October 19th, 2009
London’s High Court is to hear evidence this week regarding a hammer attack that left a schoolboy fighting for his life.
Henry Webster, 18, was a pupil at Ridgeway School near Swindon when the incident happened in January 2007.
He had agreed to meet another pupil on the tennis courts after school following an altercation, but was ambushed by a group of much older boys when he got there.
The gang had claw hammers and Mr Webster was left with brain damage.
He took legal action against the school, claiming that it had done nothing to prevent racial tensions which had been threatening to erupt for some time.
At a hearing in May, Judge Hagen said it was "astonishing" that staff had not been supervising pupils after hours, but the school denies that it was responsible for the attack.
The victim is claiming £1 million in damages from the school in a case which is to see scores of witnesses take to the stands this week.
Schools have a duty of care towards pupils and anyone injured while on school premises should seek advice from a personal injury lawyer, as they may be eligible for compensation.
Tags: 1 Million, Altercation, Brain Damage, Claw Hammers, Damages, Duty Of Care, Hagen, Hammer Attack, Henry Webster, London, Mr Webster, Personal Injury Lawyer, Pupil, Pupils, Racial Tensions, School Premises, Schoolboy, Tennis Courts
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September 15th, 2009
Teachers’ unions have said that schools need to become safer after it was revealed that over £2 million has been paid out in compensation by Scottish schools since 2004.
According to figures released this month, £1.5 million was paid out to injured staff, while another £600,000 was given in compensation to pupils, STV reports.
One claim was from a school worker who tripped over a carpet in West Dunbartonshire and was paid £4,000.
Another came from a pupil who fell on the school steps in Glasgow and was awarded £29,000 in compensation.
Sources from teachers’ unions said it is not satisfactory that staff are having to claim for accidents that could easily be avoided if education facilities were safer.
Occupiers of schools have the same responsibility to prevent injury as any other landowner so anyone who suffers from an accident on school premises should seek the advice of a solicitor specialising in personal injury claims.
Tags: 5 Million, Accidents, Carpet, Dunbartonshire, Education Facilities, Glasgow, Personal Injury Claims, Pupil, Pupils, School Premises, School Steps, Scottish Schools, Solicitor Specialising, Teachers Unions, West Dunbartonshire
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May 15th, 2009
A boy who was attacked by a gang of youths on school premises is seeking compensation for the injuries he sustained.
Henry Webster, 18, was a pupil at Ridgeway School in Wroughton near Swindon in January 2007, the Telegraph reports.
He had an altercation with a 15-year-old boy and agreed to meet him on the tennis courts after school. However, when he met the boy, he was ambushed by a group of his friends.
The gang beat Mr Webster with claw hammers and he was left fighting for his life.
He is now suing the school for £1 million in damages, claiming that it had not done enough to prevent racial tensions from erupting.
At a high court hearing, Judge Hagen criticised the school, saying he was "astonishing" that staff had not been supervising pupils on the tennis courts when the bell went.
The school denies the allegations and another hearing is set for October.
Schools have a duty of care towards pupils and anyone injured while on school premises should seek advice from a personal injury lawyer, as they may be eligible for compensation.
Tags: 1 Million, Allegations, Altercation, Claw Hammers, Damages, Duty Of Care, Hagen, Hammer Attack, Henry Webster, High Court Hearing, Mr Webster, Personal Injury Lawyer, Pupil, Pupils, Racial Tensions, School Premises, Swindon, Telegraph Reports, Tennis Courts
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