My Child Was Bullied at School – Who is Liable?

Surely, you’ve heard the word “bullying” thrown around for years, but what does it mean exactly? According to stopbullying.gov, bullying is defined as “unwanted, aggressive behavior among school-aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.”

Bullying falls under three major categories including verbal bullyingsocial bullying, and physical bullying. Verbal bullying includes teasing, name-calling, taunting, threatening physical harm, and making inappropriate sexual comments. Social bullying can hurt someone’s reputation or relationships. It includes leaving people out on purpose, telling other children not to be a child’s friends, spreading rumors, and embarrassing someone in public. As the name implies, physical bullying includes:

  • Hitting
  • Kicking
  • Punching
  • Spitting
  • Tripping or pushing
  • Taking another child’s things
  • Breaking another child’s things
  • Making rude gestures

“Bullying can occur during or after school hours. While most reported bullying happens in the school building, a significant percentage also happens in places like on the playground or the bus. It can also happen travelling to or from school, in the youth’s neighborhood, or on the Internet,” according to stopbullying.gov.

A Bully Injured My Child at School

When a child is injured by a bully on school grounds, the parents often want to know who is liable. If the bully intentionally injured the child on school property, the bully’s parents may be liable for the innocent child’s medical bills. However, if the school was negligent in some way, the school may be legally liable. For instance, if reports were made about the bullying and the school failed to address it, then the school could be held liable.

If your child is being bullied at school, notify a teacher, school counselor, school principal, school superintendent, or the State Department of Education. If your child is injured by a bully or if your child is at immediate risk of harm, call 911 immediately – don’t wait.

To find out if your child is entitled to compensation for bullying through a personal injury claim, contact Zendeh Del Law Firm, PLLC right away.

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