April 4, 2012
With the weather getting warmer, the grass is starting to grow throughout Indiana, which means it’s time to bring out the lawn mower. However, it’s important to remember that thousands of people are injured every year because of negligence while using a lawn mower.
A University of Missouri study found that approximately 75,000 people in the U.S. are injured each year in lawn mowing accidents, and approximately 10,000 of the victims are under the age of 18.
Most recently, a 5-year-old boy from Elizabethtown, Indiana, suffered serious injuries after a fall off of a riding lawn mower his father was driving. WISHTV 8 News says that the accident happened Tuesday afternoon at the child’s home on 11th Street. His father was giving him a ride on the lawnmower when the child dropped a wrench. He reached down to grab it, but instead fell, getting his foot trapped beneath the blades. Neighbors were able to help stop the bleeding until rescue crews could arrive.
The boy was taken to Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis and is listed in good condition today.
In order to keep children safe around these machines, the American Academy of Pediatrics not allowing children under the age of 12 near lawn equipment.
The Indiana Slip and Fall Lawyers with Stewart and Stewart Injury Lawyers would also suggest wearing sturdy shoes along with hearing and eye protection whenever you use lawn equipment.