Burn injuries to kids can be devastating and cause life-long physical as well as emotional difficulties. Because children have access to household appliances, chemicals and other substances commonly found around a home, they are extremely susceptible to burn injuries.

The American Burn Association reports that there are about 500,000 burn injuries each year that require medical attention. Curiosity about a child’s environment often leads to unintended injuries. Children will place their hands or fingers on a hot stove or in the fireplace, play with matches or a lighter or spill a hot liquid on themselves. Hot lamps and toasters can also lead to first or even second degree burns in some cases.

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As we all know, keeping teenage drivers safe is a huge undertaking.  Teenagers get into motor vehicle accidents at a very high rate.  And, more teenage deaths are caused by motor vehicle negligence than any other cause.   Summertime adds all sorts of additional challenges to this:  there is no school and there is more time off! Read more

The good news is that the death rate for children, nationwide, is down significantly.  A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  study undertaken between 2000 and 2009, shows that there was a 30 percent reduction of deaths among children.
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When a woman slipped and fell at a Target store, a federal judge determined that she did not present sufficient facts to allow her case to be decided by a jury.  Wherefore, the judge dismissed the case following a motion by Target for Summary Judgment.  According to an opinion by Judge Ponzer, of the United States District Court in Springfield, Ms. Clairmont was walking down an aisle in a Target store.  She had food items in both hands.  Ms. Clairmont asserts that suddenly and without warning she was “propelled with great force by a change in the surface” causing her to fall and suffer an injury to her head and shoulder. Read more

According to a study undertaken by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Massachusetts is the safest state in which to be a child. The good news is that the overall death rate for children was down by 30% over the past decade! In the study, the death rate for children aged 19 and younger, from 2000 through 2009, was not only lowest in Massachusetts, but the rate of decrease over time at 44% percent, was among the lowest as well. Mississippi was the least safe state for children.
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This time of year we like to remind our clients to keep Massachusetts children safe, especially when buying holiday gifts. Last year our Boston injury blog posted a story about injuries to Massachusetts children noting unsafe toys on the Massachusetts Public Interest Group products list. It includes good instructions regarding plastic toys, plastic baby bottles and foods wrapped plastic.
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Can we make Massachusetts playgrounds safer for children? 2,973 children were injured on Massachusetts playgrounds in 2009. Nationally, the number was over 70,000 per year in the years 2001-2008, and 67% was from falls or playground equipment failure. According to the National Program for Playground Safety (NPPS), there are ways to make playgrounds safer. In a case in Melrose, where we represented the parents of a two year old who fell from a playground ladder and broke his leg, the cause of the fall was determined to be poorly maintained ladder rungs – the rungs were steady until the top rung — which rotated, causing our client to fall and break his leg on the hard ground. Further, our expert witness determined that there was insufficient bark mulch, or padding, on the landing.
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Massachusetts child injury lawyer notes that over 3,300 children are injured each year from falling out windows. About 8 children die each year from such injuries, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Thus, the National Safety Counsel has established this week as National Window Safety week. The experts recommend the following: install (quick release) window guards to protect children; keep furniture away from windows; double hung windows should be opened only at the top; remember that screens keep bugs out, not children in; teach children to play away from, and not near, windows.
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The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a voluntary recall of Rocket Pogo Stick by Bravo Sports after there were 123 incidents, including 9 with reported child injury. According to the CPSC the frame can break and the pin holding the spring causes lacerations to children. Injuries range from lacerations to a chipped tooth to a displaced tooth. Child injury lawyer Neil Burns, who has represented numerous children injured from dangerous or defective products in Massachusetts, urges parents to return the pogo sticks for a safer product.
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From the prospective of a Boston child injury lawyer, there are numerous things we can do to keep our homes safe for children. Read more