There are many things in a
home that can injure children. Some of them are obvious, such as knives or
electrical outlets. Household chemicals such as cleaning products can also be
dangerous, especially when they are kept under the kitchen sink where it is
easily accessible to children. Parents will take certain safety measures to
prevent these household hazards from harming their children. These are common
examples that most people know about, but there are other dangerous hazards for
children that most parents have never even thought of, such as big screen
televisions. Depending on how the television is sitting in a room, it could
pose a significant risk to small children, especially toddlers one-to-three
years old.
Recent studies show that
these large television sets are causing more head and neck injuries than in
previous years. Many of these TVs are placed on a dresser or other high stand,
and it’s possible for children to be curious and climb on top of the dresser or
stand, causing the TV to fall on them. Even somewhat older children may run
into the furniture while horsing around, causing the TV to fall on them. This
has become so common that it is happening multiple times a day in the United
States and Canada. Experts say that the average large screen LCD TV falling on
a small child could cause the same damage as a child who were to fall ten
stories.
Even though placing the TV
on the wall or securing it to the TV stand could greatly reduce the risk of a
TV falling on a small child, most parents with small children don’t do this or
any other safety step, and that is because most people are not aware of this
risk. While most injuries of this type of accident involve head and neck injuries,
there have actually been some fatalities involving massive head trauma.
One of the reasons these
accidents are more common today than they were in years past is because these
new thin and lighter televisions are much more prone to falling over than the
much heavier older style televisions from the past, which would be much more
difficult for a child to topple over.
It’s important for more
parents to acknowledge this danger before it’s too late and it happens to their
child. It’s an accident that can easily be prevented. Parents and caretakers
should:
-
Avoid placing
toys or remotes on top of the TV.
-
Create a
restricted play area around the television.
-
Use a proper TV
stand.
-
Position the TV
back from the edge of where it’s placed.
-
Attach the TV to
the wall to prevent it from falling.
If
you or someone you know has been involved in a car crash or truck accident in
Detroit, Grand Rapids, Warren, Sterling Heights, Lansing, Flint, Ann Arbor,
Livonia, Dearborn, Canton, Westland, Troy, Farmington Hills, Southfield,
Waterford or any other city in Michigan, make sure to contact Motor City
Accident Attorneys by calling 1-800-411-PAIN. Motor City Accident Attorneys
know how stressful a car accident can be and want to help you get back on your
feet. They will fight tirelessly for your rights and help you get the
compensation you deserve, according to your specific case. Make sure to follow
Motor City Accident Attorneys on Twitter (@MCAccidentAtty) and Facebook. Join
the conversation by using #MCAA.
