Child hand injuries, particularly finger injuries, are not unusual and can happen for various reasons, including inadequate supervision or poorly secured furniture in daycare facilities. Daycare providers are responsible for ensuring children’s safety in their care, including a hazard-free environment and continuous supervision. Generally, severe injuries are uncommon when the daycare facility is diligent in providing a safe environment.

What Are Finger Injuries That Could Happen to a Child in a Daycare?

Children—especially small children—tend to place their fingers in areas that could be hazardous. When daycare facilities leave children unsupervised or fail to use finger guards on heavy doors, serious finger injuries can occur. A child’s fingers could be crushed when a door closes, pinched on the hinged side, slammed in a drawer, crushed under a rocking chair or by a falling window, pinched in a folding door, or caught in a stroller or crib rail. These accidents can result in broken or sprained fingers, severed fingers, muscle, tissue, or tendon damage, or an open wound that could become infected. Children can experience bruising of the finger skin or fingernail, loss of the fingernail, significant pain, loss of sensation in the finger or fingertip, inflammation, and swelling, difficulty using the finger, scarring, and permanent loss of sensation or ability to use the finger.

How Can a Finger Injury Impact a Child?

A serious finger injury can have long-term consequences for your child. Since the hands and fingers are used for virtually everything we do during a normal day, if your child loses the dexterity or function of a finger, it can cause lifelong problems. Depending on the injury, the consequences can be minor to life-altering. Damage to the bones, ligaments, or tendons surrounding the finger joints can lead to deformity and scarring, making it difficult for your child to write, open a door, play a musical instrument, or accomplish normal, everyday tasks involving the fingers. 

How Can Daycare Negligence Lead to a Child’s Finger Injury?

While some finger-trapping injuries or finger crush injuries may heal on their own when a finger injury is severe—especially when a finger is severed—immediate medical attention is crucial. If a child suffers a deep laceration to a finger that severs tendons or ligaments, surgical intervention can make the difference as to whether the child can use the finger normally in the future. Nerve damage following the laceration of a finger can cause nerve damage that leads to alterations in feeling in the finger and subsequent perception of safety hazards. An amputated finger can impact your child’s physical abilities as well as his or her quality of life. 

Daycare facilities can avoid most finger injuries by taking basic safety precautions like the following:

  • Identify all potentially hazardous doors and other areas that can result in a finger injury
  • Always maintain a good staff-to-child ratio to ensure all children are properly supervised at all times
  • Teach children—even toddlers—to avoid playing with doors
  • Make sure all staff members are aware of the risks of finger injuries to children and the best ways to avoid those injuries
  • Install finger-pinch safety devices where doors, cabinets, cupboards, or gates are accessible to children. These finger pinch guards prevent small fingers from entering the hinge side of an open door or gate. 
  • Find additional safety devices that will cut down on the risks of finger injuries 

Why Choose a St. Louis Child Finger Injury Attorney from Finney Injury Law?

When your child has been injured as a result of the negligence of a daycare facility, you may feel helpless, even hopeless. As you struggle to get your child necessary medical care while wondering what you need to do to hold the daycare center accountable, who can you turn to? Finney Injury Law is here for you. We are the strong advocates you need during these challenging times. We will handle all the legal issues associated with a claim against the daycare, allowing you the time you need to care for your child. The Finney Injury Law attorneys understand the myriad of issues you are facing and will work hard to take much of the burden from your shoulders. 

At Finney Injury Law, we are not just solid negotiators. We are experienced and highly skilled litigators. Our award-winning trial lawyer is fully equipped to prepare your claim for court from day one comprehensively. We conduct thorough investigations and gather all necessary evidence to ensure that we are never caught off guard by twists and turns in your case. Additionally, we offer 24/7 availability, free consultations, bilingual staff, and travel options to make things easier for you. Our satisfied clients speak for us with over 100 positive reviews. Choose Finney Injury Law for your legal needs and join the ranks of our many pleased customers.

Hiring a St. Louis Child Finger Injury Lawyer Near You

As a parent, it is devastating when your child is injured and in pain. It is even worse if the injury could have been avoided by taking simple safety precautions. If your child’s finger injury is the result of daycare negligence or a lack of implemented safety standards, you need to speak to a St. Louis child finger injury attorney from Finney Injury Law. Our highly experienced daycare negligence attorneys can answer your questions and guide you through the process of filing a negligence claim. Contact Finney Injury Law today.