On March 1, 2017, the Chicago Park District board considered a $100,000 settlement for a 3-year-old that was injured on a playground. On Wednesday, September 4, 2014, the girl fell on a metal spike while playing on the premises. According to the Park District report of the incident, a metal spike hit her forehead and caused a large laceration over her right eye. The girl, B’Nai Brown, was taken earlier that day to a playground that was close to her home. According to their attorney, Timothy Keiser, while they were at the playground, “the grandmother heard screaming and looked over to find the girl had cut her head.” The Brown’s attorney continued to explain that the girl received five stitches and may need cosmetic surgery in the future. “That’s probably the best-case scenario,” he said. “It’s not near as bad as it could have been.” With the injury being within inches of her eye, it could have been much worse.
The Park District previously swapped the old playground equipment for newer equipment. However, they failed “to remove a metal pole sticking out about 14 inches from the ground with a jagged edge.” The metal spike was located in a highly trafficked zone of the park and was left after the removal of the old playground equipment. Brown’s attorney said that the Park District was notified within a month B’Nai was injured, however the metal rod remained in the ground as late as early 2015.
B’Nai’s family did not file a lawsuit. The settlement “was recommended by the agency’s general counsel.” According to Brown’s attorney, any money that is granted to them would be put into a “protected minor’s account in which approval is required to access the funds to pay for medical expenses until the girl turns 18.”
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