School Districts and Personal Injury

As parents, you send your child to school each day expecting them to get the education they need to succeed in life. While your child has a certain amount of autonomy and choice in the types of sports, lessons, and other activities they engage in, including spending time with their group of friends, you expect them to be well supervised with an eye towards ensuring their safety.

Unfortunately, school-related accidents and injuries can occur in a variety of situations, resulting in serious harm to your child. When these types of injuries occur due to the school’s negligence, it is important as a parent to know how you can hold them accountable.

School Related Injuries

The opportunity exists for your child to suffer serious injuries before, during, or after school, and when engaged in any of the following:

• While waiting for and riding the bus;
• When walking to and from school;
• During sports or recreational programs;
• As the result of bullying, school violence, and conflicts with other students;
• As the result of accidental injuries on the playground, in the lunchroom, or when simply walking down the hallway to class.

The Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that, in addition to injuries such as cuts, muscle strains or sprains, and broken bones, head injuries are one of the most common and potentially severe types of injuries suffered by children at school. To keep students safe, the CDC advises that school administrators, nurses, teachers, security, and coaching staff should all be aware of basic first aid, as well as the school policies for handling student injuries. Failure to respond properly to injuries could have a significant impact on the student’s overall health, while not providing immediate medical care could allow your child’s condition to worsen.

What To Do If Your Child Is Injured At School

The Oregon Department of Education has a variety of programs in place to protect the safety of all students. At the same time, they can still be held liable when accidents and injuries occur. If your child has suffered a school-related injury of any kind, it is important to get answers to the following questions:

• When and where did the injury occur?
• Were there any other students involved?
• Were any teachers or coaches present at the scene?
• What was the exact cause of the injury?
• Was treatment provided by the school nurse?
• Is the child expected to return to school or show up for team sports practices immediately?
• What are the penalties if the child is absent from school or fails to report for their regular activities?

Getting the information you need from the school can prove challenging. To ensure your rights and interests are protected, consult with an experienced personal injury attorney.

Contact Us Today for Help with Your Case

If your child has suffered an injury at school or one that is school-related, contact the Johnston Law Firm today. Our Portland personal injury attorneys can advise you on how to hold responsible parties accountable for the damages your child suffers, so that you can get the compensation they need to recover.