Who Can Be Held Liable for Daycare Negligence in Springfield, Georgia?
If you are sending your child to daycare, you are entrusting your child’s safety and well-being to the daycare facility and the employees who are responsible for the day-to-day care and supervision of your child. The last thing you expect to happen is that your child is injured, neglected, or suffers from some type of physical or emotional trauma.
Daycare facilities have a responsibility to provide children with a “duty of care,” meaning they must take proactive steps to ensure that the children are safe and protected from harm at all times. Too often, however, daycare facilities fail to meet their obligations, which can lead to accidents, injuries, and even devastating fatalities. If your child suffered an injury as a result of daycare negligence, it is highly recommended that you contact a daycare abuse lawyer at your earliest convenience.
What Is Daycare Negligence?
In the state of Georgia, there are over 3,200 daycare centers, and each facility must meet a range of health and safety standards. If a facility fails to meet these standards, it can be found liable for the resulting damages. “Daycare negligence” occurs when a daycare facility fails to provide the standard of care required by Georgia law.
Negligence can include a range of acts, including improper supervision, inadequate training, failure to maintain a safe environment, or disregard for a child’s medical or dietary needs. For example, if a child has a severe peanut allergy, and the staff fails to take the necessary steps to prevent the child from exposure to peanuts, the child could have a serious, potentially fatal reaction.
What Are Examples of Daycare Negligence?
Unfortunately, daycare negligence can take many forms and have consequences ranging from minor accidents to serious injuries and tragic fatalities. The following are some common examples of daycare negligence in Springfield and across the state of Georgia:
- Lack of supervision: All daycare facilities are required to maintain an appropriate ratio of staff to children, and take proactive steps to ensure that the children are safe and protected from harm at all times. A failure to do so can lead to preventable accidents, serious injuries, and instances of abuse.
- Property hazards: Daycare facilities also have a responsibility to take steps to ensure that the property is maintained and free from hazards that can cause injuries, including slippery floors, exposed electrical wiring, unsafe equipment, broken or uneven stairways, and broken or hazardous playground equipment.
- Transportation negligence: If a daycare facility provides transportation services, they have a responsibility to ensure that the driver has a clean driving record and will prioritize the safety of the children at all times. For example, the children must be properly restrained with a seatbelt, car seat, or the required restraint, based on the child’s age, height, and weight, or if the child has a disability that warrants a wheelchair lift, or other specific types of restraints.
- Negligent hiring and training: Daycare facilities also have a duty to ensure that their staff have the appropriate qualifications and training. If the facility hires someone who is unqualified or ill-equipped to handle everything from day-to-day child care practices to medical conditions and emergencies, and a child is injured while under their care, the facility could be found liable for negligent hiring and training.
What Should I Do if My Child Suffered an Injury at a Daycare Facility?
If your child was injured at a daycare facility, and you suspect that the injury was due to negligence, there are steps you should take to ensure that your child’s injuries are examined and treated as soon as possible, and that your legal rights are protected. It is in your child’s best interest to act quickly and follow these steps:
- Seek immediate medical attention. It is crucial that you have your child examined by a medical professional as soon as possible. Even if the daycare facility tries to downplay the severity of the injury, it is important that you seek medical attention right away. Certain injuries, like concussions and other head injuries, may not have obvious symptoms right away. If this type of injury is not properly diagnosed and treated, it can have serious, long-term consequences.
- Collect evidence. Make sure that you take pictures of your child’s injury, the inside of the daycare facility, the playground, the grounds of the facility, or wherever the injury occurred. Keep detailed copies of your child’s medical records and notes about the conversation you had with the daycare staff about the incident.
- Report the injury. In addition to notifying the daycare facility’s management about the incident, request a copy of their official incident report so that you can fill it out and start a paper trail of evidence. You may also want to file a complaint with Georgia’s Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), which is the agency responsible for licensing and overseeing childcare centers.
- Do not accept blame. Do not say anything that could be interpreted as admitting fault or accepting blame for the incident involving your child. This could be used against you and jeopardize your ability to recover the financial compensation you are entitled to receive.
How Do I Prove Daycare Negligence in Springfield, Georgia?
In order to have a successful outcome in a daycare negligence case, you must be able to prove the following:
- The daycare facility owed your child a duty of care.
- The daycare facility breached its duty by acting negligently.
- The daycare facility’s negligence caused your child’s injury.
- Your child suffered damages as a result of the injury.
Springfield Daycare Abuse Lawyers at Kicklighter Law Represent Victims of Daycare Negligence
If your child suffered an injury in a daycare center, and you believe the facility was negligent in some way, do not hesitate to contact the Springfield daycare abuse lawyers at Kicklighter Law. We will guide you through every step of the legal process, conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances of your case, and hold the negligent parties liable for their actions. Our highly skilled legal team will protect your rights and pursue the justice and financial compensation your child deserves. To schedule an initial consultation, call today at 912-754-6003 or contact us online. Located in Springfield, Georgia, we serve clients in the surrounding areas.