Articles Posted in California

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By Scott A. Marks, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

education%20day%20care%20school%20green%20back%20pack.jpgIn California and other States, parents send their children to school with an expectation that there will be supervision and instruction in a safe learning environment. In Bakersfield, California, a sixth grade teacher was recently arrested for intoxication. The teacher was removed from the school in handcuffs. Science teacher Larry Michaels was arrested at the school during lunch time. Mr. Michaels was evaluated by deputies who determined that he was under the influence of alcohol and possibly prescription medication. Mr. Michaels reportedly refused testing. Like any other criminal defense case, Mr. Michaels will be entitled to a defense on this matter.

Published on:

By Scott A. Marks, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

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Swimming is a popular sport throughout Florida, California, and many other parts of the United States. Millions of children and teens participate in competitive swimming. Many children and their parents take the sport seriously and strive for excellence in the sport. Some see the sport as a way to pay for college. Others see it as a way to keep a child competitive and in shape. Swimming parents should keep safety and health issues as a top priority. While winning is a goal and so important for some parents and the child swimmer, parents, at times, should step back to consider the child’s physical and emotional well being as competitive swimmers. You can read some tips for parents who have competitive swimmers at Top Ten Questions / Answers for Swimming Parents.

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In Pleasanton, California, a 3 year old boy fell out of a hotel window from the third floor. A fall from this height can result in serious personal injuries, head / brain trauma and damage, and, in some cases, wrongful death. Fortunately, the child’s fall was cushioned by a screen and a hedge. The child had leaned on the screen attached to the window prior to the fall. The child was taken to Children’s Hospital for treatment and evaluation. The fact that this child only suffered minor injuries is a minor miracle. This story shows the importance of safety precautions and supervision when a child is staying in a hotel or any building with windows that open or are accessible to children. You can read more about this story at Boy Falls from Hotel Window in California Suffering Minor Injuries.

Published on:

By Scott A. Marks, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

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Teachers make mistakes. They are human. However, when a teacher makes a mistake, it can have larger consequences since children are often times involved. In Elk Grove, California, Crystal Defanti sent a DVD home with the children at the end of the year. Unfortunately, Ms. Defanti had 6 seconds or so of Ms. Defanti engaged in a sex act on the DVD. The Elk Grove Unified School District asked the families to return or get rid of the DVD. It is unknown from news report what penalties (if any) will be handed down to Ms. Defanti for distributing such a video. Whether you are a teacher or any other person, it is never a good idea to have yourself video taped while having sex. I am sure that Ms. Defanti wished that the video clip never existed in the first place. You can read more about this story at California Teacher Mistakenly Sends DVD with Sex Act Out to Her Students.

Published on:

By Scott A. Marks, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

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In Hawthorne, California, a convicted sex offender tried to extort a teen for sex for the safe return of the family pet. The teen and her parents contacted the police who were ready to arrest the convicted sex offender for these bad acts. The teen informed the sex offender that she had no money. Then, the sex offender demanded sex for the safe return of the family dog. Alfredo Jaime Dempkey was arrested for this crime and also faces charges for failing to register as a sex offender. He faces 15 years if convicted of the extortion charges and could face more time for failing to register as a sex offender. You can read more about this story in Sex Offender Arrested for Attempting to Extort a Teen for Sex.

Published on:

By Scott A. Marks, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

playground%20yellow%20rocking%20horse%20safety%20negligence.jpgCalifornia parents rely on child care center to provide their children with supervision, educational instruction, indoor play activities, and outdoor play activities during the day. Unfortunately, children suffer personal injuries at day care centers / child care centers on playgrounds. Many of these incidents result from inadequate or improper supervision and or negligent playground maintenance /design. Because children are prone to injuries at child care center playgrounds, the California Department of Social Services require child care centers to comply with Section 101238.2 -Outdoor Activity Space. The regulations as to child care center playgrounds / outdoor activity spaces can be accessed online at California Child Care Regulations.

Published on:

By Scott A. Marks, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

education%20school%20day%20care%20different%20color%20crayons%20in%20a%20star%20circle.jpgCalifornia day care centers / child care centers are regulated by the State of California – Health and Human Services Agency – Department of Social Services. The California Child Care Regulations cover a wide area of matters including but not limited to operation, maintenance, supervision, and enrollment. The regulations can be accessed online at California Child Care Regulations.

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By David Wolf, Attorney
Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

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A valuable resource to moms across the nation is a website called www.momslikeme.com The website offers a place for moms to offer advice and get advice. It also allows moms in communities throughout Florida and the rest of the United States to share their experiences, thoughts, and feelings on a wide variety of parenting and mom related issues. From Florida to California to Maine and all points in between, you can find moms like you who are ready, willing, and able to help you with parenting and mom issues that come up in every day life. As a father / parent and husband, I now the value of moms and how much they know. When thousands upon thousands of moms congregate together to make their lives and the lives of others a better place, everybody wins. Check out www.momslikeme.com and go to your local community site. Get involved and active for a smarter today and a better tomorrow.

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By Scott A. Marks, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

swimming%20pool%20tiled%20bottom.jpgEmergency rooms in California and other states get their fair share of child injury patients. Summer is a peak season for drowning related personal injuries and deaths throughout California and many other states. It is estimated that approximately 70 % of all child drownings take place in the three months summer period of June, July and August. Most of the tragic injuries and deaths related to child drownings in California involve children who are found in residential / backyard swimming pools and spas. Parents, guardians, and / or caregivers fail to realize that a child was in the swimming area or got out of the house. Because of this, it is important to have barriers like fences and gates to keep children out of pools even when they get out of the house unsupervised. Drownings can be significantly reduced with proper supervision and safety precautions like gates, fences, and pool alarms.

Published on:

By Scott A. Marks, Attorney and David Wolf, Attorney

Published by Child Injury Lawyer Network

education%20school%20day%20care%20cup%20of%20crayons.jpgIn California, parents depend on day care centers / child care centers to properly supervise their children. Children need to be treated with due care, dignity, and respect. While the parent is not technically the person enrolled in the California child care center, the California Department of Social Services, the agency that licenses and regulates child care centers, requires that child care centers give the notice and sign an acknowledgement of receipt of the notice.

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