An injury to the face is always worrisome, but there are special considerations for children who suffer a traumatic facial injury. An accident on a playground can be extremely painful if it damages a child’s nose, teeth, and eyes, and may require surgery to correct. Unfortunately, some children will bear scars for the rest of their lives, robbing them of their confidence and their normal childhood experiences. When this happens, parents have the right to seek justice and compensation for all their children have lost.
Common Facial Injuries Children Suffer on Playgrounds
Over half of all playground injuries that require emergency room treatment involve trauma to the head and face. The most common causes of facial injuries in play areas are trips and falls, with accidents ranging from a stumble over a tree branch to a fall from the top of a play structure. These accidents can cause a range of severe injuries, including:
- Broken bones. Heavy impact to the face can cause broken noses, fractured cheekbones, jaw fractures, and damage to the bones of the palate. Depending on the extent of the injury, a child may require multiple plastic surgery procedures to graft new skin, strengthen bone structure, and improve facial symmetry.
- Dental injuries. A child’s teeth are particularly vulnerable to trauma, especially if he or she is suddenly struck by a bat, moving part, or a child on a swing. A child can suffer chipped or broken teeth, or lose adult teeth that are just growing in.
- Eye trauma. Exposed bolts, screws, or tree stumps can cause the loss of the eyeball in a fall while an impact on a hard surface can damage the bones around the eyes and affect the child’s vision.
- Lacerations. Any number of playground hazards can result in facial lacerations, including sharp edges on slides, cracked plastic, playground fights, chain link fences, and glass or debris on the play areas. Children may suffer complications from deep cuts such as infections, pain, nerve damage, and scarring.
- Abrasions. Children instinctively fall forward, resulting in a painful impact with gravel, rocks, or concrete surfaces. This can cut or scrape the skin on the face, affecting the texture and appearance of the face and ears.
- Scarring. Scar tissue may prevent eyebrows from growing back, make smiling or moving the lips uncomfortable, or make it difficult to show emotion. Even if facial functions are not affected, scarring and disfigurement can have psychological consequences that affect children well into later life.
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We Can Determine Who Is Responsible for Your Child’s Playground Injury
Playgrounds are supposed to be safe spaces for children to get exercise and develop social skills. In order to prevent injuries, state and federal governments have created guidelines for the proper design, manufacture, construction, and positioning of playground equipment. Even if the equipment is constructed properly, there may be practical concerns that exist on-site, such as not placing toddler equipment near swing sets and tetherball areas. Each piece of equipment should be properly distanced from the next active play area and far away from common walking paths.
Parents should always seek the advice of an experienced premises liability lawyer to determine if someone’s carelessness led to their child’s suffering. If the school district has not properly arranged play equipment or failed to supervise children, the district may be held liable. The manufacturer may also share responsibility if the component parts of a play structure or swing set were not up to safety standards.
If your child was injured on a playground in Tennessee, our lawyers will listen to your story and discover the at-fault parties who owe you compensation. Our lawyers provide injury clients with a free initial consultation and represent their interests on a contingent fee basis, meaning we do not collect anything unless we secure a recovery for you. To learn more about your claim, download a free copy of our book, The 10 Worst Mistakes You Can Make With Your Tennessee Injury Case.
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