When you leave your child at a daycare center, the last thing on your mind is finding out that your loved one has been experiencing neglect or abuse at the daycare. A family member or friend may have recommended the said daycare facility, and you thought, “Why not?” You drop off your child at the center and rush off to work. What happens when you discover your son or daughter has been experiencing abuse while you are away? A North Carolina daycare negligence and child abuse lawyer can help you if your loved one has experienced such cruelty from caregivers at the daycare.
Daycare abuse or neglect is a serious issue. It can severely affect a child’s wellbeing. For this reason, child abusers should be held accountable for their reckless actions. They deserve to pay for their negligence, ensuring they don’t repeat such acts in the future.
Ted A. Greve and Associates has injury attorneys that are ready to listen to your side of the story compassionately. We will look into the facts of your case and advise you accordingly. We are available 24/7! Call us today at (800) 693-7833 to find out if you have a case.
How Do I Know if My Child Has Been Abused or Neglected at Daycare?
A child abuse report is made every ten seconds in the U.S. It gets worse. Five children pass on every day due to child abuse.
As a parent or guardian, there are various telltale signs that can help you unearth abuse or neglect in North Carolina daycare centers. It’s important to familiarize yourself with the most popular signs that point to child abuse or neglect. Knowing what to ask and look out for can make it easier to spot this vice.
If your child is experiencing neglect at a daycare in North Carolina, you may notice these signs:
- Unchanged diapers
- Unusual thirst or hunger
- Dirty hands, feet, or clothes
- Unexplained injuries or bruises
- The sudden display of aggressive behavior
- Withdrawal
Here are signs that you should be on the lookout for that may indicate physical daycare abuse:
- Sleep disturbances
- Hesitancy to go to daycare
- Withdrawal or shyness
- Unexplained injuries
- Clingy or fearful
For sexual daycare abuse, here are some red flags that you should look out for:
- Displaying inappropriate sexual behavior
- Unusual sexual knowledge
- Painful bowel movements or urination
- Anxiety about going to daycare
Emotional abuse in a daycare center may be evident if your child displays behavioral problems, habit disorders, and age-inappropriate behaviors like wetting.
What Should I Do if I Suspect Child Abuse or Neglect?
If you suspect a problem, it’s important to talk to your child. Assure them that they won’t get into any kind of trouble for revealing any information about a daycare abuser — be it a fellow kid or an adult — who makes them feel uncomfortable.
Here are four important steps to take if you suspect any form of child abuse or neglect:
- Report daycare abuse or neglect to relevant authorities. ChildCare.gov provides links to state child care websites that parents or guardians can visit for relevant information. In North Carolina, you can contact the NC Department of Health and Human Services to file a complaint.
- Visit your pediatrician for a thorough medical checkup. A doctor familiar with your child can easily spot signs of physical abuse or neglect that you may have missed. They may determine how the injury occurred, which comes in handy when building a strong child abuse case in North Carolina.
- Contact the center to report your suspicions to the daycare manager or operator
- Reach out to a daycare abuse lawyer in North Carolina to discuss your legal options. Ted A. Greve and Associates has an experienced legal team that is ready to handle your NC daycare abuse lawsuit, ensuring you get the justice and compensation you deserve.
What is Required to Hold the Daycare Liable?
Your child’s injury alone may not be enough to prove abuse or neglect. Fault has to be established to hold the daycare facility and/or childcare providers liable for their actions or omissions. Here’s what our North Carolina daycare negligence and child abuse lawyers will look into to prove the daycare’s liability:
Proving Negligence
To file for compensation after your child’s injury, you must prove the daycare facility was liable. Abuse or neglect by employees or children at the center should be evident. At Ted A. Greve and Associates, we will conduct investigations to prove whether the daycare’s or staff’s actions amount to abuse or neglect. Our knowledgeable daycare negligence and child abuse attorneys from North Carolina will analyze evidence, like medical records, to prove that the daycare breached its duty of care.
Licensure of the Daycare
The daycare’s licensure can provide a record of what goes on in the facility every day. A knowledgeable North Carolina daycare negligence and child abuse lawyer can look into such documents to determine what led to the abuse. Any inconsistencies in these records can help build a strong child abuse claim.
Injuries & Damages
For a successful daycare negligence claim, you — the plaintiff — must prove that the daycare’s breach of duty resulted in injuries and damages. Your lawyer can help you to establish that your child’s injury was directly linked to an employee’s negligence. At Ted A. Greve and Associates, our daycare abuse attorneys can help you recover losses brought about by your son’s or daughter’s neglect or abuse.
How Can a Lawyer Help Me?
If you suspect your child may have been abused or neglected, being represented by a seasoned North Carolina daycare negligence and child abuse attorney is highly recommended. This may make a tremendous difference to the outcome of your child abuse claim. Here’s how the legal team at Ted A. Greve and Associates can help you:
Case Preparation
Proving a perpetrator’s negligence is critical in any child abuse case. To do this, an attorney should compile and analyze evidence such as police reports, medical records, CCTV footage from the daycare center, photos of any visible injuries, and medical expert reports to build a strong case. These pieces of evidence help to determine the value of the child abuse or neglect claim.
Settlement Negotiation
Our lawyers are prepared to file a demand letter and aggressively negotiate for a fair out-of-court settlement. Ted A. Greve and Associates will fight for your interests, making sure insurers don’t deny or undercut your claim. We won’t settle for anything less than what you deserve.
Trial Preparation & Representation
Our experienced trial lawyers are prepared to go to court — if that’s what it takes — to fight for the best compensation. We will prepare an airtight case showing the judge and jury who is to blame for your child’s abuse or neglect.
Contact Ted A Greve and Associates if Your Child has Suffered Abuse or Neglect at Daycare
At least 1 in 7 children have faced child neglect or abuse in the past year. Regrettably, 1,840 children died in 2019 due to abuse and neglect throughout the U.S.
If you suspect that your child may be a victim of abuse or neglect at a daycare center, contact Ted A. Greve and Associates. Our lawyers can help you to hold caregivers accountable for their negligence or incompetence. We will also help you recover damages like medical bills, loss of income, loss of enjoyment of life, and disfigurement.
Call us today to book your free case review. Let us help make the community safer for all kids by seeking maximum punishment and ensuring justice is served. Get started now to find out your legal options.
