Item: Flaxman Law Group
Rating: 5
Author: Clara Barman

Keeping Homestead Kids Safe: Preventing Injury in Youth Sports

Published on: April 9, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

Research has shown that youth participation in sports can help build confidence, good fitness levels, discipline, leadership skills, social skills, and more. Student athletes also qualify for scholarships and other awards. While there are certainly many benefits to taking part in sports during high school and college, athletes are at risk for certain types of injuries.

This month is National Youth Sports Safety Month, and it’s a good time to make sure that you and your child’s school are doing everything possible to keep your child safe. This month, you will want to:

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Coaches and Other Staff are on the Front Lines in Preventing Sports Injury

Published on: March 10, 2015 | By Flaxman Law Group

The Datalys Center for Sports Injury Research and Prevention released a study last month finding that football coaches with a sports-based education may help make football safer for young athletes. Researchers examined data for about 2,108 athletes between the ages 5 and 15. The study found that the football athletes were 43% less likely to sustain concussions in practices and 29% less likely to sustain a concussion when playing a game if their coaches had taken part in the USA Football “Heads-Up Football” training program.

The study is important in that it suggests that all coaches are not made alike. Whether a parent is choosing a coach for afterschool practice or a school is hiring an athletic director for their sports department, experience and training matter. There many ways that we can ensure that our children can avoid sports injuries in Hollywood and across Florida:

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Do You Have Young Guests Coming Over this Holiday Season? Here’s How to Make Your Home Safe

Published on: December 2, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

If your holiday plans this year include inviting guests to your home, you will want to take steps to make sure that your home is safe. This is especially the case if any of your guests will be bringing their children with them. Florida laws state that property owners have a special duty of care to children that may be on their property. If any of your guests will be minors, you will want to:

1) Secure any areas that pose a drowning danger.

If you have a swimming pool on your property, prevent drowning and pool injury in your Homestead or Florida home by keeping the area locked and secure. However, keep in mind that even a decorative pond or a few inches of water that are part of holiday décor can pose a drowning hazard for small children.

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Hazing: A Very Preventable Cause of Injury and Death on Campuses

Published on: October 10, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Hazing is often seen as an inevitable part of rushing a fraternity or sorority. Unfortunately, hazing and other fraternity-related events have been causing fatalities and serious injuries, pushing colleges to rethink their societies. Miami and Florida campuses are supposed to keep their students safe, and the presence of hazing and other Rush Week activities raises the question of how safe campuses really are.

Bloomberg reports that more than 60 people have suffered fatal injuries in fraternity events at college campuses since 2005. In many cases, these deaths involve hazing and alcohol use, which means that many of these tragedies could have been prevented. In addition to these fatalities, there have been a significant number of sexual assaults on Miami campuses, some of them linked to fraternity events.

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Time to Review Halloween Safety Tips to Prevent Child Injury

Published on: October 3, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

At this time of year, stores are filled with Halloween candies and costumes. This is also the season when many parents are stocking up on candies, costumes, and festive decorations. Unfortunately, some of these items can lead to child injury in Homestead or your community – especially if costumes and decorations are not used as intended. To keep your family safe, follow these safety tips:

1) Buy or make costumes that allow for easy mobility.

Whether you buy costumes, rent them, or make your own, make sure that they are easy to move in. Costumes that upset a child’s balance or restrict their arms or legs too much can create fall hazards.

2) Be careful of tripping hazards.

Long cords, hems, and tails on costumes can pose a tripping hazard. For younger children, long necklaces or drawstrings can also pose a strangling hazard. Look for costumes that fit properly and will not trip your child up.

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Bullying and Child Injury in Homestead and Florida: What to Do if Your Child is Affected

Published on: September 26, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

In many cases, families don’t know what to do about bullying. Parents can also have a hard time stopping bullying because:

Children who are bullied may be too embarrassed to come forward or may try to hide evidence of bullying
Bullies may deny their actions
Bullying may happen online, where it leaves few clues
Schools and school boards may do little to stop a bully once the bullying is revealed
The bullying may happen in situations or areas where there is little adult monitoring, making it harder to stop

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Avoiding Back-to-School Child Injuries

Published on: August 13, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

While schools work hard to provide a safe environment for students, accidents and injuries do happen at schools. Child injury in Hollywood and other Florida communities can especially be a risk during the first few weeks of the new year. There is a new routine for students to get used to, and in some cases a new school means new challenges. Sometimes, children are so focused on getting back to class that they may be less cautious. There are a few things that parents can do, however, to keep their children safe at this time of year:

1) Consider traffic and pedestrian accidents.

Traffic crashes in Hollywood and other Florida communities are among the leading causes of child injury. Whether you are driving your children to school or your children are walking to school, come up with a way to keep them safe. If your child walks or bikes to school, that may mean having your child head to school with an older sibling or friends. If you drive your child to school, staying safer may mean carpooling or leaving a little earlier to avoid distracted and unsafe driving.

