Illinois Personal Injury Lawyers Determine Liability in Playground Injuries
About 200,000 emergency room visits occur every year as a result of playground accidents. Some of the injuries that result from these accidents are minor, but some are serious enough to require continued treatment and rehabilitation, while still others cause long-term damage, and even death. If your child has been injured on a playground, you may question whether or not you have any legal recourse to recover damages. You may wonder who is liable for the damages. It is imperative that you contact experienced Illinois personal injury lawyers who can answer your questions and counsel you as to whether or not your claim has merit.
If you do have a case, a skilled Chicago personal injury attorney can help determine who is at fault for the accident. If the playground in question is at a community park, for example, the city may be responsible for any injuries that occur at the playground. Of course, if areas of the playground are not properly maintained and a predictable injury resulted, the city will most likely be found liable. But even if the child is partly to blame for the accident or if the injury was caused by another child, the city may still have some liability in the case. If, for example, a piece of playground equipment was used to cause the injury, or if the surface beneath the equipment contributed to the accident, the city may be responsible for damages. If you reside in Illinois, personal injury lawyers can advise you on the responsibilities of the city and state.
Another possible responsible party in a playground injury may be the parents of another improperly supervised child who caused the accident. Although some states limit the liability of parents in these cases, still other states would hold parents completely liable for damages caused by their child. Contact a Chicago personal injury attorney for the laws that apply within Illinois.
Personal injury lawyers will also be able to give you a general idea of what to expect settlement-wise in cases of playground injury. Often, in cases where cities are sued, recovered damages may be less than when suing a non-governmental defendant, due to the fact that the award will come from public money. Settlement offers in these cases are generally lower, regardless of whether or not the case goes to a jury. A qualified Chicago personal injury attorney will be able to give you an idea of how much your case is worth based on past similar lawsuits in the area.
As for what to do after an injury occurs, be sure to get the injured child the proper medical attention, and be sure that all of the resulting treatments are well documented. You may also want to seek witnesses, inquire as to whether other children have been injured on the equipment and check to see if the equipment has a regular maintenance and inspection schedule. If you think you may have a case, Illinois personal injury lawyers will assist you in gathering any information that is pertinent to your lawsuit.
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