Kentucky schools are back in session. Your kids are back at school, but they are still outside playing. Children love the playground whether it is at school or the park. Unfortunately your child can be seriously injured while playing on a playground. Don’t forget playground safety just because school is back in session.

What can you do as a parent to prevent injuries to your children?  Nobody wants to have an accident claim especially when your kids are involved whether it is a skinned knee or a broken arm. There are some precautionary measures you can take when you go to a playground to ensure that it is safe for your child to play on.  

        1)  Look at the base where the playground and the swing equipment are attached to and see if it is soft.  Make sure that it is firm and that everything is attached in a good manner. 

       2) Check for any loose bolts. 

        3) Check for bare bolts or joints that may cause an injury to your child. 

        4) On a playground made of wood, check to make sure that there’s no exposed splinters. Make sure that the wood is new and is not going to cause an injury to your child. 

        5) Look at the area around the playground. This can actually be more dangerous and cause more serious injuries than the playground itself. 

        6) Make sure that there’s no a broken glass or bottles that can injure your child.

        7) Look for any discarded construction type material.

        8) When a playground is close to a roadway , a ball field or a golf course make sure that there’s not going to be any loose or errant balls, etc. coming toward the playground. 

        9) EDUCATE your children! Explain the dangers that are out there. 

The bottom line is we want our children to have fun but be safe wherever they are. A trip to the emergency room is not part of that.  Take these steps so that you don’t have an accident claim against the playground that your child is playing at.  Child accidents are no fun. Prevention is the key.

Did you know that there are time limits for you being able to file your Kentucky accident case?  If you’ve been injured in a car accident, a bicycle accident or a loved one has died in a fatal truck accident there is a time limit called the Statute of Limitations.  This is the time-frame that you have to file your lawsuit in court or to settle your accident case with the insurance company. If it is not accomplished in the time set out you forever waive the right to bring a lawsuit and collect damages from the person who injured you. 

In Kentucky, the Statute of Limitations for injuries suffered in a motor vehicle accident is two years from the date of the accident or two years from the date the last no-fault PIP payment for your medical bills is paid by your insurance company.  This time frame cannot exceed four years.

Statutes of Limitation are different in every state. They can even vary depending on the type of accident you were in or who you are bringing the lawsuit against. In Kentucky the Statute of Limitations is different for different types of claims. For many claims, such as auto defects or product liability claims, the Statute of Limitations is one year. There can also be a question as to when the statute begins to run. It is always best to consult an experienced personal injury attorney that concentrates in that area of law. If you guess you could be wrong.

I had to give this bad news to a young lady that called me last week. She had been in an accident when she was seventeen. I determined from speaking with her that the Statute of Limitations for this accident was one year. The accident happened in 2008. The time had run. I thought I might save it because she was a minor at the time the accident happened. Generally you have one year after you turn eighteen to bring most accident cases in Kentucky. Unfortunately it had been nineteen months since she turned 18. Even though she was severely injured there was nothing I could do. I felt bad giving her this news. If only she had called a personal injury attorney sooner.

The bottom line is if you’ve been in an accident, you need to be aware of these time-frames because if you do not act within that time, you will not be able to recover no matter how severe your injuries are.