traumatic brain injuries
Traumatic brain injuries are especially devastating to developing brains. Before children are even able to read or count, a TBI can leave them with a learning disability. School becomes frustrating, and future career opportunities may be pushed out of reach.
Broken bones and fractures
Children who experience a broken bone or fracture are at a higher risk for a future break or fracture.
Bruises
Children do often develop bruises from innocent fun with their peers. However, it is wise to ask your child about their marks. Reluctance to talk about bruises is concerning.
Burns
Neglected children may have access to hot surfaces, or they may be given foods that are excessively hot. These environments can lead to burns ranging from mild to severe. They can also suffer from serious sunburns and dehydration if left outside for too long.
How to Determine Liability
Daycares owe your child a duty of care. In other words, they are required to protect children from foreseeable dangers. When they don’t fulfill this duty, and a child is injured as a result, the daycare center can be held liable for the damages. An experienced attorney can help you to prove that a daycare was aware or should have been aware of the conditions that harmed your child. This will likely require an investigation. Your attorney can obtain records to see if they’ve met the minimum health and safety requirements. These records may include employee files and background checks, maintenance records, and witness statements. Your child’s medical record will also help to prove abuse and show the extent of the damages. This is important to get the compensation your child needs to recover from the trauma.
Contact a Minnesota Child Abuse Attorney
If your child is suffering due to a daycare’s negligence, speak to the attorneys of Sand Law. Our team will thoroughly investigate the facts of your case. We will dedicate our resources to securing the highest amount of compensation for your child. For a free initial consultation, call us at 651-291-7263 or contact us online.