In January 2015, two two-year-old toddlers whose parents had entrusted their care to an Austin, Texas, daycare facility were found walking into the middle of a street outside the center by a passing motorist. According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, 33 deficiencies, five of which were high risk, have been found at the daycare in the past two years. Reports on the center have shown children playing with insect repellant, wading in a pool of water, unsafe outdoor play equipment, and employees who were unaware of children’s ages or the number of children under their care. Four staff members were claimed by the center’s owners to have been “watching” the children when the incident occurred.
Negligent child care may cause children’s serious injuries or death. Child-injury attorney Jeffrey Killino has extensive experience with child-injury cases, including those arising out of injuries and deaths caused by negligent childcare. If your child has been injured as a result of someone’s negligence, contact attorney Killino for more information about your legal rights and options.
Legal Liability for Children’s Injuries and Deaths Caused by Negligent Daycare Centers and Employees
Daycare centers and their employees may be found liable in personal-injury or wrongful-death actions for injuries and deaths sustained by children under their care as a result of center and/or employee negligence. Daycare centers themselves may be found directly liable for injuries and deaths caused by, among other things, negligent center security, negligently maintained grounds and play areas, inadequate staff to child ratios, negligent screening, hiring, training, and retaining of center staff, and use of unsafe equipment. Daycare centers may also be held indirectly liable for children’s daycare injuries and deaths found to have been caused by their employees’ negligence.
Daycare center employees may be found directly liable for injuries and deaths determined to have been caused by their negligence. Center employees may be found negligent, for example, for failing to adequately supervise children or for allowing children access to equipment, furniture, and other items that present a risk of injury.
If the children who walked out of the Texas daycare center had been injured or killed, the center as well as its employees may have been held negligent and subject to civil liability. The center staff would likely have been held directly liable for negligently supervising the children. The center itself may have been found directly liable due to negligent training of staff and negligent security. In addition, the center would have been subject to indirect liability for injuries caused by the employees’ direct negligence.
Obtain Legal Assistance from Child Injury Attorney Jeffrey Killino
Child-injury firm attorney Jeffrey Killino is recognized nationwide for his dedication to helping the families of children who have been injured or killed through another’s negligence. If your child has been injured or has died as a result of negligent childcare, our team of child-injury attorneys is ready to help you fight for the compensation to which you and your child are entitled.
