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Is Your Child Safe On A Playground?

On Behalf of | Apr 14, 2023 | Premises Liability

When you take your child to play at a park or other type of recreational area, you may assume that he or she is safe. Playgrounds should be areas that are free from unnecessary hazards and safety issues, but unfortunately, they are not always properly designed or maintained. If your child suffered injuries while playing on a New Mexico playground, it is possible he or she is suffering due to preventable issues and hazards that are the responsibility of another person or party.

Playground safety is critical, and after an accident, you may not be sure of where to turn. It could be helpful to take a careful look at the factors that played a role in what happened to your child in order to identify whether he or she is the victim of preventable safety hazards. You have the right to seek justice and recovery on behalf of your injured child.

Improving safety for the children

Schools, local municipalities and other parties responsible for the design, building or maintenance of playgrounds should make safety the main priority. Saving money on certain elements or cutting corners could ultimately result in harm to a child. Ways to improve safety on playgrounds include:

  • Playgrounds should have at least protective ground cover of at least one foot in depth, such as mulch, foam pieces, pea gravel or sand.
  • Structures that are more than two to three feet off the ground should be far enough apart in order to prevent falls.
  • The protective ground cover should extend by at least six feet beyond the play equipment.
  • Screws, boltheads and hooks can cause injury, and they should have a proper cover on them to prevent scratches and more.
  • You should remove tripping hazards, such as tree stumps or uneven surfacing.
  • Playground equipment should be in good condition, regularly cleaned and routinely evaluated for potential hazards.
  • Elevated surfaces on the equipment should have guardrails placed at intervals that are protective while reducing the chance of a child becoming trapped.

If you believe that your child is suffering because of dangerous conditions on a playground, you could have grounds to move forward with a civil claim. An assessment of the accident could identify the liable party, providing you with insight regarding the legal options available to you. Premises liability claims allow victims the ability to seek justice and fair compensation after suffering due to unsafe property conditions, including dangerous playgrounds.

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