Chicago Playground Accident Attorney

Compensation for Families and Children Suffering Injuries at Chicago Playgrounds

A Chicago playground accident attorney can help if your child was injured in what should have been a safe space. In neighborhoods across Chicago—from Lincoln Park and Humboldt Park to South Shore and Englewood—playgrounds are built for fun, exploration, and safety. 

But every year, hundreds of Chicago children suffer injuries on playground equipment due to unsafe conditions, faulty equipment, or negligent supervision. These playground accidents often lead to serious injuries, mounting medical expenses, and long-term consequences for the entire family.

If your child sustained a playground injury due to the negligence of the playground owner, you might be entitled to financial compensation. Schedule a free consultation with the Chicago child injury lawyers at Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers to determine if you have a case.

Recent Child and Playground Accident Settlements by Our Law Firm

Our team has a strong track record representing injured children and their families across Chicago. These results reflect our commitment to holding negligent parties accountable:

• $1.8 Million – A 6-year-old girl fell from the top of a slide at an amusement park due to missing protective equipment. 
• $1.5 Million – A toddler suffered a fractured leg after being placed in a bounce house with older kids. 
• $1.1 Million – A 2-year-old fell from a changing table after being left unattended at daycare, fracturing her pelvis. 

Statistics On Playground-Related Injuries

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, US emergency departments treat more than 200,000 children for playground-related injuries yearly. 

National data further reveals roughly 45% of playground-related injuries are classified as severe, including fractures, internal injuries, concussions, and even amputations. The vast majority—75% of non-fatal injuries—happen on public playgrounds, particularly at schools and daycare centers.

While fatalities are rare, they do occur, and 70% of them take place on home playgrounds. Among these tragic cases, 56% are due to strangulation, and 20% result from falls.

Children on climbers in public playgrounds face the highest injury risk, while swings are the most dangerous equipment in home settings.

Girls account for 55% of playground injuries, compared to 45% for boys. Kids in low-income neighborhoods face additional risks due to poor maintenance, unsafe playground equipment, and hazardous conditions like exposed metal or inadequate surfacing.

A study comparing the safety and quality of public playgrounds across Chicago from 2009 to 2011 revealed significant concerns—and some progress—regarding child safety. 

Researchers evaluated nearly 500 playgrounds using the National Program for Playground Safety’s standardized assessment tool. The study focused on four key categories: age-appropriate design, fall surfacing, equipment maintenance, and the overall physical environment.

In 2009, just 55% of playgrounds met safety standards. By 2010, that number rose modestly to 61%, with the greatest shortcomings found in fall surfacing and equipment maintenance. In neighborhoods with higher poverty rates and more children, playgrounds were both less common and more likely to fail safety evaluations.

The following year, 154 of the playgrounds that had failed in 2010 were reassessed. Of those, 85% were resurveyed, and 67% showed significant improvement—suggesting that targeted intervention can lead to meaningful safety gains. 

Where Do Most Playground Injuries Occur?

Playground injuries can happen almost anywhere, but certain areas present a higher risk.

Many injuries in Chicago happen at public parks like Horner Park, Ping Tom Memorial Park, and Gompers Park, especially where high foot traffic leads to wear and tear that isn’t promptly addressed.

Older Chicago Public School (CPS) playgrounds often have outdated or deteriorating equipment. Without regular inspections or upgrades, children face increased risk of injury during recess or after-school play.

Playgrounds in apartment buildings—particularly those managed by the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) or private landlords—can be poorly maintained, with broken or rusting equipment, inadequate surfacing, or missing safety features.

Not all private daycare facilities meet state safety standards. Some use outdated or improperly installed playground equipment, and lack the adequate supervision required to keep young children safe during outdoor play. 

Most Common Causes Of Playground Injuries

Some accidents are unavoidable, but many result from preventable issues such as:

• Poor Maintenance – Equipment that isn’t regularly maintained can become unstable, rusted, or broken. A loose handhold or worn-out climber can easily cause a serious fall.
• Defective Playground Equipment – Even new playground equipment can have manufacturing flaws. Common defects include: missing bolts or screws, unsafe or missing padding, sharp edges or protruding nails, poorly fitting parts, and lack of safety mats.
• Unsafe Design – Bad layout increases injury risk. For example, swings placed too close to other equipment can lead to collisions with children passing nearby.
• Hazardous Landscaping – Surfaces should absorb impact (like rubber tiles or sand). Trip hazards like exposed roots, rocks, or broken pavement increase fall risk.
• Lack of Supervision – Many injuries happen because children climb too high, run too fast, or misuse equipment without understanding the danger. Adult supervision can prevent most of these incidents. 

