Summer Camp Injury FAQs

When a child suffers permanent disabilities — spinal cord injury, TBI, loss of limb, or other catastrophic harm — the value of the case can be substantial. Damages include lifetime medical care, long-term rehabilitation, adaptive equipment and home modification, diminished earning capacity over an entire career, lifetime pain and suffering, and loss of enjoyment of life. Haug Barron Law Group works with leading life care planners, economists, and medical experts to quantify every element of your child’s future needs.

Camps and their insurers routinely minimize their liability exposure. “It was an accident” is not a legal defense to negligence. The question is whether the camp exercised reasonable care to prevent the accident. Our attorneys conduct independent investigations, retain expert witnesses in camp safety, pediatric medicine, and accident reconstruction, and aggressively challenge any attempt to shift blame onto injured children.

Multiple parties may bear liability: the camp itself, the camp’s parent corporation or franchisor, individual staff members, equipment manufacturers (if defective products caused the injury), property owners if the camp leases or uses third-party facilities, and in some cases, transportation companies. A comprehensive investigation — which Haug Barron Law Group conducts immediately upon retention — identifies every responsible party and every available insurance policy.

Yes. Drowning and near-drowning are among the most serious camp injuries, and camps bear a heightened duty of care around aquatic activities. If the camp failed to maintain adequate lifeguard-to-swimmer ratios, employed unqualified lifeguards, lacked proper signage or fencing, or failed to conduct required water safety checks, the camp may bear full liability for your child’s injuries or death. Near-drowning can cause permanent anoxic brain injury — damages can be substantial.

Any serious brain injury at a summer camp warrants an immediate legal consultation. The key questions are whether the camp breached its duty of care — for example, by allowing an unsupervised activity, by failing to use proper helmets, by having an improperly designed facility, or by delaying emergency medical response. Haug Barron Law Group has handled catastrophic TBI cases and will evaluate your case at no cost.

Waivers may not be enforceable in Georgia, particularly where: (1) the waiver is unconscionable or against public policy; (2) the waiver attempts to release liability for intentional misconduct or gross negligence; or (3) the waiver involves injuries to minors, since parents typically cannot waive a minor child’s claims. Do not assume a waiver bars your case — consult Haug Barron Law Group to have any waiver evaluated by an experienced Georgia personal injury attorney.

Yes, and this is one of the most serious cases we handle. Civil claims can be brought against the abuser, the camp for negligent hiring and supervision, and the camp’s parent organization if applicable. Georgia law extends the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse claims. No child should ever experience abuse at an institution entrusted with their care, and the financial accountability of negligent camps is a critical part of deterring future abuse.

Yes. Summer camps — whether private, non-profit, church-affiliated, or municipal — can be held liable for injuries caused by negligent supervision, unsafe conditions, or inadequate staffing. Georgia law recognizes that a camp assumes a duty of reasonable care over children in its custody. If that duty is breached and your child is injured, you have the right to pursue a civil lawsuit for damages.