Student Injured at School Awarded $40K
by
Joseph C. Maya on Feb. 08, 2024
Summary: On March 19, 2013, the plaintiff (a student) arrived at the Engineering Science University Magnet School and headed to the auditorium to have his breakfast as he did every morning, according to court documents. There was one teacher on duty, who was charged with watching over 70 to 75 students before they headed off to class. But 10 minutes before school was to start, another teacher was chasing after two students. She was running with a pair of safety scissors in her hand, which she dropped in the chaos.
Case Background
The plaintiff was hurt just outside the auditorium when he and another student went down to pick up the scissors at the same time and the other student picked them up with the blades open. The plaintiff was cut on his cheek, and was taken to Yale-New Haven Hospital. He still has a scar from the injury. The plaintiff met with a plastic surgeon, who told his parents that surgery could reduce the scar, but not entirely remove it.
The Outcome of the Case
The defendant believes the incident was merely an accident and the teacher on duty did not even know something was amiss that could have caused harm. The defendant argued that the plaintiff did not meet the standards needed to prove that this dangerous situation was apparent to the teacher. In other words, the teacher did not know that the student could be in a situation where her or she could get hurt. Because the teacher did not know the students were running about and scissors were dropped, the city argued there’s no way he could have known imminent harm was possible. The defendant presented both teachers involved in the incident as witnesses.
The plaintiff’s parents sued New Haven and its Board of Education, claiming their negligence caused their son’s injury. He was awarded $40,814 to cover medical costs and future pain and suffering.
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