What to Do if a Child is Injured by Defective School Equipment

Student safety is a key issue for parents, teachers, and school administrators to worry about these days. But one safety issue that shouldn’t be overlooked is defective/faulty equipment students use during the day. This could include the playground equipment kids use at recess, sports equipment used in gym class, or lab equipment used in science classes. It’s already easy enough for kids to get hurt while playing around at recess or in gym class, but things can be made even worse if kids get hurt because of equipment that was defective or poorly maintained. Or in a science class, a cracked beaker may break when exposed to heat during a lab exercise or leak chemicals. 

If your child is injured at school, and those injuries were caused by faulty equipment of any kind, one of the most important things you can do is contact a personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. Whether it’s because of a product that was defectively manufactured, because the school failed to maintain equipment as they should have, or didn’t remove equipment they knew was damaged, these types of cases can be complex and you’ll need the help of someone who knows the law and can make sure your case is handled correctly. 

When injuries occur on school grounds, those cases have a lot of unique challenges that need to be considered. For instance, did the injury occur at a public school or a private school? If the injury occurred at a public school, that means the case would involve making a claim against a government entity, which is very different from filing a lawsuit against a private citizen or business. If a lawsuit can be filed against a government organization, there are typically special procedures that need to be followed and have shorter deadlines involved. 

If the injury was the result of a defectively manufactured product, and not the result of something the school was aware of or reasonably should have known would be a hazard, those types of cases have a lot of challenges, too. Companies often have their own legal teams to try and protect them from liability. There can also be laws that help shield businesses from defective product claims. It’s also important to make sure the correct parties are held responsible. For example, did a manufacturer recall a product for safety reasons, but a store continued to sell that product?

Contact a Michigan Personal Injury Lawyer

At Scott Goodwin Law, we’re experienced in handling a wide range of personal injury cases, including defective product claims. We understand how complex these cases are and are ready to help you. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation so that you can get answers to any questions you have about your situation and learn more about your legal options.

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