What to do if Your Child Gets Hurt at Daycare

As a parent, you know that accidents happen, especially when it comes to your kids. Scraped knees, small burns, and even broken bones are not unusual in the lifetime of an active child. For parents that work and entrust the safety of their child to the hands of daycare workers, not being able to watch their children at all times can be difficult.

You have already put a lot of time and effort into choosing the right daycare facility for your child, but that doesn’t mean that the unexpected can’t happen. You should expect that your child is being properly cared for and monitored throughout the day. However, there are still thousands of daycare accidents and injuries reported every year.

Part of your job as a parent is to find out if your child’s injury is just a childhood accident or happened as a result of negligence. It’s a good idea to consult a professional law firm like The Tinker Law Firm for the best advice on how to handle this type of situation. Protecting your child and their rights to proper care and compensation is just one part of the process when your child gets hurt at daycare.

Report The Incident Immediately

If there is ever an injury or illness involving your child at daycare you should be notified immediately. Take charge in that moment and ask to speak to the managing supervisor. Once you arrive at the facility it’s important to insist that the manager files an appropriate incident report and makes a copy available to you. 

Get The Facts

There is a lot of daily activity in a daycare, so it’s important to talk to several people about the incident and what they know. Each teacher and child may have witnessed the incident from their own perspective. These various accounts can help you to form a better overall picture of what happened. 

You can start by talking to your child about what happened. Write down all the details that they can remember while they are fresh. Find out what teachers or supervisors were present or involved in the incident and get a witness statement from each of them.

Some daycare facilities are equipped with closed-circuit cameras to record the daily activities of the children. You can request a copy of the day’s recordings to go over and compare it with the statements that you have taken.

Visit The Doctor

Not all injuries are apparent at the time of an accident. It’s vital to your child’s health that you visit your doctor or emergency clinic as soon as possible to have a check-up. Medical professionals are able to diagnose problems that may not be obvious to a parent or daycare worker. For example, head injuries can be very serious if left untreated with symptoms that are mild to non-existent without an examination.

It’s important to follow your doctor’s advice to the letter. Keep all follow-up appointments and keep records of all visits, medications and treatments. 

Document Everything

If your child has been hurt at a daycare facility as a result of negligence, you may end up filing a lawsuit. To help in your efforts on behalf of your child it’s vital that you keep detailed records of everything related to the incident. Medical records, incident reports, witness statements and all expenses should be kept in a dedicated file.

There is nothing harder on working parents than having to leave their child in the trusted care of others. If your child is injured at daycare, follow these simple steps to help you to protect their health and future.