It is understandably hard for you and other parents to believe that a school is a safe place for your children. Recent national events have shown that children are at risk at school despite efforts to make them safer. Not all threats to your children’s safety come from outside the school, though. Within the walls of many schools, some dangers and hazards threaten their well-being. From wet and slippery floors to defective sports equipment to bullies, your child’s school may not provide the safe learning environment you would expect. Unfortunately, when your child is injured at school, holding the school accountable may be as difficult as ensuring your child remains safe in the classroom. Continue reading as our school accident attorney details lawsuits against school districts.
Special Legal Duties Owed by Schools
Schools have a special legal duty when it comes to your child’s safety. In ordinary personal injury cases, there is no liability and no compensation to you if the other person acted reasonably carefully under the circumstances. The other person need not take any affirmative action to promote or safeguard your safety.
This is not so with schools. School officials and teachers have an affirmative duty to protect the children under their care. This means school officials must take measures to prevent harm from befalling your child. They would do this by:
- Proactively searching for spills or trip hazards and cleaning them up
- Adequately screening employees before hiring them to work in the school
- Maintaining discipline inside the school building and on school grounds
- Repairing and replacing dangerous or broken sports and playground equipment
A school’s administration or officials must not only not commit negligent acts that harm your children. They must also take action to prevent your children from being hurt while in their care. If a school fails to do this, you need to contact a school accident attorney.
Suing a School with a School Accident Attorney’s Help
In some ways, what happens following a school accident may be similar to what happens after any other personal injury. The school district may offer you a settlement. As with any other settlement offer, you should carefully consider whether the offer adequately compensates you for your immediate and anticipated expenses.
If your child’s school is a public school, there are specific procedures you must follow precisely to bring a lawsuit against that district. Our school accident attorney at Lowcountry Law, LLC is well-versed in these procedural requirements and can help you comply with them in pursuit of compensation.
These procedures may not apply if your child’s school is a private school. Nonetheless, such school districts may be represented by aggressive legal teams aiming to spare the school from costly settlements or litigation.
Contact Lowcountry Law, LLC for Additional Help
Seek experienced advice from our school accident attorney if your child has been hurt while at school. Bringing a successful lawsuit against a school district of any size requires tenacity and discipline, two qualities attorney Matthew Breen developed while at The Citadel.
Speak with our office today and request a free, no-risk case consultation with a school accident attorney.
