You drop off your child at a daycare center, expecting you’ll pick them up later unharmed. However, daycare facilities and staff can expose young children to dangers that lead to injuries or death. When that happens, you need an experienced Dallas daycare injury lawyer to help hold the negligent and responsible parties accountable for their misconduct.
Has your child been injured while in a daycare facility in the Dallas area?
At Benton Accident & Injury Lawyers, our personal injury lawyers dedicate our time and attention to representing injured children and their parents against negligent daycare centers. We are here to help your family through this devastating situation and pursue the compensation you deserve. Call a Dallas child injury lawyer at (214) 777-7777 today for a free consultation.
Why Choose Benton Accident & Injury Lawyers to Represent Your Daycare Injury Case?
Benton Accident & Injury Lawyers help the children of Dallas when they get injured. Our personal injury lawyers are knowledgeable and experienced in a large variety of personal injury practice areas, including daycare abuse and daycare negligence. Our legal team wants to get you justice and compensation so you can recover from your injuries and thrive.
Client Testimonials
Our top priority is our relationship with our clients. Our law firm is located in Dallas, and we aim to serve our fellow Texans authentically. Check out our testimonials page to see what our past clients have to say about our service and support.
We Get Our Dallas Clients Results
We have recovered millions in compensation for our clients; just check out our personal injury case results page. If we win your case, our legal team can get you compensation for economic damages like medical bills and lost income, non-economic damages like pain and suffering, and, in certain situations, even punitive damages.
You Don’t Pay Until You Win
We work on your daycare injury case based on a contingency fee, which means we don’t get our fee unless you win your case. We can work with you and your financial situation to pursue a personal injury claim or lawsuit.
Free Consultation & Case Evaluation
After an accident or injury to your child, you might be nervous to speak to a daycare injury lawyer. We want to hear your story, even if you doubt that you might have a case. This is why we offer a no-obligation, free consultation and/or case review for your daycare injury case.
Daycare Abuse Case Investigation
If you have a daycare injury case and want to pursue it, Benton Accident & Injury Lawyers team will investigate your case. We will be by your side throughout the process to help you get justice and the compensation your family needs to recover.
Signs of Daycare Abuse in Dallas
Caring for children can be challenging. However, as a parent, you expect the daycare center to have qualified and experienced staff. You believe your child will be in good hands while you spend your day running errands, working, and tending to other responsibilities.
Unqualified Daycare Employees
Daycare workers must meet specific requirements to look after young children. Those requirements include having a high school diploma and passing a background check. Some daycare centers hire unqualified or inexperienced employees to fill vacant positions and continue operations.
Dangerous Premises
Daycare centers must follow various safety protocols, covering everything from handwashing to equipment. A lack of safety measures can make the property unsafe. A child can get hurt from unsecured shelving falling off the wall or playground equipment with damaged or missing parts.
Inadequate Staffing
Daycare workers are limited to a specific number of children they can supervise. Some daycare facilities fail or don’t have enough staff to properly care for and manage every child. Inadequate supervision is daycare abuse, and it can lead to a child wandering off the property or engaging in harmful behaviors.
Criminal Activity
Some daycare employees participate in illegal, criminal acts that might lead to daycare abuse, neglect, and serious injury to the children they’re supposed to protect.
Common Causes of Daycare Injuries
At daycare centers, small children can get hurt with physical injuries under numerous circumstances. Accidents can lead to serious or severe injury such as:
Burns
Infants and toddlers can suffer burns from touching unattended bottle warmers or unattended coffeepots in staff break rooms. Burns can be serious injuries that lead to chronic pain and scarring.
Broken bones
Children are susceptible to severe injuries, especially during falls. They can fall down the stairs, off the jungle gym, or on a hard surface and fracture a bone.
Heatstroke
A child’s body temperature can increase rapidly, especially while playing outside in hotter months. Negligent caregivers might not monitor the children properly for water breaks, leading to heatstroke.
Suffocation
Children often don’t understand the dangers of loose ropes, cords, and other items that could wrap around their necks. They can also choke on food if their daycare provider or staff doesn’t monitor meals and snack times.
Brain injuries
A brain injury results from trauma a child suffers to the head. Permanent damage can have long-term consequences for the child, including developmental delays and cognitive disabilities. A brain injury suffered at a daycare facility could be very suspect and a sign of negligence or abuse.
