Handgun Accidents - Safety, Statistics, and Legal Rights
There is much debate about the safety of handguns in the household.
Statistics show that in 1999 3,385 individuals between the ages of 0-19 were killed by guns.
This includes homicide, suicide, and accidental injury.
Of those, about 214 were reported as accidental.
In 2000 there were reportedly 600 gun injuries to citizens of all ages that were reported as accidents.
The actual rights of people to bare arms is not a topic of discussion here.
Instead we simply recognize that accidents DO happen, and in notable quantity, every single year.
Because of that, it is critical for individuals to understand the circumstances in which these accidents occur and what their rights are if they or a loved one is involved.
Handgun Accident Situations There are some common factors that can be considered when dealing with handguns.
Let's utilize age brackets to discuss: * Children (0-12).
Handgun incidents involving children are often cases of curiosity.
If the child is extremely young, they may be prompted to handle a gun simply from tactile curiosity.
If they are older they may have seen their parents handling the gun or a character on tv/in a video game.
These children generally don't understand the workings of a gun and trigger it by pure accident.
* Teens (13-19).
Teen interaction with guns is generally much more intentional.
In fact, teens are more likely to have easy access to guns because parents assume they are beyond the point of accidental injury.
Teens often seek out guns for a sense of empowerment, or out of curiosity.
Injury by teens usually comes from a lack of education about guns and can be caused by incidental firing, cleaning, or play.
* Adults (20+).
Statistically, adults are even more susceptible to handgun injury than children.
In the U.
S.
it is not terribly difficult to own a gun, yet many gun owners do not take the time to become properly educated on their use and care.
As such, accident injuries occur from mishandling, lack of education, drug/alcohol involvement, and 'play'.
Accident Prevention Many accidents are preventable.
It takes just a little added effort and education to turn a potential hazard into a minimal risk.
Here are some steps commonly recommended to improve your gun safety: * Keep the gun locked and in a secure location * Keep the gun unloaded * Store ammunition in a separate and locked location * Be aware during children play dates and sleep-overs of other parents gun safety * Recognize the likelihood of gun curiosity increasing as children egg one another on * Teach yourself and your children as much as possible about gun safety Legal Recourse if You've Been Injured by a Gun Gun accidents do happen and they are very unfortunate.
If you, your child, or a loved one has been involved in a gun accident, it is important to secure proper legal legal counsel.
Guns are a hot topic so it is critical that you are represented properly by an attorney who has worked with firearms before and understands the current legal landscape.
Statistics show that in 1999 3,385 individuals between the ages of 0-19 were killed by guns.
This includes homicide, suicide, and accidental injury.
Of those, about 214 were reported as accidental.
In 2000 there were reportedly 600 gun injuries to citizens of all ages that were reported as accidents.
The actual rights of people to bare arms is not a topic of discussion here.
Instead we simply recognize that accidents DO happen, and in notable quantity, every single year.
Because of that, it is critical for individuals to understand the circumstances in which these accidents occur and what their rights are if they or a loved one is involved.
Handgun Accident Situations There are some common factors that can be considered when dealing with handguns.
Let's utilize age brackets to discuss: * Children (0-12).
Handgun incidents involving children are often cases of curiosity.
If the child is extremely young, they may be prompted to handle a gun simply from tactile curiosity.
If they are older they may have seen their parents handling the gun or a character on tv/in a video game.
These children generally don't understand the workings of a gun and trigger it by pure accident.
* Teens (13-19).
Teen interaction with guns is generally much more intentional.
In fact, teens are more likely to have easy access to guns because parents assume they are beyond the point of accidental injury.
Teens often seek out guns for a sense of empowerment, or out of curiosity.
Injury by teens usually comes from a lack of education about guns and can be caused by incidental firing, cleaning, or play.
* Adults (20+).
Statistically, adults are even more susceptible to handgun injury than children.
In the U.
S.
it is not terribly difficult to own a gun, yet many gun owners do not take the time to become properly educated on their use and care.
As such, accident injuries occur from mishandling, lack of education, drug/alcohol involvement, and 'play'.
Accident Prevention Many accidents are preventable.
It takes just a little added effort and education to turn a potential hazard into a minimal risk.
Here are some steps commonly recommended to improve your gun safety: * Keep the gun locked and in a secure location * Keep the gun unloaded * Store ammunition in a separate and locked location * Be aware during children play dates and sleep-overs of other parents gun safety * Recognize the likelihood of gun curiosity increasing as children egg one another on * Teach yourself and your children as much as possible about gun safety Legal Recourse if You've Been Injured by a Gun Gun accidents do happen and they are very unfortunate.
If you, your child, or a loved one has been involved in a gun accident, it is important to secure proper legal legal counsel.
Guns are a hot topic so it is critical that you are represented properly by an attorney who has worked with firearms before and understands the current legal landscape.
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