People who work at a school have the great honor of helping to shape the newest generation’s blossoming minds. They also have a great responsibility—the responsibility of keeping the students who attend the school safe from harm. Sadly, many schools fail to provide a safe environment for children to learn in, and all too many students are harmed when they should be learning because of school misconduct. If you or a loved one has suffered as a result of a school staff member’s conduct and you reside in L.A. County, we urge you to speak with a Manhattan Beach school misconduct lawyer to find out how a civil attorney can help you get closure.
Misconduct at school need not be overtly abusive behavior. Some acts of negligence involve taking no action at all, and this negligence can lead to disastrous consequences resulting in damages. For example, if a maintenance staff member decides to use an easier, but not approved, a method for cleaning flooring in the classrooms of a school and the method leads to damaged tiles that leave a trip hazard, that person could be held liable for their negligent behavior in civil court.
The school itself could be held liable if a teacher’s abuse goes unchecked and undisciplined. For example, if a staff member overhears a teacher shouting obscenities at an unruly student and fails to report the verbal abuse, he or she should be held liable for keeping silent about suspected misconduct and the teacher themselves could be sued in civil court for damages sustained due to their abusive behavior.
If students come to harm due to negligence on campus, the school itself could be held liable in civil court. For example, if the school staff know that the classrooms are old and in ill repair and that the walls and ceilings are insulated with asbestos but do not take steps to remediate the asbestos nor repair any areas where asbestos may contaminate classroom areas, the school could be sued for gross negligence.
On a personal level, a civil school misconduct case can result in financial compensation being paid to you in an effort to make up for the damages sustained as a result of the negligence of the school. On a broader level, though, civil cases holding schools accountable for keeping students safe at school send a powerful message: “This is not okay, and if you do this, you will pay.”
If your child was the victim of abuse by a school faculty member in Los Angeles, contact a Manhattan Beach school misconduct lawyer at Okabe and Haushalter. We can take on your case in the civil courtroom and fight to get your family the justice they deserve. Many victims are entitled to cash compensation for the pain and suffering they went through as a result of school misconduct. Contact us today for a free consultation and let us help you learn more about your options under civil law.
