Child Injury Lawyer Blog
By David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
In Alaska and other States, parents rely on day care centers to provide for a safe haven for children during work hours and other times that parents need assistance with child care. On most days in most facilities, the children are cared for in an environment that is clean and focuses on the best interests of the children. When a facility complies with the applicable local and State day care regulations, there is a better chance that the child will be supervised properly and kept out of harm’s way. However, when a facility skirts the regulations and / or takes short cuts, children can be injured along the way. It is vital that regulations are followed and that staff members consistently and conscientiously watch out for the safety and well being of each and every child enrolled in an Alaskan day care center.
In Alaska and other States, children are, at times, the unfortunate victims of bicycle accidents. Some children suffer only minor injuries while others suffer significant injuries. Some children even lose their lives as a result of a bicycle accident. It is important that every child form the habit of always wearing a bicycle helmet when riding a bicycle. Whether the child is merely riding around in the driveway or going on a longer bicycle ride, a helmet should always be worn. A child can be injured in a driveway as easy as a parking lot, roadway, sidewalk, or park. The use of a helmet is vital for a child’s safety. When there is a bicycle accident that leads to injury, one of the first questions asked by the police, medical providers, and attorneys is the following question:
All-terrain vehicles seem to be the cause of several injuries among Alaska’s youth. In the month of July, the state has already reported three separate accidents. In one, a child riding an ATV collided with car sustaining only mild injuries. In another, a rider was hospitalized after she went off the road and hit several trees. Lastly, two 17-year-old girls riding an ATV rolled-over killing one girl and injuring the other.
In Anchorage, Alaska, a 9 year old boy died after suffering injuries at the Kenai Peninsula State Fair. The boy was at the fair with his family and a cow owned by the family. Apparently, Mathias Martin tied a rope around his waste that was also tied to the cow. Since the cow was domesticated, Mathias did not recognize the risk or danger of such an act. According to the father, the cow became spooked or scared for some reason and took off. The boy was then dragged by the cow. As a result thereof, the boy suffered serious head injuries. Mathias later died at Providence Alaska Medical Center.
Alaska State Trooper and other search teams have been investigating the disappearance of two teens, Rondy Lamont (age 17) and Matalena Tinke (age 14). The two teens were on a snowmachine heading home to Pitka’s Point, Alaska from St. Mary’s, Alaska. The search revealed fresh snowtracks from a snowmachine leading into the an area where the Andreafsky River meets the Yukon River. The search continues for the teens and the snowmachine but it is feared that they died when the snowmachine went into the icy waters.