Brenda Hollingsworth of Auger Hollingsworth‚ an Ottawa personal injury law firm‚ recently reported about a serious school accident that led to the death of a student. The accident happened earlier this week at Mother Theresa Catholic High School when gases in the shop ignited and caused an explosion when they came into contact with heat.
Just like any entity‚ schools have a duty of care to people coming onto its’ property to ensure that dangerous conditions on the property are not present that can cause injury. However‚ schools have a heightened duty of care to students who they are not only charged with educating but also to provide a safe school environment.
According to Ms. Hollingsworth‚ her office has received a number of inquiries about whether the school can be sued for its’ negligence‚ if any‚ in causing the explosion. They can‚ but it is best to consult with an attorney about the available statutory defenses to liability that the school may have. The good news is that school districts‚ like car drivers and businesses‚ have insurance policies. Money that is used to pay for the settlement or judgment will not come from the education budget–definitely a concern in this day and age of budget cuts.
We hope that the families of the wounded or killed students consult with an experienced personal injury attorney and learn about their rights and to have their claims evaluated.
