Loudoun Boy Falls From Home Window | Loudoun Accident Attorney
A young Loudoun boy is expected to make full recovery after falling from a third story window earlier this week.
The six-year-old leaned against a window screen while visiting a friend’s house. The screen was pushed out of the window frame and the child fell through the window.
He was then airlifted to INOVA Fairfax Hospital, where he was initially listed in critical condition.
The incident has been ruled an accident by the Loudoun County Sheriff’s office.
While falling through an upstairs window may seem to be an isolated type of incident, similar accidents have happened in Loudoun recently, most notably in April.
Fortunately, in that case (a 2-year-old fell through a 2nd floor window, again by leaning on the screen), the child only suffered minor injuries.
Accidents happen. But you need to be careful leaving windows open in the home, especially if there are children present.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission states that in the US, about 12 children under the age of 10 die each year, and over 4,000 are treated in the hospital for window-related fall injuries (that doesn’t even take into account accidents caused by window coverings).
Things to keep in mind when it comes to windows:
1. Screens are not made to support human weight. Even a very small child—they’re meant to keep bugs out, not people in.
2. Supervise children closely. Do not allow them to play near windows—even if the window is closed. Keep in mind that window glass isn’t usually made to support the weight of a person either.
3. Consider installing landscaping under windows that may cushion a fall, as a last-ditch effort.
4. Don’t serve alcoholic beverages too close to windows. Grown-ups fall, too.
4. If you have children, consider installing a window guard.
5. Remember, even if you don’t have children, you are likely responsible for any accidents that happen in your home. While most homeowner’s insurance policies will cover these kinds of accidents, the claims process can be long and tricky. Not to mention that insurance adjustors can be difficult to deal with (even going so far as to hide evidence in some cases) and your premiums will likely skyrocket.
In the long run, it’s best for everyone to take the basic precautions to prevent these kinds of things from happening in the first place.
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Tags: Child Safety, fall through window, home injury, home safety, Loudoun Accident Attorney, window
