School Safety Code Violations in Los Angeles
School safety codes are a relatively new phenomenon which consider the safety of the students in the school itself. Schools are supposed to be a safe haven for children, and a place where they will not be subject to abuse or injured. The lack of appropriate safety procedures or supervision by faculty and staff could lead to serious injuries and subsequent liability. If your child was injured while at school do to a failure of the school to follow appropriate safety code procedures, you may be entitled to bring a claim for damages.
Los Angeles School Safety Code Violations
School safety codes in California require schools and school districts to prevent the following, or take steps to minimize injuries in the following situations:
- Child abuse
- Natural disasters such as earthquakes
- Dress code which identifies “gang-related apparel”
- Procedures to minimize dangerous student behavior
Schools must also ensure that their premises are thoroughly inspected and updated for dangerous situations. Many schools were built decades ago without ongoing maintenance, which could result in dangerous situations for students. The failure of a school to identify outdated construction on school property could result in injuries due to school safety code violations. Another major problem regarding school safety code violations is the failure of a school to properly identify gang attire or address the issue of gang violence in the school. Many schools in the California school districts have a rampant problem with gang violence, which could come to fruition in gang activity during the day, illegal drug sales, or fights on school campuses. Schools should take efforts to minimize the danger to other students and appropriately punish those students suspected of gang activity.
California is also unfortunately placed along a major earthquake fault line. Schools should be retrofitted with construction that addresses this likelihood of earthquakes, and faculty should be appropriately trained on how to handle students in the event of an earthquake. The failure of a school to adequately respond to natural disasters and protect their students could lead to school safety code violations and a claim for negligence.
School District Negligence
School district negligence occurs when a school fails to properly maintain the property or does not comply with the relative safety procedures. A school is negligent when a child is injured on the property due to an accident which would not have happened but for the actions of the school in failing to maintain the property or comply with safety procedures. These actions can also include the following:
- Undertraining faculty and staff
- Negligently hiring faculty and staff
- Failing to address safety hazards (including identifying dangerous locations or even dangerous gang attire)
- Providing inadequate responses to safety concerns
- Failing to provide a secure campus
- Poorly preparing for natural disasters
The attorneys of PSR Law can assist you in identifying safety code violations and determining the amount of damages to include in your claim.
Los Angeles School District Negligence Attorneys
If your child was injured on a Los Angeles school property due to the school’s failure to comply with California school safety code violations, you may be entitled to bring a claim for damages against the school district. The attorneys at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP have years of experience in assisting clients with their school district negligence cases, many of which stem from the failure of the school to comply with school safety codes. Parents rely on the belief that their child’s school complies with the school safety code and will keep their children safe throughout the day. This misplaced belief can lead to series accidents and injuries which would not have happened if not for the negligent behavior of the school district in monitoring the safety code violations. Contact our Los Angeles or Newport offices today for your initial free consultation.