Articles Posted in Injuries to Children

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You child is four times as likely to be involved in a car-pedestrian accident in Cape Coral on Halloween night than during any other night of the year, according to ABC7.

Our Cape Coral child injury attorneys would also like to warn parents about other Halloween-related injuries that your child could experience on the 31st. Eye trauma from sharp costume accessories and burns from flammable costumes are also a common injury we see every year on Halloween. We are here to provide you with some quick and simple safety tips to help keep you and the whole family safe this Halloween.
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“Children should be out having fun and spending time with family and friends. They should not have to spend Halloween in the ER because of some injury that could have been easily prevented,” Dr. Sandra Schneider, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, roughly 40 million kids age 5- to 14-years old will be out this year roaming from door to door in search of sugary goods.

To help reduce any risks of Halloween-related accidents, parents are urged to follow these safety tips from the Lee County Sheriff’s Office:

-Young children should never be sent out alone. Always accompany these young ghosts and goblins on their trick-or-treating adventures.

-Never go inside a stranger’s house or car. Accept all candy at the door.

-The bigger the trick-or-treating group the better.

-Plan out your trick-or-treating route beforehand to help you to pick the safest route possible. Pick a route with safe sidewalks, minimal vehicular traffic and safe road crossings.

-Stay within your own neighborhood.

-Never approach a house that doesn’t have their lights on. Only trick-or-treat at houses that are well-lit.

-Always adhere reflective tape to your costume or carry as flashlight to help ensure that motorists see you.

-Consider using makeup instead of a face mask. Masks obstruct your line of vision.

-Wear light-colored costumes and clothing to make you more visible to motorists.

-Don’t cut across people’s lawns. Be respectful of everyone’s property.

-Parents should examine all treats before allowing children to consume them. Throw out any candies that have been opened or have been tampered with.

-Never accept any treat that has not been commercially wrapped.

-Start your trick-or-treating adventure and end early. The later it gets, the higher your risks are for a traffic-related accident.

-Always use sidewalks when available and walk facing oncoming traffic.

-Walk, never run.

-Never run out from behind a parked car. Passing vehicles may not have enough time to respond.

Parents are also urged to check out the Florida Department of Law Enforcement’s Sexual Offender and Predator database to help you to better plan out your trick-or-treating route.

Lastly, we would like to ask that all motorists be extra careful on the 31st. Little monsters and mummies will be combing residential areas around the county in search of yummy snacks. Be cautious of these young ones. This holiday should be safe and injury-free and it can be with the proper safety precautions. We want everyone to have a safe and Happy Halloween!
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October 5th is International Walk to School Day and many schools in the area are joining the festivities to help raise awareness about child pedestrian accidents in Fort Myers and elsewhere.

This event started back in 1997 when the Partnership for a Walkable America sponsored the first National Walk Our Children to School Day in Chicago. When the walk was first started, it was used as a way to bring together children with local leaders in an effort to raise awareness about the need to more pedestrian-friendly streets.
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As the event progressed year by year, so did its popularity. In 2002, the highest record of participation was tallied at roughly 3 million. This year, schools and leaders in every state have held events to help push the campaign.

Our Fort Myers child injury attorneys hope that you and your family will participate in this year’s event. This event is also used to help rally for federal funding to make our roadways safer for pedestrians. In 2005, new legislation was passed that would allow states to apply for this type of federal funding. Unfortunately, far too few dollars are aimed at pedestrian safety — despite the fact that Florida is among the most dangerous states in the nation when it comes to serious or fatal pedestrian accidents.

The following schools in our area are participating in this year’s events:

–Orangewood Elementary School: Students will be asked to wear their Orangewood T-shirts and are asked to meet Jefferson Park and walk to school so that all students can practice safe walking habits.

–Bayshore Elementary School: This is the third year that this school has participated n the event. During this year, local sheriff’s departments, parents, sponsors and teachers will be walking to school with students.

–Tommie Barfield Elementary School: The school will be asking students within a reasonable distance to walk to school on the 5th.

–Orange River Elementary School: This school will be sending home flyers with students to encourage all student pedestrians to wear their Orange River T-Shirts. These students will be asked to gather in a designated spot located just down the road from the school. Staff members will be joining them as well on this walk.

–Tanglewood Elementary School: Tanglewood will be showing an educational DVD during PE classes for 4 days. In the fall, the school also has a walking program. During the winter, the school has a biking program. PE class is used to practice skill and drills for two weeks. Lastly, Tanglewood organizes a walk to school day and bike to school day/RODEO.

“We can make a difference right here at home, we can make our streets safer,” said Michele King, Director of the Child Advocacy Program at the Children’s Hospital of SW Florida.

