Jason Stephens | November 24, 2023 | Personal Injury
We send our children to school each day, assuming they will be safe. We trust that the school will take steps to ensure safe premises. We trust the teachers and staff members will take reasonable steps to minimize the risk of student injury.
Unfortunately, school injuries are common. If your child is injured at school, one or more parties could be responsible for your child’s injuries and damages. Determining who is responsible if your child is injured at school can be difficult. However, an experienced Fort Worth child injury lawyer can investigate the case to identify how your child was injured and who is liable.
Common Causes of School Accidents in Texas
The causes of school accidents vary. Many factors can contribute to a child’s injury at school.
Common reasons children are injured at school include, but are not limited to:
- Slip and fall accidents
- Assault, bullying, and hazing
- Food poisoning
- Playground injuries
- Exposure to hazardous or toxic substances
- Physical education and sports activities
- Teacher negligence
- Unsafe premises
- School bus accidents
- Injuries while on school-sponsored field trips
- Pedestrian accidents
Negligence, lack of supervision, failure to maintain the premises, inadequate training, and intentional wrongdoing contribute to the cause of school accidents.
Children can be severely injured because of conditions or situations at school. They may sustain broken bones, lacerations, and soft tissue injuries. They can also sustain catastrophic injuries, including spinal cord injuries, loss of limbs, traumatic brain injury, severe burns, and internal organ damage.
Who Is Liable When a Child Is Injured at School in Texas?
The parties liable for school accidents depend on the facts of the case. Teachers, staff members, administrators, and school districts could be responsible for your child’s injury. However, suing these parties is challenging.
Teachers, administrators, school districts, and other employees are often protected by sovereign immunity. However, the Texas Tort Claims Act allows lawsuits in some situations involving negligence, but those cases may not apply to most school accident claims.
There are exceptions. A school and its employees may be sued if an employee uses excessive force when disciplining a child or if a child is harmed when an employee acts outside of their professional duties. The school could also be liable for injuries and damages in cases of sexual abuse or if a third party injures a student while on school premises.
Private schools do not have the same protections against lawsuits as public schools. You can file lawsuits against private schools and the responsible employees.
What Should I Do if My Child Is Injured at School in Texas?
Seek immediate medical treatment for your child. Your child may also need counseling or therapy for emotional distress and psychological harm, especially if the injury was caused by bullying, abuse, or other traumatic event.
Report the injury to the school and the school district. Request copies of all written reports and documents related to the accident and injury. As soon as possible, contact a Fort Worth school injury attorney.
Claims for injuries at school are complicated cases. If your child is injured at school in Texas, the best way to know what to do is to talk with an experienced Fort Worth school accident lawyer. An attorney who handles injury claims against schools can evaluate the case and explain your legal options for pursuing claims.
What Damages Could My Child Receive if They Are Injured at School in Fort Worth?
When schools and other parties are negligent in caring for children or fail to provide a safe learning environment, they could be liable for a child’s injuries and damages. A child could receive compensation for their economic and non-economic damages, including:
- Medical bills and expenses
- Physical pain and suffering
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Long-term nursing and/or personal care
- Cost of private tutors and other special needs
- Occupational, physical, and rehabilitative therapies
- Decreased quality of life and loss of enjoyment of life
- Impairments and disabilities
- Lost wages and reductions in earning capacity
Childhood injuries can result in numerous problems, including physical, emotional, and cognitive delays or impairments. A child might require ongoing treatment and therapy for injuries they sustain at school. A personal injury claim against the responsible parties can provide the financial means to provide ongoing treatments.
Fort Worth child injury lawyers offer free consultations. Therefore, learning more about school injury cases and what you should do to protect your child’s best interests and legal rights does not cost you anything.
Contact Our Personal Injury Law Firm in Fort Worth, TX
If you’ve been injured in an accident in Fort Worth and need legal help, contact our Fort Worth personal injury lawyers at Stephens Law Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents to schedule a free consultation.
Stephens Law Personal Injury | Wrongful Death | Truck Accidents
1300 S University Dr # 406
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 420-7000