Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
Home treadmills can be quite useful exercise machines. Rather than traveling to a gym, many people can use a treadmill in their own homes for private, quiet exercise any time of the day. While treadmills can be quite useful tools or machines for exercise, they can also be quite dangerous to children. In emergency rooms, many children over the years have been treated for treadmill related personal injuries. A study published in the Irish Medical Journal documents several treadmill related incidents. Because of the real danger of injury, parents, homeowners, and apartment complexes should take precautions when children are near a treadmill. Education, safety precautions, and adult supervision are key factors that can help prevent or reduce the number of treadmill related injuries to children.
Four year old Dakylie Hamilton and his three year old sister Desean Hamilton were given a battery powered plastic toy all terrain vehicle (ATV) for Christmas this year. According to the Wills Point Police Chief, the two children were not being supervised by an adult when the toy plunged into a creek near their home. They were pulled from the water but were not responsive and could not be revived. The children’s single mother was at work when the accident took place, and the children were supposed to be under the care of their grandmother. Texas Child Protective Services have been alerted, as there are other children living in the home. While the investigation is still underway, police are calling this a tragic accident.
Four year old Nathaniel Stafford is in critical condition after being attacked by a Labrador / Pit Bull mix. According to the boyfriend of the victim’s mother, Brian Caron, the attack was so vicious that it nearly killed the boy. The dog reportedly tore into the child’s head, tearing his ears off and lacerating his throat – only narrowly missing Nathaniel’s jugular vein. Caron and his girlfriend were watching the dog, named Chaos, for friends while they were out of town. They had the dog tied up at the edge of their property, but it managed to break free. The dog’s owner, Thomas Chastain, has agreed to have the dog put down. In the meantime, Nathaniel’s face and ears have been stitched back together, but he may have to wait up to ten days for a skin graft to cover his damaged scalp.
Robert Lewis is a civilian police officer based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. Tragically, Lewis’ 3 year old son died recently from a reported accident involving a 40 caliber handgun. It was reported at Channel 9 – CBS News that an investigation is being conducted as to the details of this incident. Some of the issues or questions that may be addressed are as follows:
Children suffer unintentional injuries at home every day. A common every day object like a knife, lighter, and even a television can be very dangerous in the hands of a child. Parents, caregivers, and homeowners who have child visitors should take safety precautions to make the home safer for children. Simple steps can be taken that can help prevent / avoid serious personal injuries to children. Safety measures that can be taken for little to no cost include the following:
In Arizona and other states, children are the unfortunate victims of drownings. Some die from the drownings. Many others suffer brain damage and other injuries that can last a life time. Many people are mistaken to believe that the survival from a drowning means that there are no future problems. For parents like Angie Thomas, it is quite a different story. Her son, Ryan Thomas, was a normal 2 year old boy who loved to play. One day, Ryan got over a wall and into a neighbor’s pool. Ryan suffered a near drowning incident that left him with medical problems and complications that are still being treated to this day. Ryan, who is now 5 years old, is enrolled in special education kindergarten class and receives therapy for the injuries related to the near drowning incident.
In Pennsylvania and other States, gun owners should take the time and effort to place handguns, shotguns, and other weapons in a secure area or lock box away from children. Many children lack the maturity and good judgment to handle a weapon without close supervision and instruction. In Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, police are investigating the shooting of a 6 year old girl by her 9 year old brother. The children were at grandma’s house at the time of the shooting. The girl was transported to Penn State – Hershey Medical Center for serious personal injuries to her arm and torso from gunshot wounds.
In May and June of each year, there are high school graduation parties. This should be a time for celebration and reflection of the milestone of graduating high school. Unfortunately, some high school graduation parties turn from sites of celebration to sites of tragedy, personal injuries, and death. In Mesa, Arizona, a police officer and 10 year old child were injured at a high school graduation party. Another man and woman were killed at the party while two others were injured by gunshot wounds. There are many reasons why disputes take place at high school parties. Sometimes, it is a fight over a girlfriend or boyfriend. Sometimes, it is alcohol or drugs that make people violent unreasonable, or dangerous. When you combine any of this with the use of a gun, there can be trouble.