While shopping carts may be ubiquitous at the grocery store, they are often dangerous for children and parents alike. Unfortunately, it’s been surprising that these cars cause issues for kids, with thousands of injuries each year.
The Washington Post reports that the average number of injuries exceeds 24,000 each year. Below is an illustrative video of things people do with shopping carts that many have probably never thought about.
As you can see in the above video, these accidents are not always the cart’s fault. Some of those people were being reckless. But there are ways that kids are hurt that can be particularly gruesome.
Kids have little digits and are also low. A few things come to mind below the line of sight of other shoppers with their carts. Furthermore, the levels of injuries range depending on the circumstances.
Unfortunately, these numbers are likely small because they count the numbers of children who visit the hospital due to such injuries. It does not include the names of children injured that heal at home.
The Statistics Are Not Complete?
These figures are also partial, depending on age. All of these kids cited in the statistics are for children under 15. So this means that even more teenagers are injured each year and are not quantified.
The types of injury vary. But all of them highlight the potential hazard of the carts, especially if they are not adequately secured.
Many children face head injuries. According to the stats, 78.1% of the damage includes the head, especially soft tissue injuries. Significant concussions are also caused by falls out of the children’s seats.
There are a series of potential damages that could be resulting from these carts, including:
- Fingers trapped by moving metal
- Falling or slipping out of the child’s seat
- Issues with wheels, including running over fragile feet or hands.
No matter the point, it is essential not just to let it go. Such an ailment could lead to further medical problems down the line, especially for a growing body. Make sure your child has proper medical care and attention.
Contact an attorney if you need assistance finding the proper care or a means to pay for it. Improper design or maintenance of these carts may have caused your little one preventable pain and suffering.
Michael Ehline
Michael is a managing partner at the nationwide Ehline Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, APLC. He’s an inactive Marine and became a lawyer in the California State Bar Law Office Study Program, later receiving his J.D. from UWLA School of Law. Michael has won some of the world’s largest motorcycle accident settlements.