Chicago accident attorneys are troubled by the high rate of preventable deaths in American children. Many of these incidents are caused by human negligence and lack of safety measures, which is unacceptable in modern society.
A recent CDC report revealed that accidental and unintended injuries cause 12,000 child deaths each year in the US. The report states that the risk is twice as high for boys as for girls, and that most of these accidental deaths are entirely preventable.
Nearly 116,000 Americans 19 or younger died from these preventable causes between 2000 and 2009, and over 9 million minors were treated in the ERs for injuries that were nonfatal. The CDC affirms that reducing these numbers should be at the forefront of public thought.
For the study, researchers employed a statistical measure called YPLL (years of potential life lost) to highlight the loss caused to society when young people die. This measure is a calculation of the total years lost before the expected full lifespan for the child. Chicago accident lawyers especially note that the score for boys totaled 1,137 lost years for every 100,000 kids, while for girls it was 630 years lost for every 100,000. The risk was heightened for teenagers over younger children, with the exception of infants.
With 1,977 years lost per 100,000 kids, the infant statistics are certainly the most alarming, and much of the deaths have been due to suffocation. The CDC is calling for a public health intervention concerning the jarring rate of suffocation.
Traffic accidents posed the highest risk to children’s lives. Accidents involving motor vehicles contributed to 55% of all the life-years lost, which is five times more years lost from motor vehicle accidents than from suffocation. The third major cause of deaths in children is drowning.The CDC believes that there are ways to bring down child mortality, and that schools and parents can play a major role in these efforts.
For a free legal consultation, call 800-934-6555
The steps suggested by the CDC include never drinking and driving, always using seat belts, making law enforcement stricter for getting a driver license, ensuring residential pools have four-sided fencing, preventing kids from venturing into deep lakes and ponds, encouraging safe sleep habits for children, and mandating the use of safety equipment in organized sports.
Illinois accident attorneys will highlight the importance of these measures, which are often ignored and not considered seriously even by schools, parents and other supervising adults. If your loved one has been injured by a preventable accident or even lost his/her life, there is a significant chance it was due to the negligence of others.
Experienced accident lawyers at Pintas & Mullins Law Firm can help identify the responsible individual and ensure that you receive the best legal representation and compensation.
Call or text 800-934-6555 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