Common Playground-Related Injuries

Hospital emergency rooms treat all sorts of injuries from playground accidents, ranging from mild to severe. The following injuries are some of the most common in playgrounds:

• Head Injuries: If a child falls on their head, they may experience a concussion or a traumatic brain injury (TBI), that may result in brain bleeds and brain damage.
• Broken Bones: Falling from a significant height, tripping on an object, or running into a piece of equipment are the most common causes of broken bones in the playground.
• Internal Injuries: If the impact on your child’s body is strong enough, it can damage their internal organs and cause internal bleeding.
• Cuts and Scrapes: Many playground injuries involve cuts and scrapes. While minor, they can still cause unnecessary pain to your child.
• Strangulation: Accidental strangulation or asphyxiation typically results from a child getting entangled with strings and ropes on playground equipment.
• Spinal Cord Trauma: Severe accidents can lead to spinal cord trauma, which, in turn, can cause paralysis.

Filing a Playground Accident Claim or Lawsuit

All playground owners must take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of every child. If they fail to meet that obligation and it causes your child’s injury, you could hold them accountable for their negligence.

First, you must determine the responsible party.

Negligent Parties

There may be multiple parties at fault for your child’s injuries, including:

• The Playground Owner: Property owners are required to maintain safe playgrounds, with no hazards like sharp edges, broken equipment, or poor surfacing. This could include public entities like the Chicago Park District or residential property managers such as the Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) or private landlords.
• The Playground Equipment Manufacturer: If faulty or poorly designed playground equipment contributed to the injury. This applies to both public and private playground settings, including those found at homes, schools, or commercial play centers.
• School or Daycare Staff: Staff at schools like Chicago Public Schools (CPS) or at private daycare facilities (such as Bright Horizons or KinderCare, mentioned as examples) may be found partially liable if they failed to adequately monitor children or address known safety issues.

Parents may also be partially responsible for their child’s accident, and insurance companies may use this to fight the case. Contact a lawyer to ensure you obtain a fair settlement for your claim.

Claimable Damages

Playground accident victims can sustain severe injuries, often leading to multiple losses. The following are possible damages that you can include in your claim:

• Medical Bills: You may be able to recover the expenses for your child’s treatment, including medication, surgery, hospitalization, and emergency transportation.
• Disability: If your child becomes disabled after the accident, you could sue for related damages, including mobility aids, loss of quality of life, etc.
• Lost Income: You may have to miss work while taking care of your child. And if your child becomes disabled, you may have to quit your job entirely. Either way, you could claim lost wages, bonuses, commissions, and lost future income.
• Pain and Suffering: Physical pain and mental anguish have a significantly bigger impact on children. Moreover, you have likely endured pain and suffering while watching your child in pain.

How Long Do You Have To File A Claim For Your Child’s Injuries?

Under Illinois law, you generally have two years from the date of the injury to file a personal injury claim. This is set by the Illinois statute of limitations (735 ILCS 5/13-202).

When the injured person is a minor, the two-year clock doesn’t start immediately. Instead, Illinois law pauses the statute of limitations until the child turns 18. From that point, they have two additional years to file a claim—meaning they can typically sue up until their 20th birthday.

If your claim is against a government agency, such as the Chicago Park District or Chicago Public Schools (CPS), the timeline may be much shorter. You may be required to file a notice of claim within one year or less, depending on the agency involved. Missing that deadline could bar your case entirely.

Because these time limits vary based on the facts of your personal injury case and the parties involved, it’s essential to speak with a Chicago playground accident attorney as soon as possible to protect your child’s rights. 

Playground Safety Tips

It is impossible to protect your child from all the dangers in the world. Nevertheless, taking extra precautions can help you keep them safe whenever possible.

Keep these safety tips in mind whenever you visit playgrounds:

• When visiting a new playground, look for hidden dangers before letting your child play.
• Supervise your child as much as possible, especially if they are six and under. 
• Report playground safety risks to the playground owner or local office.
• Remove your child’s necklaces, drawstrings, and scarves to reduce the risk of strangulation.
• Look for age-appropriate playgrounds for your child. If your child is still small, look for playgrounds with separate areas for children under 5.
• Inspect the playgrounds at your child’s school to ensure they meet minimum playground safety standards.
• Teach your child about proper playground etiquette.

Did Your Child Suffer Physical Abuse or Injury Due to Playground Equipment?

If your child was injured due to a property owner’s failure to provide a safe playground, contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers to recover compensation for your family’s losses. Call 888 424-5757 for a free consultation. 

All content undergoes thorough legal review by experienced attorneys, including Jonathan Rosenfeld. With 25 years of experience in personal injury law and over 100 years of combined legal expertise within our team, we ensure that every article is legally accurate, compliant, and reflects current legal standards.