Child Injured In Tacony Scaffolding Collapse
June 27th, 2016
Earlier this month, a 10-year-old boy was injured in a scaffolding accident in the Tacony neighborhood of Philadelphia.
The scaffolding was set up on a playground at the Hamilton Disston Elementary School.
The incident occurred outside of school hours, at around 7:30 p.m. According to witnesses, some children had been playing on the scaffolding when it collapsed. The children tried to jump off and run to safety, but one child was hit in the head.
The injured boy was taken to St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. There has been no information about the boy’s condition, but his injury was described as “non-life-threatening.”
A parent’s worst nightmare
An injury to a child can be extremely upsetting. Some injuries to children are minor, and they make a full recovery. But other injuries are much more serious and can cause permanent damage.
Children are vulnerable, and as a society we have a shared responsibility to keep them safe. Accidents do happen. But sometimes they happen because of someone else’s negligence. When there are injuries to children because of an accident, an experienced attorney can help determine if negligence played a role.
For example, if a child is injured when using playground equipment, the attorney will look at how the accident occurred. It may have been the result of poor maintenance such as improperly secured swings, loose bolts or fasteners or rotting flooring on climbing structures.
Other accidents may involve poor supervision of the child by an adult, such as a teacher or daycare worker. If so, the attorney will investigate the school or daycare center’s hiring, training, and supervision practices to see whether the facility is liable for the injury. Often, there is a pattern of poor supervision on the part of a certain staff member – or multiple staff members.
If a child is hurt in an area where construction work is being done, there are other questions an attorney will try to answer. Did the contractor and property owner take steps to keep children out of the work area? If scaffolding was involved, was it properly assembled? Was the child being supervised at the time?
Pursuing compensation
When an attorney can establish negligence, you may be able to seek compensation for your child’s injuries. Depending on who was responsible for the negligence, this compensation may be sought from the property owner or the company doing the construction work – or even from multiple parties.
If your child was injured on public school property, it can get complicated. Public schools are generally granted liability protections when a student is hurt. There are exceptions under state law, however, and an attorney experienced in municipal law can help you seek justice.
There is also a limited amount of time in which you can pursue damages. That’s why it’s so important to take immediate action if your child has been injured. Contact Flager & Associates to schedule a free case evaluation. We can advise you on your legal options.