A school is a place of learning and exploration, where children are meant to feel safe and have the ability to flourish. Unfortunately, once in awhile kids sustain injuries at school. Most of the time an injury at school is minor and involves only small cuts and bruises. In some cases though, the injury is actually quite serious and might require advanced medical attention. Children spend a majority of their time in the classroom, a controlled environment. Although there are rarely obstacles to cause injury, accidents do happen, especially when kids are involved in physical activities.
Some of the more common injuries that kids receive at school include:
- Slip and fall – Your child is walking through the cafeteria and doesn’t notice that the floor is wet. All of the sudden they are on the ground. This might result in a minor injury that they can brush off, but depending on the impact of the fall, it might lead to a more serious injury.
- Playing Competitive Sports – After sitting at a desk for many hours, most kids have a ton of energy built up that they need to release. Recess and gym class are outlets for this energy. Sometimes though, more aggressive sports lead to broken bones and sprains.
- Faulty Equipment – Old and unmaintained equipment (like desks and chairs) can lead to unexpected and serious injuries.
- Bullying – Not all injuries are physical, some are emotional. It’s a terrible reality, but bullying is prevalent in most schools. If your child seems withdrawn and scared, have the conversation with them to find out what is going on.
Take Steps to Protect Your Child
When you get that call the world might stop for a moment—your child has been injured at school, the place you assumed they would be safe from harm. There are three things that you can do once this happens:
- Make sure that they are receiving immediate medical attention. Even if the injury is not that serious, your child should go directly to the school nurse for an evaluation. In the case that the injury is actually serious, contact the paramedics and seek advanced medical treatment without delay.
- Gather first hand testimony—find out what happened and how the injury occurred. Talk with eyewitnesses, teachers, faculty, and students to establish a picture of how your kid was injured.
- Contact a lawyer to discuss next steps and evaluate fair compensation. Medical bills can be debilitating and lost wages due to taking time off work to care for your child can add to this financial stress.
If Your Child Was Injured at School, Contact a Personal Injury Lawyer Today
The experience of dealing with an injured child can be incredibly difficult and emotional. If your child has been injured at school in the Indianapolis area, the attorneys at The Law Office of Hurst Limontes LLC can help you manage the process of seeking damages. Our experienced legal team will work tirelessly on your behalf to recover just compensation. The first step is to call us for an initial consultation at (317) 636-0808 or contact us online. We are here to review the details of your case and help you navigate through this case as quickly as possible.