How officials can help to keep our child pedestrians safe on our roadways:

-Provide well-maintained a safe areas for pedestrians to walk that are separated from motor-vehicle traffic.

-Teach young pedestrians how to safely cross the street.

-Reduce speed limits in school zones and in neighborhoods.

-Ensure that sidewalks meet national accessibility standards.

-Make sure that all intersections and mid-block crossings have curb ramps.

-Install pedestrian signals at all intersections.
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Burn injuries in Fort Myers and elsewhere in South Florida are among the most painful and medically complex catastrophic injuries a law firm can handle.

Fireworks accidents in Fort Myers are just one cause. The Florida Department of Health reports children and teenagers are the most likely victims. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports more than 400 children and teenagers are treated for burn injuries of all types in U.S. emergency rooms every day.
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Two-thirds of firework injuries in Florida are to the face, hands and arms. Burns account for nearly 40 percent of injury cases. In 2005, more than 200 emergency room cases were reported involving fireworks in Florida — nearly all of them around the Fourth of July.

Other common causes of Florida burn injuries handled by Fort Myers burn injury lawyers include:

-Scald Burn Injuries
-Electric Burns
-Chemical Burns
-Gas Grill Accidents
-Gas Explosions
-Car Accidents
Burn injuries may include injuries of the first-degree, second-degree, third-degree or fourth-degree:

First Degree Burns: Affect the epidermis — or the outer layer of skin. Pain, swelling, tingling and hypersensitivity are common. The wound is typically red and dry.

Second Degree Burns: Affects both the epidermis and the dermis; thus called partial thickness burns. Extreme pain, redness, swelling and blistering. Weeping at the surface is also common, as is substantial scarring. Common causes include flash injuries (such as explosions), scalding liquids and flame injuries.

Third Degree Burns: Extreme burns, affecting the entire thickness of skin and underlying muscle tissue; destroys sweat glands and hair follicles. May not be as painful as second-degree burns, due to nerve damage. Burned skin may be brown, white, yellow, red or a leathery black. Extensive medical care required, and may involve skin grafts and lengthy hospitalization.

Fourth-Degree Burns: (May also be characterized as fifth-degree or sixth-degree burns) are life threatening. Burning reaches the bone and the skin is permanently lost. Sometimes associated with lost limbs and amputations. Often caused by high-voltage electric. Can also be caused by prolonged flame contact, as in a house fire.
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Pool owners have a responsibility to maintain their pools and ensure a safe environment for anyone who uses them as we all work to reduce the risk of swimming pool accidents in Cape Coral and Fort Myers this summer.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that through the first five months of 2011, there were 55 reported drownings and 63 near-drowning accidents.
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Now that school is letting out, Fort Myers pool accident attorneys want to remind babysitters and adults who supervise young children in pools to keep a watchful eye to prevent a drowning accident. It only takes a short amount of time for a drowning to occur.

We posted previously on our Florida Injury Lawyer Blog that the CPSC has been investigating pool and spa drain cover manufacturers in compliance with the Virginia Graeme Baker Pool and Spa Safety Act (P&SSAct). Florida leads the nation in the number of drowning incidents for children younger than 5. In most cases, these accidents are caused by proper safety features and advice being ignored.

The CPSC offers these additional statistics:

-From 2008 to 2010, an average of 5,100 pool or spa-related injuries each year were treated at hospital emergency rooms for children 14 and younger. Children 4 and under represented 79 percent of these injuries.

-76 percent of reported fatalities from pool and spa-related drownings from 2006 to 2008 were children younger than 5. There were a total of 383 drownings for children 14 and under during this time period.

-Children ages 12 to 47 months represented 66 percent of fatalities (from 2006 to 2008) and 64 percent of injuries (from 2008 to 2010) in pool and spa-related incidents.

-96 percent of victims submersed in water will die. Deaths usually occur the same day that the event took place.

-Only 4 percent of near-drowning victims will survive a submersion incident beyond a week. Those who do will undergo intensive medical care for the severe injuries sustained in the accident.

“CPSC’s new data show that the number of drownings and near-drownings involving children younger than f5 are still a serious public health issue,” said Chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum. “CPSC is committed to reducing the number of drowning and near-drowning incidents in swimming pools and spas in the country. The Pool Safely campaign and its partners encourage parents and children to take as many water safety steps as possible to help save a life.”

The CPSC recently kicked off the second year of the Pool Safely: Simple Steps Save Lives campaign, an effort to reduce entrapment, nonfatal submersion and child drowning accidents.

Florida Swimming Pool Association offers the following simple steps to prevent drownings and other accidents:

S-A-F-E-T-Y:

-Supervision – an adult must always be present when children are in the pool.

