Delray Beach School Injury Lawyer
You trust your child’s school to provide a safe environment for learning and development. However, a child’s safety is at risk when teachers, administrators, coaches, and other school employees do not live up to their responsibilities. When staff is negligent, the responsible parties should be held accountable for the damages they cause. If your child was hurt at school, a Delray Beach school injury lawyer at Leifer & Ramirez can tell you more about your options to recover compensation. You may also find it helpful to review some important information about these cases.
School Injuries and Florida’s Negligence Laws
Though school shootings tend to dominate the news headlines, these horrific incidents do not cause nearly as many school-related injuries as other types of accidents. In fact, the vast majority of children who are hurt at school are the victims of negligence or careless acts. Negligence can take many forms, including:
- Bicycle and pedestrian accidents, as around 23,000 children aged 5-15 are injured every year on their way to school;
- Gym or physical education injuries;
- Failure to administer medications or seek medical treatment;
- Bus accidents;
- School crossing accidents;
- School playground injuries; and,
- Many more.
Negligence may also be found in acts that are not so obvious, in such scenarios as:
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Negligent Supervision: Children of all ages are at risk of injury if they are not properly monitored while on school grounds. The school may be responsible if your child is harmed, bullied, or the target of criminal activity.
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Negligent Hiring: Schools must be vigilant in their hiring practices, including conducting background checks on job candidates. If an employee’s past indicates criminal or inappropriate incidents, and your child is injured as a result, the school may be liable.
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Negligent Training: Employees must be properly educated to do job-related tasks. If they are not adequately trained, such as a cafeteria worker not instructed on food safety, you may have a cause of action against the school.
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Failure to Properly Maintain Equipment: Playground equipment, desks, chairs, laboratory gear, and other equipment must be safe for their intended usage. The failure to repair or replace hazardous items is grounds for a claim.
Holding Responsible Parties Liable for School Injuries
You do have rights if your child was injured at school because of negligence by employees and staff. In the public school environment, personnel are responsible for providing a safe premises for the children under their supervision. When they breach this duty, they may be held liable to pay compensation to injured victims. Though there is a common assumption that public school employees are immune to legal action, you do have legal remedies.
Private schools may not be as heavily regulated as public institutions, but the owners and operators still have a duty to exercise care in maintaining a safe facility for children. They can likewise be held liable for their negligent acts if your child was injured in an accident.
Regardless of whether your child attends public or private school, the school injuries attorneys at Leifer & Ramirez can assist in pursuing all available legal options.
Discuss Your Claim with a Delray Beach School Injury Lawyer
For more information about your rights if your child was injured at school, please contact the Delray Beach school injury lawyers at Leifer & Ramirez. You can schedule a free consultation today by calling 561-660-9421 or visiting us online.
