How Schools Can Avoid Personal Injury Claims With Proactive Measures

Most kids nationwide spend much of their day in or on school property. Therefore, it's the school's responsibility to ensure all kids within the vicinity are safe. While you may have a lot of faculty members who keep all little ones in check, accidents do happen. 

Whether a child gets into a fight with other pupils or gets injured on the playground, school injuries can result in many problems. In addition to rushing the child to the emergency room, there is also a good chance that you might have to face a personal injury claim. 

Personal Injury Claims: What Are They?

A personal injury claim is when someone contends they have sustained an injury because of the defendant's action or failure to act on time. In such cases, the court may award the plaintiff monetary compensation for their damages. 

A personal injury could damage the plaintiff's emotional, mental, or physical health. Depending on the events leading to the injury, the child's parents may be able to sue your school (or an individual). As the property owner or manager, it is your duty to keep everyone safe. If you fail to meet this duty and an accident occurs, your school will most likely be found liable for the injuries, costing you thousands of pounds in compensation. 

If you wish to prevent such claims on your school, its best to take some precautions to ensure no accidents on your property. From installing door hinge guards to inspecting playground equipment, here is everything you can do to avoid such personal injury cases. 

Regularly Inspect Playground Equipment.

Many kids tend to sustain injuries when playing on their school's playground. Even with changes in the design and adding safety features, the total rate of injuries suffered in playgrounds remains consistent. However, as long as you do your best to prevent such injuries from occurring, you stand a better chance of preventing a personal injury claim. 

Ask your staff to inspect the school playground regularly and look for potential issues with the equipment. Address these issues promptly before someone gets hurt. 

Door Safety Is Also Essential. 

While they may seem harmless at first sight, doors also pose a significant threat to kids, especially the little ones. A closing door tends to exert tons of pressure, enough to injure a small hand or fingers severely. But teaching your pupils about school safety is never enough. 

The best way to address this issue is by installing door finger guards for schools. These guards can help you cover the gap between the door and its frame, helping you prevent any curious little fingers from reaching in and getting stuck. Ensure you install these guards on all high-traffic doors most prone to such injuries. 

Student Violence 

Many high students get involved in physical fights on school grounds. Bullying and threatening can both lead to emotional and bodily injury. Such physical injuries can be severe enough to visit the emergency room. Not to mention, such behaviour can also result in anxiety, depression, or emotional disturbance. 

To prevent such instances, you must ensure you have policies that help address bullying. If someone reports such activity, ensure you investigate and reach the core of the issue. 

As long as you and your school's staff remain vigilant, you can easily avoid such lawsuits, saving your business thousands of pounds.