St. Louis Child School Accident Attorneys

Negligent Supervision at a School or Daycare in Missouri

Statistics show more than a quarter of child injuries happen on or around school property. This is not surprising, considering children spend the majority of their waking hours in school or involved in school related activities (sports, clubs, etc.).

If your child is injured while at school or daycare, you may want to pursue legal action. If this is the case, a good first step is to consult an expert personal injury lawyer. The St. Louis child injury attorneys at Page Law represent injured clients throughout Missouri and Illinois.

If you think your child has been injured, call us today at (314) 322-8515 for a free consultation. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Intentional or Negligent

When determining who is liable for your child’s injury, it’s important to decide if the act causing the injury was intentional or negligent. An example of an intentional act would be one student punching another student in the face. In such a case, the assaulting student and his or her parents may be liable.

An act of negligence could be the school not having enough properly trained adult supervisors on a playground when an injury happened. Of course, an injury’s cause can include intent and negligence. Suppose a teacher or aid assaults a student. The assaulting adult could be held liable for the intentional act and the school could be held liable for negligence if they didn’t do a thorough background check on their employees.

Was the Accident Foreseeable?

Many times a school or daycare center can be found negligent if the cause of the injury was foreseeable. For example, if a student slips and falls on an icy sidewalk that should’ve been shoveled and treated with salt. In general, if a school knew of a condition that held the possibility of causing an injury, but did not remedy that situation, the school could be held liable.

Exceptions to Liability in Missouri

A school or daycare facility may not always be liable when an injury happens on its property. If it’s after school hours or on a weekend, the school may not be held liable unless the injury occurs during a school-sponsored event like a science fair or sporting event. Other exceptions include injuries resulting from playing organized sports. In these cases, the law often considers students assume the normal risks involved in sports activities.

Was the School Public or Private?

Whether a school can be held liable often depends on whether it is public or private. Public schools are immune from some liability. This makes legal action against them complex – much like trying to sue the federal government. Rules involving suing a public institution vary by state.

Speak With our St. Louis Child School Accident Lawyers Today

As a parent, your child’s safety is of the utmost concern, whether they are in your care or the care of those you trust. Injury claims against schools and daycare facilities can be complicated. If you feel your child’s injury was preventable, or the result of negligence or intentional action, you need to contact an experienced Missouri personal injury attorney. Page Law has offices located in Missouri and Illinois for your convenience.

Call us today at (314) 322-8515 for a free consultation.

Additional Information

• Child Care Licensing and Regulations in Missouri
• Working to Keep Schools and Communities Safe – U.S. Department of Education
• School Safety – National Education Association