Injuries at Summer Camps: Don’t Assume It Was “Just an Accident”

Since many of our firm’s employees attend summer camp’s we thought this would be a timely subject to look at. Summer camp should be about fun, not preventable injuries. But every summer, children are hurt at camps—and in many cases, those injuries were avoidable.

If you have a child heading to camp this season, here’s what every Ohio parent should know.

Most injuries don’t happen because kids are being reckless. They happen because something broke down behind the scenes.

Some of the most common causes include:

Falls and playground injuries (uneven ground, poor supervision)

Water-related incidents (drowning or near-drowning)

Sports injuries (lack of training or safety equipment)

Heat illness and dehydration

Poor supervision or untrained staff

In many serious cases, the issue isn’t the activity—it’s that no one was properly watching or prepared to respond.

The Waiver You Sign Matters—But It’s Not the End of the Story

Before camp starts, you’ll likely be asked to sign a liability waiver.

Most people sign it without reading it.

That can be a mistake—but here’s the key point under Ohio law:

Many waivers are enforceable
              But they do NOT eliminate all claims

Even if you signed a waiver, you may still have a case if:

• The camp acted with gross negligence
• Safety rules were ignored
• The waiver language is unclear or overly broad
• Staff failed to properly supervise or respond

 What To Do If Your Child Is Injured at Camp

If your child is hurt, take these steps immediately:

• Request a written incident report
• Get names of staff and witnesses
• Take photos of the location or hazard
• Save all communications and medical records

You may not need them—but if the situation escalates, they matter.

 When Should You Call a Lawyer?

Not every injury is a legal case.

But you should consider speaking with a lawyer if:

The camp is not being transparent
The explanation doesn’t make sense
You suspect poor supervision or safety failures
Your child suffered a serious injury (broken bones, head injury, drowning incident)

If your child was injured at camp—or you just want to understand your rights—we’re here to help.

Lardiere McNair & Stonebrook
Fighting for families. Protecting what matters most.

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