It is important to remember that a compensation claim against a school is not an exercise in personal blame but rather a means of ensuring no other pupils will be injured in a similar way. In very serious school injury cases, children have been left with life-altering injuries, scarring, disabilities and long-term emotional damage following an accident that was not their fault.
Case Study: Lack Of Medical Treatment At School
We recently represented a pupil who was burned on his cheeks and forehead during a practical chemistry project, when a bunsen burner was lit with too high a flame. He was taken to the school’s nurse, who cleaned with wounds with a damp cloth, but failed to take him to hospital, and further neglected to inform his parents regarding the incident. When he returned home after school, the pupils face was red, stinging and inflamed. His parents did take him to hospital, where his burn injuries were properly dressed, and antibiotics were prescribed to protect against the risk of infection. Despite painkilling medications, the child was in pain for weeks following the accident, and it is uncertain as to whether his face will be permanently scarred.
Successful Compensation Claim
The pupil’s parents were furious with the way the school had handled the situation, as it was clear that had they had failed to provide the proper medical treatment, which would have limited the extent of the burns on the child’s cheeks and forehead. The child’s father contacted our lawyers and asked; can I claim compensation on my child’s behalf if he was hurt at school? After considering the facts of the case Bartletts Solicitors represented the pupil in a no win no fee personal injury claim against the school, arguing that the accident itself may have been unavoidable, but the school had acted negligently in dealing with the aftermath, and the injuries to the pupil under their care. Schools are expected to act in ‘loco parentis’, or as a responsible parent would, yet in this instance, the school had neither taken the appropriate action, nor informed the pupil’s parents who could have done so. The school’s insurers subsequently admitted liability, and our client received £4,500 in compensation, to be held in trust for him by the court until he reaches the legal age of 18.
School Accident Compensation Claims
Bartletts have been protecting and supporting clients for 150 years and enjoy a reputation nationwide for trusted legal advice. We have specialist solicitors with considerable experience in compensation claims for accidents at schools involving children. We promise you the best solicitors to obtain the maximum amount of compensation for your child.
