By David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
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.
In New York and other states, parents have both a legal and moral duty to properly supervise and protect their children. Small children should not be left alone at home because circumstances can arise that require parental supervision and intervention. One such circumstance is a fire. When a fire happens, small children often times do not know what to do or where to go. In many instances, children left alone when a a fire strikes and then engulfs a house suffer serious personal injuries and some even die. In Rochester, New York, Nicole Allen left three of her children home alone at midnight to go get beer. Yes, this mother left in the middle of the night on a beer run. A three year old died in the blaze. Two other children (a toddler and a newborn) suffered serious burn injuries. The fire took place in 2008.
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, teens and others have an affinity for their i Pods, i Phones, and other devices. While these devices are fun and can be great toys and tools, they are also dangerous devices in the hands of a driver. In Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, a 20 year old driver (Rachel Jankins) was driving a car and took her eyes off the road in search of an i Pod. As a result of this distraction and inattention, she ran over two friends who were leaving the Delaware County Memorial Hospital (DELCO Hospital). One friend (Nicole Gallo) died at the scene of the crash. The other (Christine Bochanski) was later treated at Crozer-Chester Medical Center.
In Nashville, Tennessee, a 17 year old girl could be tried as an adult for burning a 1 year old and a 3 year old with a hot curtain rod. While babysitting these children, the teen burned the children because they were crying. Crystal Neal and Henry House, Sr., the children’s parents, left their children (Anthony and Henry House) at home with a babysitter and a friend. Apparently, there were no prior problems with the babysitter.
In schools throughout the nation, children participate in physical education activities. Although budget cuts have reduced or eliminated many physical education programs, there are still millions of children engaged in school supervised physical education programs and activities every day. A recently released study has found that the numbers / incidents of injuries related to physical education programs at high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools are increased between the time period of 1997 and 2007. Common reported injuries were sprains, strains, and fractures. The sports accounting for most of the reported injuries were running, football, volleyball, gymnastics, basketball, and soccer.
A Lindenhurst, New York family is mourning the drowning death at a Catskills campground of their oldest son, Ryan Barrett, a teenager with autism and a history with seizures.
