Negligent Supervision and School Liability

At one point in time, it was routine that students – elementary, junior high, or high school –leave campus during lunch and wander to the closest diner. However, students are rarely allowed the opportunity to leave the school campus, especially younger children.  Leaving a school campus during the day is dangerous for a number of reasons – a child could become lost in the city, could be injured in traffic, or could end up with a stranger.  These are all the worst nightmares of a parent, especially when parents assume that their child is safely monitored at all times while at school.

Negligent Supervision at Los Angeles Schools

Teachers are often referred to as babysitters.  While this may seem like an unfair stipulation, it is true in the sense that teachers and faculty must remain constantly vigilant of the actions of their students.  The lack of supervision could result in devastating injuries to a child, especially if they wander off campus.

The only way a child can leave a school and wander off the campus is due to negligent supervision during school hours.  While teachers and administrators are often in charge of dozens of students at one time, this does not offer the excuse that they were distracted when the student left.  As a parent, you will be able to bring a claim for damages  for negligent supervision if you are able to prove the following:

  1. The person agreed to supervise your child;
  2. The person did not adequately monitor your child; and
  3. Your child was injured as a result of the inattentiveness of the supervisor.

Los Angeles school districts are large and include schools in populated neighborhoods, many which are not safe for children.  Children could wander into gang territory after leaving school property, or into particularly dangerous roadways.  It is difficult enough to navigate Los Angeles traffic as an adult, and a child will only be confused without a way to contact their parents.  This nightmare scenario could have been easily avoided if the school appropriately supervised the child.

Claim for Damages | School Liability

The failure of a school to supervise your child could lead to their liability in the case of any injury caused by your child wandering off the school campus.  A claim for negligence against a school district may include the following:

Children are precocious little people, and they often do not realize the inherent danger which comes with leaving the protection of the school campus.  Schools serve as a protection for children against potential injuries and potential dangerous situations.  Once students leave the campus, they are often susceptible to the dangers of the real world.  However, it is the school’s job to protect the students and restrain them from leaving the campus throughout the day or when on school-related events.  The failure to adequately supervise students results in potential liability against the school, school district, or its administrators.

Los Angeles School Negligent Supervision Attorneys

If your child was injured while wandering off school campus, you may be entitled to bring a claim against the school district for their resulting injuries.  The Los angeles attorneys of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP have years of experience in assisting our clients with school district negligence claims and will work tirelessly to ensure the school is held responsible for its negligent behavior.  Contact our Los Angeles or Newport Beach offices today for your initial free consultation.