School is out, and kids of all ages are ready to enjoy their summer vacation! As the days get warmer, more and more kids will be begging their parents, babysitters, and legal guardians to take them to the local playground.

Unfortunately, over 200,000 children receive emergency medical treatment for various playground injuries every year.

While the playground is a bastion of fun and a door to a child’s imagination, there are still rules to be followed for their own safety. Here are a few tips to ensure your next trip to the playground is stress free.

• Always keep an eye on your child.
• Properly dress your child. Your child should wear athletic clothing. Tie their shoes tight. Avoid clothes that may get tangled with playground equipment (ex. necklaces, drawstrings, etc.)
• Check playground equipment. Do not allow your child on equipment that is wet or extremely hot. Look for rust, protruding bolts, broken equipment and other sharp points or edges.
• Instruct the child to use the equipment correctly. Your child should sit properly on swings, slides, and seesaws, as well as hold on tightly to prevent themselves from falling.
• Survey the playground space. The ground surface surrounding the equipment should be covered with at least 12 inches of shock-absorbing material such as sand, wood chips, mulch or safety-tested rubber. Playground structures taller than 30 inches should be at least 9ft away from each other.

There are many hazards on playgrounds that can cause severe injuries to children. Sometimes, playground accidents happen due to the negligence of the owner or manager of the property, whether that’s a school, park, or individual property owner.

If your child was injured in a playground accident, it’s important to know your legal rights and options. At the Law Offices of James E. Morris, we can listen to what happened, answer your questions, and help you weigh your legal options. To learn more, contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced child injury lawyer.

The brutal winter is finally over, and people around the Western New York area are gearing up for long days by the local lake, pool, or pond!

Although we are all eager to enjoy this summer season, remember to practice your water safety.

In the US, there is an average of 10 fatal drownings per day, and drowning is the number one cause of injury-related deaths for children between the ages 1 and 5.

Water safety is essential to having a fun and relaxing summer with the people you love.

Here are a few tips to ensure your safety, whether you are boating on Lake Erie or hanging out by the pool:

• Always keep an eye on children.
• No diving in shallow water. (min. 8ft to dive)
• Wear a life preserver while boating.
• Swim with a partner.
• Check the weather forecast before water activities.
• When caught in a current, stay calm and float with it, or swim parallel to the shore until you can swim free. Do NOT try to fight the current!
• Avoid alcohol while swimming, boating, and participating in water sports or activities.