By David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network
In most instances, the death of a child is unexpected and a shock to the family, school, neighborhood, and community. An excellent question is the following:
How many children die each year as a result of an unintentional injury?
There are actually two answers to this question. One answer is broadly stated: There are just too many children who die each year as a result of an unintentional injury. The other answer is more number specific. It is estimated that over 12,000 child deaths occur every year due to unintentional injury according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. See Child Death Statistics in U.S. – Accidental Death. It is interesting to note that the group of children at the highest risk of death are boys ages 15 years old to 19 years old. The most common cause of death of children in this group is an automobile accident. These deaths and the severity of the injuries sustained can be reduced by using seat belts, wearing helmets, reducing speed, reducing the incidents of distracted driving, and reducing the incidents of driving under the influence. Regarding other deaths, the following actions can help reduce the incidents of death and / or the severity of injuries sustained by children:
Use of smoke alarms and detectors in homes, day care centers, schools, and businesses;
Safeguarding of firearms, guns, and other weapons;
Safeguarding and locking up of medications, cleaning products, and poisons;
Enclosing swimming pools and other waterways; and
Having adult supervision in place at all times for small children.
Of course, these are just a few safety tips to keep in mind.
When a child suffers a death due to the negligence or fault of another person, a parent should seek the services of a Child Injury Lawyer for advice and legal representation. A Child Injury Lawyer can help a parent with the multitude of issues that arise when a child loses his or her life as a result of the negligence / carelessness of others.
The book titled – The ABCs of Child Injury – Legal Rights of the Injured Child – What Every Parent Should Know – has chapters on School Injuries, Day Care Center Injuries, Swimming Pool and Water Park Injuries, Theme Park Injuries, Automobile Accidents, and other topics. You can receive this book for free at The ABCs of Child Injury.