Child Injury Lawyer Blog

By Kevin Leach, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

A young girl recently accompanied her mother to Washington Dulles airport to pick up a friend who was arriving from Argentina. A Customs and Border Protection K-9 unit dog that was undergoing training suddenly attacked the girl, knocking her over and clamping down on her pelvis. The dog refused to release, and was eventually subdued by its handler. The girl’s mother was also bitten by the dog when she tried to help her daughter. According to witnesses, the child did nothing to provoke the dog.

The child was taken to a nearby hospital and has reportedly been given twenty stitches in her torso. She has been released from the hospital and is being cared for at home. The mother was understandably upset after the attack, but doesn’t appear to have a problem with ongoing dog training efforts at the airport. She did say she believed that the handlers should take more precautions with dogs in training, such as muzzling them and keeping them away from small children.

It is a shame that an animal being trained to protect citizens attacked this young girl. She will no doubt be scarred both emotionally and physically from the attack.

Read more details about the child mauled by a customs dog at Dulles Airport at Report: Customs patrol dog attacks child at Dulles Airport.

By David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

The United States Department of Health and Human Resources has a website that has a great reference tool for parents and caregivers with children in day care centers and child care centers. Each state regulates day care centers / child care centers through a state specific administrative code and / or policy manual. Go to State Administrative Rules and Policy Manuals for Child Care. Another good resource is located at the website for the National Resource Center for
Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education. Parents should use these and other resources to educate themselves on the various state specific rules and regulations for day care centers and child care centers. Each state regulates day care centers slightly differently. As such, parents should be informed on the regulations that apply to their children's day care center. Is the facility following the law? Are the state specific requirements for staffing being met? Are records being kept according to the state law? What information as a parent and caregiver am I entitled to regarding incidents and accidents? What disciplinary measures are allowed? What disciplinary actions are prohibited? These and many other issues are addressed in these day care rules and regulations. In addition, parents concerned about the care being received in a day care center / child care center can also consult with a child injury attorney / lawyer to find out if there is a viable case or claim to be pursued on behalf of a child who has been injured in a day care center as a result of day care negligence, abuse, or neglect.

By Benjamin A. Klopman, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

The Virginia legislature has struck down a bill that would have required health insurers to pay for the cost of therapy for autistic children. Similar legislation has been enacted in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

The legislative effort was the result of the national debate concerning the enormous increase in the diagnoses of autism among children. Two hundred (200) demonstrators went to Richmond, Virginia in January 2009 to show their support for this important legislation that would have afforded great financial relief to many Virginia families dealing with the enormous medical and therapy bills associated with Autism. Because of the failure of the legislation, however, some families are threatening to move from Virginia.

You can read more about this issue at Virginia Families Seeking Financial Relief with Costs of Care of Autistic Children.

By Benjamin A. Klopman, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

In Washington D.C. and other areas, infant deaths from accidental strangulation and suffocation rose over a twenty year period between 1984 and 2004. These deaths resulted from a parent, adult or another child accidentally strangulating or suffocating the infant while sleeping in the same bed or area with the infant. Some families have the infant in bed because there are no other beds in the home for the infant or parent. Others do it out of habit, culture or tradition. Whatever the reason, many infants are the unfortunate victims of strangulation and suffocation incidents that can be easily avoided. You can read more about this study at Suffocation / Strangulation Deaths on the Rise According to Medical Study.

The rise in deaths have taken place in major metropolitan areas like Washington, D.C. According to the study, the risk for these accidental strangulation / suffocation deaths is highest in African American communities. Rachel Moon of the Children's National Medical Center serves as a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics. Moon states that these deaths have been on the rise and parents and others should be "worried" about the trend and statistics.

By Benjamin A. Klopman, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

A medical / environmental study has reported that children in Washington D.C. were exposed to high levels of lead during a water crisis involving the city water system. Apparently, there was a high level of lead in the city's tap water which began in 2001. It is estimated that 42,000 Washington D.C. children, who now range from the age of 4 to 9, might be at risk for health and behavioral problems associated with high lead exposure. Lead levels began rising in 2001 and were not corrected or improved upon until the issue was publicized by the Washington Post in 2004.

Signs or problems associated with high lead exposure include aggressiveness and difficulty concentrating in school. High lead exposure can also lead or cause a decrease in IQ. Parents are advised to closely monitor their children and have the children evaluated by their doctor, psychologists, guidance counselors, and or other specialists as needed.

You can read more about this story and the details of the city water for Washington, D.C. past and present at High Levels of Lead Found in Washington D.C. Children.

By David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Washington D.C.) reports that half of the victims of salmonella poisoning from peanut butter have been children. So far, there have been approximately 500 reported incidents of salmonella poisoning linked to peanut butter across the United States.

The salmonella outbreak has been linked to peanut butter and other products from a plant located in Georgia which operated by the Peanut Corporation of America.

You can read more about this story at CDC - Half of Salmonella Cases Are Children.