Poisoning
Daycare staff must keep hazardous substances out of reach of children. Children can access and ingest cleaning products, dish detergents, and other chemicals. Swallowing certain substances can lead to severe illnesses or death.
Warning Signs of Abuse at Daycare Centers
Although accidents are sometimes only accidents, daycare injuries can result from negligent or abusive actions. You are your child’s greatest advocate and must watch for warning signs of abuse to keep them safe. Common warning signs of daycare negligence or abuse include:
Separation anxiety
Separation anxiety is a normal part of daily life for some families. You might see your child cry whenever you drop them off at daycare. However, if your son or daughter never had an issue before and suddenly doesn’t want you to leave them alone, it might be a sign of abuse.
Regression
Your child might show signs of emotional, cognitive, or physical regression. You should determine when the regression began and whether you can link it to a specific situation or employee’s actions.
Unexplained fear
Your child might exhibit unexplained fear around one of their caregivers. That could signal physical or sexual abuse.
Excessive crying
Children sometimes cry when they get hurt or don’t know how to express their emotions. However, constant crying or crying more than usual is abnormal. That could indicate an underlying problem.
Possible Compensation for Daycare Injuries
If your child gets hurt at daycare, you might be able to hold the daycare worker or the facility liable. You should explore the options, including filing an injury claim or filing a lawsuit. The money you recover might compensate you for the following:
Medical expenses
Adequate compensation might pay for prescription medication, hospital visits, and other treatments your child needs to recover from their injury
Loss of income
You can receive compensation for the income you could not earn while caring for your child after the accident.
Loss of enjoyment of life
You can pursue a monetary award for the suffering your child endures after the daycare accident. Their injury might significantly diminish their quality and enjoyment of life.
Emotional distress
Your child might experience emotional or psychological trauma after the accident, requiring therapy or counseling.
Loss of earning capacity
A permanent or disabling injury can create future employment challenges for your child. The compensation you receive might cover the income they cannot earn when they’re old enough to work. They might require specialized training or education to seek a suitable job.
Statute of Limitations on a Daycare Lawsuit in Texas
You can sue the daycare center, insurance company, or an employee for your child’s injuries. The statute of limitations for injury cases allows a two-year timeframe to file a lawsuit. That means you have two years from the accident date to initiate your lawsuit against the negligent party.
Contact a Dallas Daycare Injury Lawyer
At Benton Accident & Injury Lawyers, we understand the devastation of discovering your child’s injury happened because someone you trusted behaved negligently. You do not have to go through the legal process alone. Let our Dallas daycare injury lawyers handle your child abuse case and fight the daycare center while you get your child the treatment they need to heal.
If your child sustained injuries at a daycare center due to someone’s negligence, call Benton Accident & Injury Lawyers at (214) 777-7777 for your free consultation.
Dallas Daycare Abuse & Injury FAQs
Here, we address common concerns and questions regarding injuries that may occur in daycare settings. Ensuring the safety and well-being of children is paramount, and understanding how to handle injuries that occur in daycare can help both parents and caregivers navigate these situations effectively. If your child has suffered daycare abuse or injury, contact a Dallas daycare injury attorney to learn your legal rights and options.
Can I report daycare abuse anonymously?
Yes, you can report daycare abuse anonymously to the Texas DFPS Abuse Hotline. However, providing your contact information can be helpful for follow-up investigations if additional information is needed.
Who should I report daycare abuse to in Dallas?
In Dallas, you can report daycare abuse to several agencies, including:
- Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS)
- Child Care Licensing (CCL) division of DFPS
- Dallas Police Department (if immediate danger is present)
- Child Advocacy Center (CAC) of Dallas County
What happens after I report daycare abuse?
After you report daycare abuse, DFPS or relevant authorities will investigate the allegations. This may involve interviews with involved parties, onsite inspections of the daycare facility, and gathering evidence to determine the validity of the report. At this point, you may also want to enlist the services of an experienced Dallas daycare injury attorney.
How can parents ensure the safety of their child in daycare settings?
Parents can take proactive steps to ensure the safety of their child in daycare settings by thoroughly researching daycare facilities before enrollment, asking about safety protocols and staff training, visiting the facility in person to assess its safety measures, communicating openly with daycare staff about any concerns, and staying informed about their rights and responsibilities as parents.