Florida Child Injury Law Blog

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It’s easy to like stories like this one.  At All Children’s Hospital in St. Petersburg, a 12-year-old boy was expecting and hoping to have some “battle wounds” for his gallbladder operation.  Instead he has none…and his parents are happy.    

 The young boy had his gallbladder removed as surgeons there used the single incision laparoscopy technique.  Surgeons Nicole Chandler, MD and Paul Danielson, MD made a single incision through his belly button.  Through the small incision, tiny surgical instruments were utilized as well as a miniaturized video camera.

 He was the first patient at All Children’s Hospital to use the technique.  The Dodson Law Firm salutes physicians dedicated to superior patient care throughout the state of Florida.  Our Florida Child Injury law firm is  working to make safety every child’s reality. If you find you are need of a Florida child injury lawyer, please call our office, toll free at (888) 340-0840 for a free case review of your injury claim today.

The “Wizarding World of Harry Potter” opened today at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, in Orlando. 

 Universal invested $200 million dollars into this project and attendance is expected to swell dramatically past the 12,700 guests that Islands of Adventure attracts daily.  In fact, the park opened their parking garage at 5:30am, three and a half hours before the theme park opens. 

 Taking this all into consideration, what are some of the precautions parents should take to ensure your child’s safety?  Here are 5 quick tips:

 Keep children away from areas that are not for public access

       Make sure your children never enter a restricted area in a theme park

 Understand the limits and restrictions placed on certain park rides

       Read an attraction’s boarding restrictions before you let your child get in line

 Keep children safely seated on all amusement park rides

       Stay in your seat; keep your hands on the grab bar & your feet and knees inside

 Alert staff if a  problem arises

       Keep a watchful eye out if you see something wrong; don’t be afraid to alert staff

 Stay cool and avoid prolonged sun exposure

       Be mindful of sunburn, rashes, heat exhaustion and heatstroke. Keep yourself and  your children hydrated!  And don’t forget your sun block.

 Understand the factors that place kids at risk at amusement parks such as Universal Studios and other Florida theme parks and keep your children safe. Many people wrongly believe that theme parks, such as Universal Studios, will pay for any injury that takes place on its premises. The park has a duty to provide for a reasonably safe environment and to inspect and maintain its theme park. When a child is hurt while on a ride or is injured while visiting the theme park, it does not necessary mean there is civil liability for the injury.

An advertisement by the Allstate Insurance Company  in the Wall Street Journal,  caught our attention!

The ad headline, with an eye-catching  graphic read: “Why do most 16-year-olds drive like their missing part of their brain?  Because they are.” 

A teenager’s brain is not fully developed until their 20’s. The dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, the “missing part of the brain,” plays a major role in teenager’s decision-making and the understanding of consequences. That is why as parents of teen drivers, anxiety and a lot of prayer go along with seeing our young drivers pull out of the driveway; and a sigh of relief and thankfulness when they are home safely!

 Allstate reminds us  teen drivers, yes, even bright, seemingly mature teens sometimes do things the insurance people label as “stupid.”  But  they say- it’s not really their fault!

The company supports  the Standup Act, or the Safe Teen and Novice Driver Uniform Protection Act of 2009.

 The law creates a National Graduated Driver Licensing law that would provide teens with  on-the-road experience gradually, while helping them avoid risky conditions.

 States that have implemented GDL programs  have seen the number of fatal crashes among 16-year-old drivers fall by almost 40%.

Florida instituted it’s GDL program on July 1, 1996. 

Florida Child Injury Lawyer Jim Dodson, working to make safety, every child’s reality.

Dr. Julian Haber, a developmental behavioral pediatrician at the Child Study Center in Forth Worth, Texas  is the author of a book titled, “ADHD, The Great Misdiagnosis.”

In this book, Dr. Haber, who has a background of 49 years in medicine, offers aid for parents and professionals searching for a correct diagnosis for children who are struggling at school.

 Possessing the symptoms of ADHD shouldn’t be misconstrued as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.  To complicate matters more, the symptoms of ADHD can be present in over thirty other disorders.  They range from problems with the sensory systems, mental illness, or scholastic, psychosocial, and medical issues.

Dr. Haber refers to these as “ADHD Imitators.”  Here’s a list of 10 possible imitators of ADHD:

• Hearing and vision problems
• Learning disabilities
• Dysgraphia or difficulties with writing
• Mental retardation
• Personality conflicts, either with a teacher or other students
• Depression
• Childhood psychosis
• Oppositional defiant disorder
• Tourette’s syndrome
• Thyroid disorders

For the complete list please visit KeepKidsHealthy.com.

Florida Child Injury Lawyer protecting the rights of injured children for over 20 years.

The Children’s Safety Village of Central Florida is a not-for-profit organization that teaches children about the safety hazards they encounter in everyday life, in an effort to reduce preventable accidents and fatal injury.

What better way to teach young children than through hands-on exercises. The “city” includes miniaturized buildings complete with paved streets, sidewalks, a functioning traffic light, a railroad crossing and a water safety complex.  Each of these everyday life experiences help children see potential dangers and practice safety measures to protect themselves from accidental injuries. 

 Approximately 10,000 children are brought to the Children Safety Village facility of Central Florida every year to receive this hands-on education.  Our own children were frequent visitors to the wonderful facility in Clearwater, as they were growing up.

To find out more information or to schedule a tour, call (407) 521-4673 or visit their website. 

 Working to make safety every child’s reality, our Florida Child Injury lawyers have protected  the rights of  injured children and families for over twenty- five years. 

