Falls are the most common cause of brain injury in children in the United States. When you think about it, it makes sense! Young children spend a lot of time learning to get their legs underneath them, and make mistakes along the way. In addition, children seem to find “trouble” more frequently than adults, and their high activity levels means that falls just go hand-in-hand with childhood.

Thankfully, most falls sustained in childhood result in external scalp injuries or very mild brain injury that has no long-lasting results. However, there are some situations in which moderate and severe brain are more likely to occur.

• Improperly designed stairways, hallways, and railings that aren’t up to code, as well as floors that violate standards of friction or are coated with grease or other slippery substances, can cause slips and falls that result in brain injury.

• Baby walkers are the cause of thousands of brain injuries per year, and most often result when a baby falls down the stairs. Since 1997 all baby walkers are mandated to be wider than a standard doorway, and must be equipped with a braking feature that stops the walker at the edge of a step.

• Every year about 5,000 children fall out of windows, resulting in brain injury. Windows that are five feet or more above the ground should be equipped with window screens that can’t be easily pushed out by a child, and multi-level windows should be outfitted with window guards, window locks, or wedges that prevent the window from opening too much.

If your child has been brain injured in one of the above manners, it’s possible that someone else is liable. To learn about how to pursue compensation that can help pay for your child’s benefits and therapies, contact us for more information.