2) Take a look at your child’s schedule and after-school activities.

Injuries can happen at school, so take a look at what your child does at school to find ways to reduce the dangers. If your child takes part in after-school sports, for example, does your child have the right helmet and other safety gear to prevent sports injury at their Hollywood school? Is the coach qualified to train and supervise students? If your child has a science class, does he or she have safety goggles and any other required safety equipment?

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Is Inadequate Security A Concern at Your Child’s School?

Published on: August 7, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Whether your child attends college or goes to a high school or grammar school, of course you expect your child school to be provided with a good level of safety as well as an education. However, child injuries in Homestead and other communities often occur at school. As you start preparing for back-to-school, ask yourself these questions to see how your child’s school measures when it comes to safety:

1) Is there good control of entrances, with gatekeepers in place?

One problem with inadequate security in Homestead and other Florida schools often stems from the fact that just anyone can stroll into a campus or into school buildings. At high schools and schools teaching younger children, especially, it is important that when a stranger enters the campus or school, they do so near an office where gatekeepers such as administrative assistants can evaluate the reason for a visit. Obviously, it is more difficult to control who enters a college campus, but there should still be security and entrances in place to offer some security.

2) Does the school have a policy for dealing with campus dangers?

The school should have a written policy for dealing with school violence, fires, and other disasters.

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If Your Teen Has a Summer Job, Talk to Them About Work Injuries

Published on: July 24, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Summer work can be a great experience for teens and young adults. It can help them earn money for school or other expenses and can help them build work experience and their resumes. A job can also help a teen develop skills and confidence.

Unfortunately, there is a darker side to summer jobs. Teens tend to be seasonal or part-time employees and studies have found that they can be especially at risk of work injury in Miami and other communities. There are a few reasons for this:

Teens may not be aware of the risks of their jobs
Young and seasonal workers may be more reluctant to speak up when they see dangerous conditions because they don’t want to lose their jobs
Teens may have fewer benefits and less training that permanent employees, making them more vulnerable to injury and more vulnerable once injury occurs

Teen Job Safety

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Summer Means a Focus on Child Safety in Hollywood and Florida

Published on: June 5, 2014 | By Flaxman Law Group

Now that summer is here, children will be at home and in special summer programs, which can mean new hazards that parents need to be aware of. If you are a parent, there are several things you can do to prevent child injury in Hollywood or your community:

1) Choose child care carefully. Whether you will be relying on daycare, babysitters, a nanny, or any other caregiver, choose wisely. Ask for references and interview the person in charge at least once. A good caretaker is vital in keeping your child safe.

2) Research camps and summer programs. If your child is taking part in any classes, trips, camps, or programs, ask lots of questions. Make sure that there will be adequate supervision and that staff are screened carefully. Ask about safety policies and staff training when it comes to safety. A camp with a casual attitude can pose a risk of pool injury in Hollywood or your community while an incorrectly supervised program can mean burn injuries, fractures, and other risks for your child. Make sure your child is taking part in activities with a good safety record and the resources to keep your child safe.

3) Review safety basics with your children. Consider what activities are interesting for your children and tailor the information to suit them. For example, if your children spend time on their bikes, now is the time to review the basic rules for staying safe when riding to avoid bicycle accidents in Hollywood or your community. The summer is also a good time to review fire and thunderstorm safety tips.

4) Sign your child up for swimming lessons. Swimming lessons are one of the simplest and most effective ways to protect your child from drowning. Even if your child is very young, they can be signed up for basic lessons that allow them to learn how to float. Older children should be signed up for lessons that let them learn how to swim effectively. CPR lessons are also a good idea. Florida has many waterways and pools. Unfortunately, the state also has the distinction of having the highest rate of child drowning. We can change this statistic by teaching water safety and swimming skills early.

5) Talk to your teen about safe driving. If you have a young driver in your house, they may be excited at the prospect of summer freedom. This is a good time to set rules about distracted driving, night driving, and passengers. Summer is also a great time to sign your teen up for more driving lessons or defensive driver training, if needed. Since many summer events involve alcohol, make sure that your teen understands that they can always phone home for a safe ride home with no questions asked. Better yet, create a list of family and friends who can offer the same guarantee so that your teens have no excuse to get in a car with a drunk driver.

6) Take a moment to make your home a little safer this summer. Check the smoke detectors in your home and make sure that you have fire escape routes in your home as well as fire extinguishers. If you have a grill, fireworks, or another potentially hazardous items, make sure that they are properly stowed. Check your home for worn or flayed extension and power cords, replacing as necessary. Do a walk-through of your property to note and fix any potential hazards.

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