 Call our office toll free at (888) 340-0840 for a free legal consultation.

There is never any obligation to hire a lawyer.

A Wesley Chapel man saved a 15 month-old toddler’s life last week by remembering CPR training he received nearly 15 years ago.

 This tragic near-drowning accident unfolded last Thursday morning around 11am when Mike Wynperie heard screams from the father of a young child, who had ventured into a pond nearby their backyard.  “She drowned out there in the backyard. She drowned. She went to the water.”  Those were the frantic words captured on the 911 call. 

 The situation by all accounts seemed dire.  The little girl wasn’t breathing.  Her lips were blue.  Her family was in shock as they waited for paramedics.  Wynperie went into action.  “Everything just happened so fast. I didn’t even have time to think.”

 When paramedics arrived 5 minutes later, the toddler’s pulse showed signs of life.  She was then rushed to St. Joseph’s Hospital, where her condition is improving. 

Almost 200,000 children die each year from accidental drownings.  Many of these horrible accidents happen with a momentary distraction  in  “good families.”   Learn more on our Florida Child Injury website about drown proofing your children and avoiding this unthinkable tragedy.

 The Dodson Law Firm lauds the efforts of Mr. Wynperie and his quick response in saving this toddler’s life from a near drowning.  For those interested in learning more about CPR training and a class near you, please visit americaheart.org.

Florida Accident Lawyer, protecting the rights of injured victims for more than 25 years.

The next year and a half Jared’s family would travel five states and seek out top specialists at leading hospitals as he battled to recover.  Today, Jared is still recovering but his condition has improved and his doctors say the chance of reoccurrence is very low. 

 The hard truth though, is  strokes are among the top 10 killers of children.  According to the American Heart Association, the risk of stroke in children 18 and younger is 11 per 100,000, or about 9,000 incidents a year.  Strokes also occur in about 1 out of every 4,000 births. 

 For more information on strokes and how they affect children, please visit know-stroke.org.

Our Florida Child Injury lawyers are committed to providing consumers with the latest child health and safety resources, product recall information and accident and injury prevention news available.

Earlier this year the New York Times published a story every parent should read.  It gives a detailed account of a 7-year-old boy who suffered a stroke.

 Two years ago, Jared Dienst and his mother were enjoying a summer day walking in St. Catherine’s Park in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.  What happened next was about to change the course of their lives. 

 Jared became dazed, had a droopy left eye, became stiff and his speech was slurred, when suddenly,  he couldn’t walk or stand on his own.  His mother rushed him to the hospital where late that night after undergoing tests, a neurological team determined the 7-year-old boy had suffered a stroke.  Please see, Part 2

Our Florida Child Injury lawyers have been representing  victims of  injury throughout  the state of Florida, for over 25 years. Please call us for a free case evaluation @ 1-888-340-0840. There is no obligation to hire a lawyer.

Elizabeth Quinn is an exercise physiologist and fitness consultant who works with organizations designing functional training programs.  Here are some important tips she supplies for parent’s whose children are involved with youth sports.

 Although some may appear to be common sense, sometimes  it’s the “smaller things” that are overlooked that could lead to child injury. Many children experience  minor bruises and injuries as they participate in youth sports. But there are some safety considerations for parents in the event an injury does occur and steps to take  to protect children from more serious injuries.

• Does the coach have first aid training and an emergency action plan?
• Is there a safety policy regarding injury, illness, and inclement weather?
• Does the coach have your emergency contact information?
• Do you have contact information for the coach?
• Is there a first-aid kit always on hand?
• Is there available water, hydration at all game & practices?
• Is there a scheduled warm-up and cool down at games and practices?
• Does your child receive guidelines and recommendations about proper safety equipment?                                                                                                                
• Is safety equipment required for play?
• Are children allowed adequate rest between games and practices?
• Is sportsmanship, and fair play a core value of the program and the coach?

 Unfortunately, tragic accidents can  happen on the playing field.   Children have the potential for suffering many kinds of  serious injuries while playing sports including: broken bones, concussion, trauma, torn ligaments, sprains and strains, eye injuries and more. If you are unsure  about answers to even one of these questions, make a point to find out. It’s in your children best interest and safety that you do.  The Dodson Law Firm protects the interests of families every day.  For a free consultation with our Florida Personal Injury lawyers contact our office @ 1-888-340-0840.

Last week in Orlando, a group of 50 parents, volunteers and children all gathered in front of City Hall to voice their support of the Freedom Ride program.

 The program aids disabled youths and adults at Trotters Park through therapeutic horseback riding.  Those who participate in Freedom Ride are living  with a variety of disabilities and life challenges, some of which include: cerebral palsy, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis, ADD, autism, deafness, and blindness.

 The city of Orlando has decided not to renew the lease at Trotters Park after it expires next year.  It’s reported that city officials feel the land is needed for more soccer and basketball facilities. 

 The mother of one child, Jonathon Forthuber, who has cerebral palsy, explained the importance of the program. “He can’t walk, so when he’s on a horse, he’s walking. Things these kids shouldn’t be able to do, they’re doing. They ought to have an opportunity to keep doing it.”

 Mayor Buddy Dyer is exploring other options to possibly facilitate the needs of the program. 

The Dodson Law Firm wishes the families, children and volunteers well in these efforts and hope their voices will be heard by city officials. Freedom Ride sounds like an extremely worthwhile program, reaching out to the more than 50,000 disabled people  in the Central Florida area while providing an invaluable opportunity for this group of  children and adults.