What are your Options if your Child is Injured at School?

A child’s school is traditionally, and quite rightly, seen as a safe place. Even with the vast number of children roaming the corridors and playgrounds, the number of incidents that affect children are, thankfully, really quite minimal.

Every so often, however, an accident at school is inevitable. If the accident occurs because of your child’s adventurous nature, it’s something that’s easy to overcome, especially if they were at fault.

Sometimes, however, children are injured at school and it’s not their fault. And in this scenario, it can be difficult to know what to do, as you are likely entering into previously unchartered waters.

With this in mind, we’ve put together this handy guide, which discusses some of the most important factors to consider and actions to take in the event that your child is injured at school.  

Establishing fault

As with a personal injury claim of any kind, the first place to start is by establishing whether there are genuine grounds for a claim.

With so many children in one place, accidents are an inevitable part of school life. If, however, your child is injured because of a slip on a poorly maintained footpath, cuts themselves on a defective piece of school equipment or an injury arises because of inadequate supervision, there certainly may be a personal injury claim for the school to answer.

Reporting the incident

Whether you intend to make a claim or not, if your child has been injured at school, it’s important to report the incident to a teacher or member of the school’s staff, ensuring that they note it down in the school’s accident book. Failing to record an accident may make pursuing a personal injury claim further down the line increasingly difficult. 

Collecting evidence

In the aftermath of an accident of any kind, collecting evidence is likely to be the furthest thing from your mind, especially when your child is involved.

If you believe there to be any inkling that someone else was at fault for your child’s injury at school, however, it’s absolutely imperative to collect as much information about the incident as possible. Speak to other members of staff who may have witnessed the accident, take down their names and addresses and ensure that you take as much photographic evidence as you possibly can, including photographs of the injuries, as well as the scene.

If the injury to your child requires follow-up medical attention or treatment, ensure that you also keep all receipts for travelling expenses, as well as any prescription costs, too. This makes it infinitely easier to claim back these expenses back at a later date.

Seek professional advice

While you may be certain in your own mind that your child’s injury at school was caused by someone else’s negligence, personal injury cases of any kind are rarely straightforward.

Speaking to an established and respected personal injury specialist, such as First Personal Injury, therefore, is the most effective way of gaining a true understanding of whether there is a personal injury claim to be answered. And as leading specialists in their field, First Personal Injury’s experienced team will be able to advise you on how to best pursue your claim.