-Alert – not only is keeping an eye on small children a must, but so is keeping the pool area toy and chemical-free. Sunscreen should always be accessible, and food and beverage should only be served in non-breakable containers.

-Free – never consume alcohol or drugs while using a pool or spa. In most cases, alcohol creates unsafe conditions for those who use or abuse it.

-Emergency – learn CPR, keep a portable and charged phone at poolside, and have a list of emergency phone numbers close by.

-Teaching – everyone who frequents the pool should be taught how to swim. Local YMCA’s, recreational departments and other programs offer classes in your area.

-You – considering safety at all times means you are being responsible.

June is National Safety Month. For more information about summertime safety visit the National Safety Council’s summer safety and health fact sheets.
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The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) now recommends that children ride in rear-facing car seats until the age of 2 and remain in a booster seat until 8-years-old. Consumers are no longer urged to shop for car seats according to the child’s age.

Fort Myers personal injury lawyers encourage you to follow the new safety recommendations set out by the AAP to best protect your child in a potentially fatal accident. The change in car seat policy comes after research from the AAP which revealed that 75 percent of children under the age of 2 riding in forward-facing car seats are likely to be killed or fatally injured in a car accident.
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Although all car seats sold throughout the United States meet federal child restraint safety standards, it is up to parents to choose the best seat for their child. “Selecting the right seat for your child can be a challenge for many parents. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s new revised guidelines will help consumers pick the appropriate seat for their child,” says David Strickland, Administrator of the NHTSA.

Nearly 1,500 children under 16 will die in car crashes every year — car accidents are the leading cause of death in children over the age of 4. It’s not uncommon for children to remain in car seats until the age of 4 in other countries.

According to National Highway Safety Transportation Safety Administration, “The rear-facing position reduces stresses to the neck and spinal cord and is particularly important for growing babies.”

The design allows for the force of the collision to be distributed throughout the entire body.

There are typically three styles of rear-facing car seats available to help prevent serious injury to your child in a car accident: infant-only, convertible seats and 3-in-1 seats. The NHTSA recommends you make sure to choose the right car seat for your vehicle and your child, always read manufacturers’ manuals and keep all children under 13 in the backseat — children riding in rear-facing car seats should never ride in front of an active passenger air bag.
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The government has announced a recall of nearly 400,000 defective child safety seats for a faulty harness, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported.

Our child injury lawyers in Cape Coral and Fort Myers urge parents to check their safety seats for recall and to periodically conduct a thorough examination for wear and tear, possible defects, or other issues that could impact your child’s safety.
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The Dorel Juvenile Group (DJG) is recalling 794,247 seats because the lock and release button on the harness does not always return to the lock position. The defect can result in a loose harness and increased risk of serious or fatal injury during a Fort Myers car crash. The seats were made from May 2008 to April 2009 and feature the “Center Front Adjuster” for the harness. Infant, convertible and booster child-restraint systems are included in the recall, both those sold as stand-alone seats and those sold as part of a (stroller) travel system.

The company is providing a fix kit consisting of a small tube of lubricant. However, many parents may decide to discontinue using the seats.

We encourage you to use extra caution when purchasing toys, clothing items and other products marketed to children. While we as parents would hope that manufacturers would use the utmost care when designing and marketing products for children, that is too often not the case. The Consumer Products Safety Commission recalls more than 100 children’s products each year for a variety of hazards. Products include cribs (more than a dozen recalls in 2010), safety seats and high chairs, as well as clothing and toys.

Just this month, the government announced a recall of 1.7 million video baby monitors because of a strangulation risk posed to infants.

More information on the Florida child safety seat recall is available here, including model numbers and manufacture dates.

Other children’s products recalled this month include night lights, hooded jackets, snow bikes, playsets, and a drop-side crib.
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Our Fort Myers accident attorneys frequently report on the dangers faced by teenagers behind the wheel, particularly when it comes to distracted driving. Earlier this week, we reported on our Florida Injury Lawyer Blog when an auditorium of Florida teens began jeering at the prospect of not being able to use their cell phones behind the wheel.

Now safety organizations are teaming up to encourage teenagers to develop a public-service radio announcement on the dangers of distracted driving that will appeal to teens their own age, the Business Journals reported.
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The National Road Safety Foundation and the National Student Safety Program are launching “JST DRV,” a radio PSA contest. Teens are invited to submit 15- or 30-second PSA announcements on the dangers of distracted driving. The winning announcement will be broadcast nationwide during Youth Traffic Safety Month in May. Three runners-up will receive a $500 scholarship and a Bluetooth device.

