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Accidents at School

If you or a member of your family is suffering from a personal injury caused by an accident at school, our specialist personal injury lawyers may be able to help you claim compensation. Contact us today on 0800 032 8511 for claim advice, or by completing a claim enquiry form.

Accidents on School Property
Making a Claim for an Accident at School
Compensation
Our Personal Injury Lawyers

Accidents on School Property

Accidents at school can occur in a number of different circumstances. Sometimes they are just that, an accident, with no one responsible for causing them. However, in some cases, accidents may be caused by negligence or could have been prevented. If there is fault, the injured person may be entitled to claim compensation.

Some of these accidents are caused by defective or dangerous school facilities or grounds, such as a fall caused by a hole in the playground or sharp protrusions from a wall or desk. Others may be caused by inadequate supervision.

It is important to remember that it is not only children that can be injured at schools. Visitors, teachers and other school employees can also be victims of accidents and schools have a responsibility to provide a safe environment and prevent avoidable workplace accidents, just as any other employer.

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Making a Claim for an Accident at School

If you or a relative is unfortunate enough to suffer an accident at school, you should try to keep as much information and evidence as possible. This could include photographs, witness information, details of medical treatment and receipts for any injury related expenses.

It is always important to seek legal advice from a reputable solicitor, who can advise you on the best way to proceed with your case. In every case, medical evidence will be required, and it is necessary to show that the person you are making a claim against owed you a duty of care, that they breached that duty of care (were negligent), and that the injury you sustained was a reasonably foreseeable consequence of that negligence.

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Compensation

There are two elements to a compensation award.

The first, called general damages, is for the pain and suffering you may have gone through and any loss of amenity (perhaps an inability to wash your car, look after your garden, walk the dog). The award for loss of amenity can be for a short period after an accident or for ever if that is what the medical evidence supports.

Whereas the first element of compensation cannot make you better and can only really apologise, the second element of a compensation award, for your losses and expenses,
is known as special damages and aims to put you back in a position financially as if the accident had never occurred. It is important to keep receipts for any expenditure you have related to the accident so that these can be reclaimed.

In serious cases, where a person may no longer be able to continue their employment, this can be taken into account. Costs for care, equipment and transport can also be factored into the calculations. If the person is still able to work but not in the same role as before, particularly if they held a public service role such as a doctor or police officer, an extra amount may be awarded for loss of ‘congenial employment’. A court can also make a financial award to recognise that an injured worker's prospects on the open labour market may be limited.

If a person is fatally injured, a dependent relative such as a widow and children may be able to claim a statutory sum for their bereavement and funeral expenses, but also sums for the loss of income and contribution to the household in the form of future losses.

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Our Personal Injury Lawyers

The Legal Line lawyers are experts in all areas of personal injury, with extensive experience in recovering compensation for the victims of accidents at schools. They can provide specialist claim advice, assistance and guidance in helping you to pursue your claim to the best possible outcome.

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