Help, my child has been injured at summer camp! What do I do?

Camp can be a wonderful experience for children opening their worlds to new skills and opportunities. Today summer camp takes many forms, including day camps focusing on one particular activity or skill, such as soccer or computer camps. The “old school” summer camp still thrives, however, frequently located on a lake or a river, or in the mountains or a forest, and offering a range of learning and recreational activities, including swimming, rowing, canoeing, horseback riding and archery.

While every parent wants their child to have a safe experience at summer camp, injuries can occur. These include:

  • Tragic drowning or near drowning accidents that may be due to inadequate supervision by camp counselors with little experience, who leave their posts, or are distracted by their cell phones or others;
  • Other incidents of wrongful death, caused by a fall or exposure to a fire hazard;
  • Sexual abuse of your child by camp counselors or other camp staff;
  • Physical injuries, caused by faulty, poorly maintained or hazardous camp lodgings and facilities;
  • Burn injuries, perhaps caused by improper supervision around campfires;
  • Injuries from bullying by other children, or otherwise being subjected to violence, including emotional trauma; and
  • Infectious diseases spreading throughout the camp population.
Continue reading

Should I sign the Waiver and take that exciting summer adventure?

There are certain firmly held myths in society when it comes to some legal concepts – I can easily get out of a rental lease, I won’t be bound by my non-compete clause, and I won’t be held to the waiver I signed to go white water rafting, skydiving, zip-lining, horseback riding, or [insert exciting summer adventure of your choice here]. Whether these myths come from TV, movies, or well-meaning friends or family members, the reality is that in many cases you cannot break the lease, you will be held to your non-compete clause and you may well be prevented from suing for damages if you are injured during an adventure activity by the waiver that you signed voluntarily. Continue reading