My Child Was Injured in a Slip and Fall Accident at School: What Should I Do?

School staff is responsible for providing your child with a safe environment and adequate supervision. You should be able to trust that your child will remain healthy and safe when you send them to school each morning. Unfortunately, when a small number of adults are constantly supervising hundreds of children, accidents are bound to occur. School buildings can sometimes be the scene of slip and fall accidents.

Although minor accidents on school grounds are not uncommon, some slip and fall accidents can result in more serious injuries that may financially and physically damage the child and his or her family.

In the event your child slips and falls at school due to the school's negligence, you may be entitled to compensation to support your child's recovery.

Causes of School Slip and Falls

A slip and fall can occur for a variety of reasons. In some cases, slip and falls are caused by clumsiness or losing balance. Other times, slip and falls are caused by negligence and the school allowing dangerous conditions to exist, such as:

• Wet or slippery floors
• Wires hanging loosely onto the floor
• Objects or debris left in walkways
• Dangerous stairs or railings
• Torn carpet
• Cracked flooring or pavement
• Uneven ground

Premises Liability in Texas

For a school to be found liable for slip and fall injuries, all three of the following factors must be proven:

• There was a dangerous condition on the premises.
• The school officials knew or should have known about the hazard.
• The school failed to take reasonable steps to correct the dangerous condition.
  
  

For example, say there is a large crack in the concrete that is part of a school's playground. It frequently causes adults and children to trip, and school officials are aware of the condition but only tell the children to "watch out" or "be careful." Finally, one day a child trips and hits their head, getting a serious concussion. Because the school did not take action to repair the dangerous crack, all three elements of negligence would be satisfied, and the school could be held liable.

Compensation for Slip and Fall Accidents

When your child is injured by a school's negligence, you may be able to recover the costs of medical treatment, including ambulance rides, emergency room visits, and hospital stays, as well as diagnostic tests such as X-rays and MRIs.

Many high school students have part-time jobs. If your child could not work during the recovery, that lost income can also be compensated.

Compensation can also help cover longer-term therapies and rehab. Your child might have to stay in a rehabilitation facility for several months or a long-term care facility indefinitely after suffering a devastating injury such as a traumatic brain injury (TBI) or spinal cord damage.  

We Can Help if Your Child Has Suffered a Slip and Fall Accident

At VB Attorneys, our Texas personal injury team takes pride in helping people who have suffered severe injuries get the compensation they deserve to support optimal recovery and financial stability. If your child has been injured at school in a slip-and-fall accident, we can help you fight for justice and get the compensation your family needs to move forward while your child recovers. Give us a call today at (713) 224-7800 for a free consultation.