Personal Injury

There are few realities in life more trying than learning that your very young child has suffered harm as a result of someone else’s abuse or neglect. No fit parent would voluntarily leave their young child with someone who they knew to be neglectful and abusive. Unfortunately, people who treat children in these ways aren’t always easy to spot. In fact, some of the worst offenders put on the most convincing attitudes in front of parents before revealing their true colors behind closed doors.

One single incident of this duplicity was made apparent when a video of daycare providers tarrying toddlers went viral last Halloween. A Mississippi day care center – which looks well kept on the video – employed multiple teachers who felt like it was appropriate for one of them to don a mask from the movie “Scream” and to then scream at, belittle, and threaten terrified toddlers. Few, if any, of the parents who left their children in the care of that relatively reputable center could have predicted that anything close to that would have occurred under the providers’ watch.

And yet, children are subjected to mental, emotional, and physical injuries every day due to the negligence and/or abusive conduct of trusted daycare providers. As a result, if you have recently discovered that your child’s care giver has been neglecting or abusing them, you are certainly not alone. Parents across the nation share your experience and can confirm that it is not your fault. Your child’s harm is the fault of the provider who was obligated to protect them from harm, not cause it.

Exploring Your Legal Options

As an experienced personal injury lawyer – including those who practice at Council & Associates, LLC – can confirm, there are a few things you’ll want to consider doing in light of what you’ve learned about your daycare provider. First, depending on the kind of neglect and/or abuse your child has been subjected to, you may want to speak with the agency that oversees daycare operations in the state and/or the police. The state agency can investigate the care provided at the center (or in the home of the provider) to better ensure the safety of any other children in the offending individual’s care. The police can investigate whether the offender should be brought up on criminal charges.

Also, regardless of how the police and the state respond, you may be in a strong position to file a personal injury lawsuit against the provider if your child suffered physical injuries as a result of their mistreatment. The more seriously your child was injured, the more likely it is that you can sue the offending provider for economic and non-economic damages as a result of your child’s experience.

What you’re facing as a family is a reality that no one should have to endure. Yet, it is important to understand that you are not powerless. You have rights and it is up to you to exercise them to the fullest possible extent in light of the circumstances.