Every parent fears getting that call. The one you get at work or at home on a busy weekday afternoon from the school informing you that your child has been hurt. Children can be excitable and rambunctious and a few scrapes and bumps is all part of growing up but some of the injuries they could potentially suffer might have long-lasting or even lifetime effects. So you hold your breath on that call and hope your child’s injury isn’t severe. If it is – you rush to the hospital to add all the support and comfort you can – you make sure your child knows they’re loved. Later though, as your child begins the road to recover you may wonder, whose fault was it really?
Was the School Negligent?
Whether it occurred in the playing field, the gymnasium, the classroom, or the hallways the school is responsible for taking reasonable action to care for your child’s safety. Children are required to attend school and schools are required to take care of them while they attend. If, through improper maintenance, negligence, or lack of supervision, your child comes to harm this is breach of their duty to care for your child and they can be held responsible. It’s important to note that even though schools in Ontario are run by the government they are in no way legally immune from liability.
For example, if a particularly dangerous playground game was known to teachers and nothing was done and they were harmed, the school would be held responsible. If walkways or playgrounds were improperly cleaned or cleared of ice and a child suffered they would be held responsible. Known physical assaults by other students or improper gym equipment or any other myriad possibilities might be enough for a school to be found liable for injury.
If your child was injured at school, don’t wait to consult a legal professional. Get an experienced personal injury lawyer on your child’s side as soon as possible. Call Conte & Associates at 1-877-614-0008. Based in Vaughan, Conte & Associates works with clients in Vaughan and in the surrounding cities of: Thornhill, Woodbridge, Concord, Kleinberg, Maple and Richmond Hill.
