Schools payout £1.5m to injured children

Posted: April 14, 2014

Posted in: Head and Brain Injuries Public Place Accidents School Accidents 

Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information request have revealed that Greater Manchester schools have paid out £1.5 million in compensation to injured pupils in the last five years. These accidents were mainly due to ‘basic health and safety failings’, which included one pupil being struck by a falling goal post, and another getting their fingers trapped behind a radiator.

Of the ten boroughs of Greater Manchester, Manchester was responsible for the majority of claims.  A total of 190 were made in Manchester, costing the council a total of £943,848. The figures were obtained under a Freedom of Information request made by the Eccles-based safety experts, Employment Law Advisory Service.

£22,326 to child injured in school activity

One pupil from Rochdale received £8,000 after a goal post fell on top of them, and another child from a nearby school received £2,000 after being hit on the head by a falling crossbar. Other payouts included £22,326 to a child in Tameside for sustaining an injury in a school activity, and £9,494 to a child who fell after being pushed by another child in the playground.

In total, the council paid out to 225 successful personal injury claimants, a figure higher than Greater London and Birmingham combined.

ELAS’ lead health and safety consultant, Wayne Dunning, said: “These figures are shocking and clearly not enough is being done to protect children in schools from what are, in the main, preventable accidents.”

If you have suffered an injury in a public place, and are looking to claim compensation, please contact us. 

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