How Summer Can Expose You & Your Children to an Increased Risk of Injury

With the summer months finally among us, many of us plan vacations, pool days, trips to the lake, and other activities. While summer is undoubtedly a time adults and children alike look forward to, it’s critical to keep in mind that summer activities also come with an inherent risk of injury.

Pools and Spas Are Dangerous Places

Beating the heat by heading to the pool is a classic summer tradition, but as with any water-based activity, it also exposes visitors to a risk of serious injury. From slip and falls to exposure to toxic chemicals to near-drowning events, preventable accidents at pools often leave victims with extremely serious injuries.

More Teen Drivers on the Road

With school out, summer also means that more teenage drivers are on the road at any given time. As teenagers are less experienced drivers and tend to get in more accidents, more teens behind the wheel put everyone on the road at an increased risk of injury.

Kids Tend to Spend More Time Outdoors

Younger children tend to spend more time outside during the summer months, which many of us view as a positive thing. It’s important to remember, however, that activities like running around outside, riding bicycles, and playing at playgrounds can expose children to a risk of serious injury.

Road Construction Tends to Occur During the Summer Months

As any driver knows, extensive road construction projects usually happen during the summer months. Whether road construction zones are in the city or country, they can be confusing, dangerous areas to drive through. This means that drivers are often at an increased accident risk during the summer.

Can You Recover for Your Losses?

Not surprisingly, people who are injured in summertime accidents often wonder whether they will be able to recover compensation for their accident-related losses. Under Missouri and Illinois law, when people are hurt in accidents caused by the negligence of others, they are typically entitled to compensation.

Negligence happens when a person fails to use the degree of care that would ordinarily be exercised by a reasonable person in similar circumstances, and whether negligence occurred in a particular situation is a very fact-specific question. Some examples of negligence that could lead to summertime injuries include:

• Drunk driving
• Negligent playground design
• Failure to properly secure a residential pool or spa
• Distracted driving
• Defective design, manufacture, or marketing of recreational equipment

To find out if your summertime accident was the result of negligence, you should have an experienced personal injury lawyer review the facts of your case.

Call Bruntrager & Billings Today to Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with a St. Louis Personal Injury Lawyer

At Bruntrager & Billings, we understand how disruptive and costly preventable accidents can be and are dedicated to helping our clients get the compensation to which they are entitled under Missouri law. To schedule a free case evaluation with one of our personal injury attorneys in St. Louis, call our office today at (314) 646-0066 or send us an email through our online contact form.