School Accidents, Tips & Concerns
Responsibilities of School Administration
School administrators are responsible for providing children with safe environments to learn and thrive. This requires educators to be proactive, practice regular equipment maintenance, implement preventative measures, and develop an appropriate protocol.
It is the legal responsibility of all school administrators and teachers to do everything reasonably possible to minimize student accidents and injuries.
School Responsibilities Include:
• Ensuring inside and the outside of the school building areas are safe. For example, playground equipment maintenance.
• Responsible for employment of teachers and school staff, including reviewing applicant background and reference checks.
• Ensuring safe food handling guidelines are followed in the cafeteria to prevent food poisoning.
• Breaking up altercations between students to prevent serious injuries.
School negligence could also involve inadequate supervision during school functions, sporting events, and recreational activities. The school could still be responsible even if a staff member did not witness the injury occur.
Violent Accidents on School Grounds
Violent school accidents take place daily in schools, including physical, sexual, and verbal harassment and assault. The city of New York reported a combined total of 32,000 incidents of school violence in public and charter schools in just one year.
Educators have a legal responsibility to prevent these incidents when possible, step in when unforeseeable, and report these occurrences immediately. Failure to do any of these things is gross negligence on behalf of the school.
Traffic Accidents
Traffic incidents of motor vehicle collisions with child pedestrians continue to rise in school zones. 8 out of 10 teenagers use their mobile phones to text and browse web-enabled applications. This has caused a significant increase in car accidents involving teen pedestrians.
School Safety Tips
These dangerous situations can be minimized with a proper teacher and parent involvement. There are several things that caregivers and students can do to promote a safer school environment.
Avoid Violence By Talking To Your Child
First and foremost, talk to your child. Know what is going on in their lives at school. Ask about potential social conflicts and listen to them talk about their days openly. Try to help your child work out their conflicts at home and remind them that people are available to help.
Reiterate Traffic Safety Rules
Remind your child of the importance of practicing common-sense safety rules when crossing the road.
• Teach children to stop, look, and listen while crossing.
• Never run across the street.
• Listen to the traffic guards.
Remind children that their electronic devices are a privilege and must be used responsibly.
Injuries on School Grounds
Numerous injuries occur every year in New York City schools as a result of violence and traffic accidents. Injuries On School Property Include:
• Lacerations
• Bruises
• Broken Bones
• Head Trauma
• Neck Injuries
• Death
These injuries cause serious disruptions to a child’s overall physical, mental, and emotional development. Long-term medical care may be required to treat the resulting damages. The school is responsible for compensation when negligence is the root cause of your child’s injuries.
Goidel & Siegel
School administration is responsible for providing children with a safe environment by being proactive in injury prevention and reaction. The school is responsible for injuries that occur as a result of negligence.
Goidel & Siegel understand the frustration that caregivers experience when their children are injured at school. Contact the team of compassionate personal injury lawyers at Goidel & Siegel if your child has been hurt as a result of school negligence.
