Many parents across the state already know that summertime is a high-risk time for Florida injuries to children and minors. After all, summer is a time when most children are home from school and taking part in all sorts of activities – including activities that are less supervised. Most children are also taking part in swimming and in sporting activities, which pose their own dangers. Older teens may be driving about for the first time, and even going on road trips, leaving parents worried about Florida car accident rates.
However, many parents may in fact be surprised to learn about the most common injuries to children and minors at this time of year. According to a recent article in the Sun Sentinel, gun accidents and drowning are among the biggest risks to children in the summer. The good news is that these types of accidents are in fact very preventable.
Many parents do not expect firearm injuries to be a leading concern for summertime injuries. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the American Academy of Pediatrics report that firearm injuries are the second leading cause of death for children year-round. Only car accidents cause more childhood deaths. Statistics show that in Palm Beach County, Florida, one child dies per month, on average, due to firearm injuries.
In 2010, a 4-year old shot himself in Miami Gardens after picking up a handgun belonging to a visitor. In May, a teen in Palm City was showing a handgun to a friend when the gun accidentally went off and shot the teen. In Miramar this year, a toddler accidentally killed his mother after picking up a handgun in the home. In all these cases and in other Florida firearm injury cases, officials say that the problem was an unsecured and easily accessible handgun. According to authorities, the summer poses an especially high risk for firearm incidents involving children because children are home for longer stretches of time, during which they have access to any unsecured weapons. Police authorities as well as pediatric physicians have expressed concern that parents check their weapons to ensure any firearms in the home are secured and safely stowed out of children’s reach.
The risk of Florida drowning and pool injuries is also very high. The number of waterways and pools as well as the weather mean that there are simply more people in the water – and therefore more children and adults at risk of injuries. More children in the under-5 category die of drowning in Florida than in any other state, according to the Florida Department of Health. In many cases, children are unsupervised when they drown. According to authorities, teaching children swimming skills early and being vigilant about securing any water areas – including pools but also including any area with more than two inches of water – is a must.
If your child has been injured, contact the Flaxman Law Group immediately to ensure that your child’s rights and future are protected. You may be entitled to receive compensation that can help you pay for your child’s medical care. To find out if you have a case, arrange for a free accident consultation with the Flaxman Law Group to discuss your rights and options. The legal team at Flaxman Law Group, with law offices in Miami, Homestead, and Hollywood, has more than twenty-five years of experience helping South Florida personal injury victims.