The Attorneys of Freeman & Freeman, LLP, Offer Holiday Safety Reminders: Helmets Should be Part of the Gift
Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) December 21, 2014 -- Scooters, bikes, skateboards and ride-on electronic vehicles are likely to be popular gifts for children this holiday season. Though most of them will be enjoyed safely, there are bound to be some injuries, or worse, related to these toys. Attorney Stan Freeman says "we know that when a child is injured, the challenges are particularly serious especially when head injuries are involved. A broken bone is painful and tragic but a head injury can be devastating. A child's brain is still developing so protecting the head is absolutely crucial. Many of the gifts that children receive over the holidays increase the risk for head injuries. That's why we say make a helmet part of the gift."
A research study recently published in the academic journal Clinical Pediatrics on November 30, 2014, "Toy-Related Injuries Among Children Treated in US Emergency Departments, 1990-2011" by Vihas M. Abraham, BS, Christopher E. Gaw, BS, Thiphalak Chounthirath, MS and Gary A. Smith, MD, DrPH, bolsters Freeman's point: many popular children's toys increase the risk of injury. Attorney Steven Freeman argues that "this new research study supports what we have noticed from personal experience and observation: scooters and other ride-on toys lead to a lot of serious injuries. And especially at this time of year when such gifts will be prevalent, we want to remind parents of the dangers."
According to the research study, in 2011 there were 26 toy-related injuries per 10,000 children in the United States reported to hospital emergency rooms. This is an increase of 40% over 22 years. Approximately half of the toy-related injuries involved wheeled vehicles such as scooters. "If the toy was defective or a driver collided with a child on a bike, for instance, we can hold responsible parties accountable and fight for compensation on behalf of victims and their families. But a helmet may be the solution for many of the preventable head injuries. Knee pads, elbow pads and other safety gear may also cut down on other injury risks," Stan Freeman says.
Skateboards, bikes, scooters, rollerblades and roller skates may all be popular items this holiday season. The attorneys of Freeman & Freeman remind parents to include a helmet and other safety gear as part of the gift. Though safety gear cannot prevent all injuries, using it may cut down on the number of trips to the ER this winter.
Brett Watson, Freeman & Freeman, LLP, http://www.freeman-freeman.com/, +1 818-992-2919, [email protected]
Share this article