Pupil to sue school following fall
A recent compensation claim has been reported where a former public school pupil is in the process of suing her former school for a total of £300,000, for what she sees as gross negligence.
The pupil drunkenly fell out of a window on the premises when she was sixteen years old, but feels the accident wasn't her fault.
On Valentines day, after a heavy binging session, the woman fell 15ft from her first floor window, but more than four years later she feels she was the victim of a school, which had a chronic drinking culture which led to her drop.
As a result of the fall the student has suffered permanent disability. Her injuries now include a partial paraplegia and she has to walk with the use of crutches.
The basis of the claim centres on the fact that students are encouraged to drink at the school and a small technicality which reveals that the window she fell from opened to 12 inches which is actually three times the legal maximum.
The rules for the school state that sixth formers can drink beer, cider and wine at officially permitted social events where a "substantial meal" is served.
A close friend of the student said: "She is a remarkable girl who has come through a lot with incredible determination. She has never lost sight of how lucky she is and how supportive her family have been."
The friend added: "But she and her parents do feel she was failed by the school and that it should bear some responsibility."
The case is set to continue over the next few weeks, but does show that a considerable amount of time can elapse whilst your chance to claim can still be valid.
Relaxed
Usually the cut off point to make a claim stands at three years from the date of the accident. However the Court of Appeal have stated that discretion can be applied with regards to possibly waiving the limit on special cases.
The dispensation given to some even after they have exceed their maximum cut off point added to the surge in personal injury lawyers on the internet alone has once again raised fears that the UK is diving straight into a compensation culture.
Research conducted by personal injury solicitors Hubbard Pegman & Whitney (HPW) has revealed that, in line with the findings from Russell Jomes and Walker, most people try their utmost to be included in any sort of compensation claim even if it is a modest amount
Charlotte Pegman, managing partner of HPW, said: "While large compensation awards for seemingly minor injuries and slights rightly attract hostile media attention, the reality is that awards for most workplace injuries - often nasty ones - are generally much more modest."
Updated on 16/06/2009