Kids And Accidents With Firearms
The pandemic took its toll on Americans in many ways. One area some may not think about in terms of the pandemic is deaths related to guns. Throughout America, the number of injuries and deaths for children between five and 14 years of age almost doubled in 2020. Here in Florida and across the country, the rise in deaths continued through 2021.
Facts About Child Injuries and Deaths
In the United States boys die at six times the rate of girls in shooting accidents. As weapons purchases surged, so too did accidents related to firearms. Astoundingly, roughly 1,300 youth under the age of 18 are killed every year as a result of a shooting. Studies show that about one-third of families with children do have a firearm in the home, meaning there are over 22 million kids living in homes with these weapons. Boys who are the victims of accidental shootings are most often shot by a relative or friend, and, sadly, most often by a brother. Tragically, about four in ten unintentional shootings among young teens aged 11-14 years old occur in the home of a buddy.
Don’t Believe the Myths
Parents who own firearms frequently convince themselves that their kids are not at risk of injury or death from those weapons, believing any number of myths to assuage themselves:
- My kid doesn’t know where we keep the gun: Three in four kids who live in houses where guns are kept know where they are.
- My child wouldn’t know how to shoot, or isn’t strong enough to pull a trigger: Kids typically have the strength to pull a trigger by the age of 3 years;
- My kids can differentiate between real and toy weapons: Kids under age 13 were killed using guns that were mistaken for toys in 16 percent of cases;
- My child respects guns and knows not to touch them: Studies indicate that most kids will handle a gun if given the opportunity, regardless of training;
- We only have paintball, pellet, or BB guns, which are not dangerous: While not as likely to be linked to fatalities, these types of guns result in 22,000 injuries annually, most often to the eye.
After an Accident
Although you don’t have guns in your own home, your kids may be at risk of a fun-related injury or fatality when they are in their friends’ homes. Notwithstanding the friendship between families, the devastation of such an incident may leave you seeking legal remedies to address medical costs, long-term earnings, funeral costs, pain and suffering, and more. The Kissimmee personal injury attorneys at Salazar & Kelly Law Group ache for you; moreover, they will fight for the compensation you deserve. Nothing will ever erase your suffering, but we can definitely help with financial remuneration to address the costs. Schedule a confidential consultation today.
Source:
wfla.com/news/national/more-florida-kids-died-to-gun-violence-at-start-of-2021/
