School can be a turbulent time for some, or a greatly enjoyable time for others. Whatever your feelings surrounding your time at school, you do not think that an accident could occur there which was not your child’s fault.
I have seen how a child’s first day at school can be traumatic for a parent. Waving them off at the school gate for their first day of independence. Leaving a child at school can be a difficult thing to do but we put our trust in schools to care for our children; and on the most part they do. At The Injury Lawyers we have a number of clients that come to us after their child has suffered an injury whilst at school. It can be a traumatic time for parents if their child has an injury, and for many, their trust in schools can slip.
It can be a mentally difficult thing to do, placing a personal injury claim against your child’s school; but you should remember that it is us who will be dealing with the claim on your behalf and schools should be covered by insurance to cover these situations (normally through the local council).
You may also be wondering: ‘well how can my 7 year old bring a claim for his / her accident?’ – With the involvement of a suitable person to act as a Litigation Friend. A Litigation Friend is then able to act on behalf of the Claimant (child that has had the accident) with the claim.
If your child has had an accident at school, it is important that they report it to a teacher or other member of staff as they may need to place a record of it in an accident book. The child should also seek medical assistance with their injuries; this not only assists with the injury, but allows the medic to place a note of it in the child’s medical records. Lastly you should seek the advice of a specialist personal injury lawyer. Our team here at The Injury Lawyers will give free assessments as to whether we can take the claim or not – so there is nothing to lose by trying. It is also advisable to seek the assistance of a solicitor directly as there are many referral firms out there who may simply sell on your claim to a high paying law firm – this firm may not give you the best level of service.
