VENT!! Daughter injured at school...

[susannah14]

She was OUT COLD for 15 seconds? How horribly scary. If the parent volunteer was there within 8 seconds, why wasn't s/he more concerned about the unconscious child? I feel sick for your daughter, I am glad she will be ok!

 

[Annie77]

The kids at my local school all get stickers if they bump their heads BUT not all kids tell an adult it has happened and two playground assistants for two hundred kids cannot see everything. My daughter has occasionally come home with some minor injury which she has not reported & we have had discussions about how she MUST report a knock on the head (she is 8)
Whilst I think the parent volunteer should have reported the matter initally and a head injury formally followed up, I can't imagine running in with an attorney at my side. Neither would I be wanting to sue the school or local authority - accidents happen a home and school so any medical costs wold IMO be par and parcel of being a parent.
By all means go to school and knock heads together but I think legal action and/or cash settlements are just one step further than most in UK would take for a simple concussion which was resolved after they contacted you. (For the record my husband works in litigation so I am not anti-lawsuit but just feel this is overkill)

 

[Ckelley]

Whilst I think the parent volunteer should have reported the matter initally and a head injury formally followed up, I can't imagine running in with an attorney at my side. Neither would I be wanting to sue the school or local authority - accidents happen a home and school so any medical costs wold IMO be par and parcel of being a parent.
By all means go to school and knock heads together but I think legal action and/or cash settlements are just one step further than most in UK would take for a simple concussion which was resolved after they contacted you. (For the record my husband works in litigation so I am not anti-lawsuit but just feel this is overkill)

We are not interested in a cash settlement . We just want all staff to be trained in CPR and first aid. I feel that it should have been recognized and we should have been informed asap. I was told that she seemed out of it, incoherent, that she was not making sense, that she cried for 2 hours straight, and that she kept falling asleep at her desk. If the staff had the training they needed they would have recognized the signs of a concussion.

We are going to try to go through the school board first, if not I will go through the legal process. Again we do not want money, we want our child and other children to be safe. I'm not saying that crap does not happen. I get that, but they should have had the training to at least realize that something was wrong. We have not even considered asking for her medical to be compensated, I agree that that is my responsibilit. I do feel it iis their responsibility to have staff trained in basic first aid.

 

[Foogirl]

I would definitely worry that the classic signs of a concussion appear to have been there but nobody picked up on it. That needs to be addressed with the school. Although, of course, it is always easier with hindsight and with all the information to put a picture together so I guess its possible for it to be missed.

I'm confused though, they say they had no idea what happened but a parent helper was by her side within 8 seconds. So, they must have known what had happened?

I am also wondering why your daughter wouldn't go and report her fall to a teacher? I'm fairly certain mine would. Is there some kind of atmosphere that made it difficult for her to do that?

I do agree with Annie that it is an alien concept to me to go running to a lawyer before sorting it out with the school, but I suppose that's a cultural thing. Plus, we don't have to worry about medical costs so I guess that can be an issue also.

 

[Ckelley]

She was confused and didn't know she hit her head. She didn't know that she hit her head until hours later. She kept telling them that her head hurt, but because she was unconscious she did not know it was because she hit her head. She had a significant knot on her temple and it was pink hours later, it was very visible...

Whenever she would stand up or walk too fast she would immediately start crying about how badly her head hurt. It was bad enough when we got her home that she stopped halfway across the room and curled up on the floor crying.

 

[Emma&Freya]

my hearts just broke at this

 

[JASMAK]

I am so sorry that happened to your baby.
So many things wrong with this situation; letting her sleep with a concussion, ignoring the injury, not seeking medical attention and on.

1) Take her to a follow up visit with the family doctor
2) find an attorney. Now
3 don't talk to the principal or anyone at the school about this. You're past that point, let your representation handle that.

She had a follow up, and she is good.
I called an attorney, but he is out of town until next week.
We did talk to the principal, and recorded the conversation.

My husband and I talked about it and our goal is to make sure the school makes First Aid and CPR a requirement for all teachers and subs. If they don't we will then pursue legal action. It was all caught on camera, and let me tell you she was OUT cold for about 15 seconds, and didn't get up until 32 seconds after she fell... which is FOREVER for a 7 year old. A parent volunteer was by her side by 8 seconds, but still...

There were some other circumstances that really makes the school liable, so we will see what happens.

Not sure where you are, but this does not necessarily make them 'liable'. I would speak to your lawyer. I understand it is upsetting. My then two year old had a concussion and broken arm from lack of supervision while in someone else's care. I think time will help you feel better. I am thinking the school never realised how serious it was. I dont think their was intent in their part to purposely neglect your childs needs, although it may feel and appear that way. The good thing is your daughter appears to remember everything which is rare in concussions. It is good to request change in the school though, and better policies.

 

[Foogirl]

I agree, certainly here in the UK liability tends more to apply only where there has been deliberate neglect i.e where they knew what they were doing was wrong, spotted a concussion and chose to ignore it, have systems in place but failed to follow them. Where there is a lack of knowledge or understanding or even in the situation you describe where they had the children going through the gym, it comes down to whether the risks could have been reasonably forseen. As I said earlier it's always easy to put a picture together with hindsight. But my concern would be that individuals were not aware of classic concussion signs and that alone means that some additional training can be carried out. It is unfortunate that sometimes these accidents are the ones which show up holes in organisations but thankfully in the case the outcome for the child was not too serious and those holes can now be addresses to stop something more catastrophic happening in the future. I think I'd be clear with the school that I'm not assigning blame and work with them so see those issues are addressed. Given the apparent attitude of the Head Teacher that would seem to be the best way to get him to look at what is needed.