Can I make a personal injury claim if my child has been injured at school?

Can I make a personal injury claim if my child has been injured at school?

Unfortunately, children are frequently injured as a result of accidents at school due to the large portion of their time spent there, coupled with the wide variety of activities undertaken. The onus on schools to ensure child safety is huge. Whilst the correct health and safety procedures will normally be in place, accidents do happen and it may be possible to make a personal injury claim for compensation as a result. If you have a query relating to personal injury claims, have a look at our free personal injury legal guides before you decide to contact a solicitor (we can help put you in touch with the right legal professional, too, if you think it's necessary). 

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Accidents At School Compensation, UK

Children, by nature, are inquisitive and unaware of the dangers of many of the activities in which they are take part. This means that they can't be expected to take proper care of their own safety, and thus much of this duty lies with the school. The school must take adequate precautions to keep children reasonably safe, and the younger your child is, the more onerous this duty is.

Most Common Types of Accidents at School

The kinds of accident that children can be involved in at school are numerous and varied. Below is a list of the most common types of accidents that occur at school. This list should give you an indication of the kind of legal issues surrounding different kinds of accidents to help you understand on what basis you could make a personal injury claim on behalf of your child.

Accidents involving playground equipment

Playground equipment must be suitable for the age of the child and the school must take account of the risk of injury when using the equipment. For example, if the school has a climbing frame, as this piece of equipment carries a high risk of injury there should be sufficient padding or protection surrounding the area, and young children should be supervised when using it.

However, accidents do happen and there is no way to completely accident proof a climbing frame. In certain circumstances, no amount of padding or supervision can protect a child from injury. If this is the case, the school may not be held liable for the accident.

If, on the other hand, the school has failed to ensure the safety of equipment including; padding, ensuring it is suitable for use and free from fault, or not providing adequate training or guidance to children (such as when using physical education equipment) you may have a claim against the school or the person responsible for the accident. This includes where you child is injured as a result of the negligent actions of another child.

Slips and trips on school premises

Another important aspect of school safety is ensuring that premises are free from defects that could cause an accident. Where a child falls as a result of a slippery floor or a hole in the ground on school property and is as a result injured, it is likely the school will be required to pay compensation.

While a warning cone is normally sufficient to avoid liability for adult injuries, this may not be the case for children. As previously discussed children cannot be expected to take full responsibility for their own safety and thus blocking access to the hazard would be a more suitable option. Where a hazard is not suitably attended to, and your child is injured, you may be able to make a personal injury claim.

Making a Personal Injury Claim for An Accident At School, UK

These are just a few examples of the kind of accidents that can occur while at school. However, there are an infinite number of different accidents and injuries that can occur while you child is at school. If your child has suffered an injury at school that was not their fault, you can contact a personal injury solicitor to find out whether you have a claim. They will be able to assess your claim quickly, and let you know how your claim might progress. You can also read our guide to making a personal injury claim here.

 

Contact a Specialist Personal Injury Solicitor

At Unlock the Law, whilst we offer free information on personal injury claims we can also connect you with the expert solicitors who can help you make a successful claim should you think it necessary. We only recommend lawyers that are specialists in their field of law and offer excellent customer service. If you think you may have a personal injury claim call us today to be connected to one of our trusted personal injury partners. There’s no obligation and you can call free on: 0808 274 3187

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