Schools, as we all know, are responsible for the education of our children, and maintaining a staff, a curriculum, and ample resources to see that task through. It can sometimes be an afterthought that schools are also responsible for the safety of our children. Children spend hours each week on the school premises, without their own parents, so it is up to the staff and faculty to ensure their safety and prevent personal injury. According to a lawsuit out of Anchorage, Alaska, the Rogers Park Elementary School has failed in doing that.
According to reports, a 6 year-old boy was running on school grounds to meet his mother when he tripped and fell into a clump of pine shrubs, which pierced the frontal lobe of his brain. The injury reportedly has become extremely complicated; the pine shrubs jabbed the part of his brain that controls sleep and appetite, and the boy now has insatiable hunger, having doubled his weight in the six months since the injury.
He has also been diagnosed with moderate obsessive-compulsive disorder, and no longer enjoys any of the previous leisure activities, such as karate or even hanging out with his friends, that he did prior to the injury. He experiences frequent memory loss, and grows frustrated with himself as a result, and his parents have filed a lawsuit on his behalf.
The Anchorage School District is responsible for payment up to $1 million if a lawsuit against any particular school is successful. At trial, both parties introduced a litany of experts, and the proceedings became extremely expensive. There were questions as to whether the grounds’ crew was to blame, or if this was just a freak accident that was not the result of negligence. Eventually, a jury awarded the boy, whose family wishes him to be unnamed, $4.5 million, plus another $180,000 for pain and suffering. The boy was represented by Attorney James Brennan of Hedland Brennan & Heidman.
If you or a loved one has been injured due to the negligent maintenance of a premises, you may be entitled to significant monetary relief. Act now and contact one of our expert premises liability attorneys here at the Law Offices of Gilbert R. Hoy, Jr. and Affiliates to discuss your potential claim. Call our Boston injury attorney specialists today at 617-787-3700 or email us at info@gilhoylaw.com for your free and private consultation. Your needs are our top priority!