How to Prevent Child Injuries When Moving to a New House

By The Husband and Wife Law Team on April 19, 2013

Many families relocate at least once or twice before their children reach the age of 18. As Arizona child injury attorneys, we want to provide families with some tips they can use when moving into a new house.

1. Before you begin moving your belongings, check the new house for exposed wires, uncovered outlets, and any other items that might be hazardous to your children.
2. Paint and refinish surfaces before you move in and while your children are staying with friends or family. This keeps them away from the harmful dust and fumes.
3. Some areas are known for mold, radon or lead paint hazards. Ask your realtor or the homeowner if the home has any of these things. Otherwise, purchase a test to inspect for these yourself. For example, a radon test is typically less than $10.
4. When packing, make sure to keep your child away from heavy boxes, loose kitchen items, like knives, that you might be placing in a box. Consider asking a family member or friend to watch your child while can pack.
5. When unpacking, make sure your child doesn’t get into a box filled with dangerous items. Consider labeling these boxes as such and do not open or unpack them until your child is in bed.
6. Place child gates and any other items around the house to keep your child safe.
7. Talk to your child about the safety rules for the new house, such as not going down any stairs without an adult, not going outside while unsupervised, and where to exit in case of an emergency, etc.

If your child is injured in Arizona, contact the Breyer Law Offices as soon as possible. We work with families who have a child that was injured in a preventable accident. We work to seek compensation that will help that child recover or manage any injuries that were caused.