The winner will receive a $1,000 scholarship, a Bluetooth device and a trip to Honolulu for the Youth Traffic Safety Conference this summer. Teens ages 14 to 18 are invited to submit entries. Deadline for the contest is March 25.

“The JST DRV Radio PSA Contest hopes to engage young people in communicating important messages about distracted driving in their own voice,” said Michelle Anderson, operations director of the National Road Safety Foundation.

Health News Digest recently reported more than 680,000 motorists were involved in accidents with teen drivers in 2008.

“When most people think about those affected by teen driver crashes, they think of the teens behind the wheel. We must also consider the significant impact of these crashes on other members of our communities: occupants of other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, and other road-users,” says Dennis Durbin, who was an author of the report. “Whether or not we have a teen driver in our family, we should all care about this issue. This report provides a concrete way to measure the effectiveness of laws, education, and other programs in reducing teen crashes and their impact on communities.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 516 motorists were killed in Florida car accidents involving teenagers in 2008. Of those, 153 were occupants of other vehicles and 62 were non-occupants, such as cyclists or pedestrians. Only California and Texas reported more teen-driving fatalities.

“A quarter of all teens admit to texting behind the wheel and, in 2009, the highest proportion of distracted drivers in fatal crashes was under the age of 20,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We know we have to engage teens in order to put an end to distracted driving. With their help, we can educate teens and adults about making smarter choices that will save lives.”

More information on the contest is available at www.nrsf.org.
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The Sun-Sentinel reported that teens at a presentation in a Boca Raton high school auditorium gasp and jeered at the prospect of not being able to use a cell phone while driving.

But as our Fort Myers personal injury lawyers frequently report, Florida is woefully behind when it comes to addressing the issue of distracted driving among teenagers. Proposed new legislation, dubbed the Minor Traffic Safety Act, would do little more than bring the Sunshine State in line with most of the rest of the nation when it comes to limiting a young driver’s ability to use a phone while behind the wheel.
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Unfortunately, it would not address text messaging or cell phone use by adult drivers — something that is now illegal in 38 other states, according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association. As a result, distracted driving continues to be one of the leading causes of car accidents in Fort Myers, Naples and throughout South Florida.

Addressing teen driver distraction, however, is an important start. Teens are at high risk for nearly every poor driving habit, included distracted driving, drunk driving, speeding and riding with too many passengers in the vehicle. Health News Digest recently reported more than 681,000 motorists were involved in an accident with a teen driver in 2008.

The proposed law would ticket minors for sending text messages or talking on the cell phone while driving. The same rules would finally apply to school bus drivers — making Florida one of the last states in the nation to address distracted driving by bus drivers.

The bill would also limit the number of minors who can ride in a car with a teenage driver; a teen would be required to display a tag from their rear-view mirror, which would identify them as a minor.

The measure still needs to become law. Florida lawmakers have failed to act on a number of distracted driving measures during legislative sessions in recent years.
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If you want to prevent your teen from speeding or text messaging while driving, there is an app for that.

Our Cape Coral car accident attorneys reported last week on our Florida Injury Lawyer Blog, that the Countdown2Drive program has been aimed at 13- and 14-year-olds in the latest effort to reduce the risk of teenage car accidents.

808843_blackberry_keypad.jpgBut Florida is one of a rapidly dwindling number of states that have no laws on the books that prevent drivers from text messaging. The Governors Highway Safety Association reports 30 states have outlawed text messaging by drivers. Eight others outlaw the use of hand-held cell phones by all drivers, and still others prohibit young drivers from texting or using cell phones while behind the wheel.

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If you want to make a New Year’s resolution that counts, our Fort Myers car accident attorneys urge you to speak with your teenagers about the importance of making good driving decisions. Reducing your teen’s risk of a car accident in Naples, Cape Coral or elsewhere in South Florida could be the best move you can make as we enter 2011.

Safe Kids USA and the General Motors Foundation is launching Countdown2Drive, a national campaign aimed at equipping teenagers ages 13 and 14 — as well as their parents — with safety information well before the teen is eligible to drive legally. The effort is aimed at reducing the risk of serious or fatal accidents among young drivers, where the statistics are anything but encouraging.
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Contact Information
Fort Myers Headquarters
4020 Evans Ave
Fort Myers, FL 33901
Phone: 239-939-2900
Cape Coral
1407 Del Prado Blvd S #11
Cape Coral, FL 33990
Phone: 239-772-0099
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2650 Airport-Pulling Rd
Naples, FL 34112
Phone: 239-597-1201
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2301 Tamiami Trail #E
Port Charlotte, FL 33952
Phone: 941-743-7777
Mailing Address
P.O. Box 60049
Fort Myers, FL 33906

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