Easter Injuries Florida Parents Need to Know About

Most people don’t think of Easter as a time when people tend to get injured, but every year people get hurt in various accidents related to the holiday. 

What kind of accidents? 

Well, one mother in Oregon is seeking $112,000 in damages after she was allegedly injured in a 2016 egg hunt. Rachel Townsend took her son and niece to the event held in Happy Valley, Oregon. According to the lawsuit, Townsend was pushed and knocked to the ground when older children and unregistered egg hunters rushed the field. 

She is holding the venue and planning company liable for her injuries, which include a torn meniscus and partially torn ligament in her knee along with other sprains and strains. She is suing for over $9,000 in medical bills and $3,000 in lost wages, along with $100,000 for non-economic damages. 

The lawsuit states that the event was overcrowded and held on an uneven surface, which set her up for injury. It also says that not enough personnel manned the event to keep it safe. 

That’s just one example, and it involves an adult. Imagine how much worse it could have been if a small child had been knocked around. 

Below, we’re going to detail some of the most common Easter injuries to kids and what you can do to avoid them. 

Easter Injuries to Prevent

You can head off most Easter injuries by taking precautions regarding the following:

Food poisoning

Easter is known for feasting. However, if foods aren’t cooked to safe temperatures, they can make you sick. Cold foods, such as hard-boiled eggs, need to stay cold, and hot foods need to stay hot. You should leave foods out on a buffet table no longer than two hours before refrigerating or throwing away leftovers.

Food allergies

Almost three million Americans are allergic to peanuts or tree nuts, and an allergic reaction can be life-threatening. Other common food allergies include gluten, dairy, and shellfish.

If you’re hosting an Easter meal, make sure to check with your guests ahead of time about their food allergies. Don’t cross-contaminate foods while preparing them – use clean knives, bowls, and cutting boards.

To stay on the safe side, avoid placing candies that contain nuts in plastic Easter eggs. You could unintentionally make a child very sick.

If you are attending an Easter event and your child has a food allergy, come prepared with an EpiPen and other treatments just in case an allergic reaction occurs.

Slip and fall injuries

It’s common for children to rush out in excitement during an Easter egg hunt, as in the above example. Encourage your child to take it slow and avoid uneven areas. Also, make sure your child is wearing shoes with good traction to prevent slips and falls.

If you’re hosting the egg hunt, walk your property and remove any potential hazards. You can mark problem areas with cones or flags to keep children away. You have a duty to provide a safe place for your guests. If any injury occurs, you can be held liable as the property owner.

Defective products

The Easter bunny may have accidentally slipped a hazardous toy in the Easter basket this year. If a defective toy caused injury to your child, you may have grounds for a product liability claim.

You can sue for damages based on defective design, manufacturing defects, or marketing defects. Basically, if the designer, manufacturer, or distributor knew of a potential hazard but did nothing to correct it before the toy was on the shelf, and the toy caused injury to your child, you can hold any of those parties responsible for medical bills.

How a Florida Personal Injury Attorney Can Help

Any time your child is injured, you want to protect him or her from further harm. If your child experiences a serious injury this Easter, you need to get medical help right away. If the accident is due to someone else’s negligence, the medical report may be the most important piece of evidence in securing financial compensation.

Our firm has years of experience helping families recover damages in child personal injury cases. We advocate on behalf of children who are victims due to negligence.

The most common types of child injuries we represent include the following:

• Car accidents
• Premises liability
• Defective products
• Drowning
• Animal bites

In Florida, you have four years from the date of the accident to file a claim. If your child is injured in any way this Easter holiday, don’t hesitate to call us for a free case review. We are here to protect and help your child.

About the Author:

A partner at Ben Murphey tries complex disputes that include civil appeals, maritime and admiralty claims, wrongful death, and labor disputes. Mr. Murphey has been recognized for his excellence in the area of personal injury litigation by being rewarded with a 10/10 Avvo Rating and named a Super Lawyers “Rising Star” for the last four consecutive years (2011-2014). Mr. Murphey regularly tries cases in state and federal courts around the country, being admitted to practice before all Florida courts and the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.