Blog
Injuries Off School Grounds and School Liability
Posted in Legal Questions on December 16, 2016
When your child suffers an injury away from the home, your first question is likely, “Who is responsible?” Parents trust their children to the hands of teachers, supervisors, and school staff under the assumption that school employees will do what’s in the child’s best interests. Unfortunately, negligent school employees all too often fail to adequately… read more
Negligent Hiring, Supervision, and Retention in California Schools
Posted in Legal Questions on December 16, 2016
Sadly, California’s schools aren’t impervious to negligent, reckless, and malicious employees. The courts will often hold the school district strictly liable for the actions or inactions of its employees if they result in student injury. Since the school district employs teachers and staff members, the district must abide by the same standards of care as… read more
California Education Code: Duty to Warn of Violent Propensities
Posted in Legal Questions on December 16, 2016
California school districts implement many laws, rules, and regulations to help in the event of altercations, accidents, and emergencies. Lawmakers describe these provisions in the California Education Code – a code in 69 parts. Students have the right to attend peaceful, safe, and secure campuses to promote education throughout the state of California. The school… read more
California Schools Duty to Suspend
Posted in Legal Questions on October 24, 2016
Each year, student injury settlements cost California’s school districts millions of dollars. Students may sustain injuries on school grounds or under a school employee’s supervision during recess, in classrooms, in fights with other students, during school sports, and even from third-party criminal assaults. A number of factors contribute to the high rate of student injury,… read more
Does Your Child’s School Have an Adequate Emergency Plan?
Posted in harmful policy,Legal Questions on September 26, 2016
When you send your children to school, you likely assume they will be safe on campus, under the care of responsible adults. While this may be true on a day-by- day basis, will your child’s school react appropriately in the event of an emergency? Emergency plans are vital to student safety. Every parent deserves the right to feel… read more
How to Spot Unsafe Playground Equipment and What to Do About It
Posted in safety tips on September 26, 2016
Safe playground equipment is ultimately the manufacturer’s responsibility, but diligence on the part of parents and supervisors can help protect children from hazards. Unsafe playground equipment is a more common occurrence than many parents realize, often due to manufacturer negligence in design or assembly. More than 200,000 children in the U.S. have to seek treatment for playground-related injuries every… read more
What is Dry (or Delayed) Drowning?
Posted in safety tips on September 26, 2016
Most parents are aware of the risk of children drowning during water activities, but many have never heard of dry drowning. Dry drowning, or secondary/delayed drowning, is a frightening possibility for any child who has been in water recently. Dry drowning may sound like an oxymoron, but it happens much the same as typical drowning. When a child… read more
How to Respond to a Water Emergency
Posted in safety tips on September 26, 2016
Tragedy struck the Murrieta Valley Unified School District when 13-year-old student Alex Pierce passed away after an end-of-year school swim party. Alex’s parents filed a wrongful death claim with help from their legal representation at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP, against the school district. His death was preventable, as he was at the bottom… read more
Child Safety Alarms on School Buses: SB 1072
Posted in Legal Questions on August 15, 2016
There have been numerous items in the news about children being left on school buses, sometimes with fatal consequences. It doesn’t happen very often, but when it does, it sets off a fervor among parents concerned for their child’s safety. This only happening once would still be one too many, so a lot of school… read more
My Child Was Injured on a School Field Trip. Is the School Liable?
Posted in Legal Questions on August 15, 2016
Too often, supervisors with no adequate child safety training chaperone school field trips. Between lack of knowledge about child safety and looking after children they’re unfamiliar with, chaperones are at high risk of being negligent. No one can predict a bus accident, but many field trip injuries are 100% preventable. If your child sustains an… read more