Sustaining injuries is a common feature in schools. From the days of kindergarten to college education, pupils and students have suffered from different forms of injury. Some of these injuries may range from minor to very severe.
This article aims to achieve a general understanding of the law pertaining to personal injury cases as a college student.
The willingness of American courts to hold colleges legally liable for their deeds has been declining, with judges now finding liability in many cases where they would not have ventured a decade or two ago.
Most of the injuries sustained are at the student’s or parent’s expense. This article seeks to answer questions such as: What are some of the types of injuries a college student can sustain? What are the claims from an injury for a college student? Can a college student file for a personal injury claim?
Some of the common injuries in college campus accidents include, but are not limited to:
Bruises: These are, perhaps, the most common types of injuries college students are vulnerable to. Incidents as simple as a slip and fall could lead to bruises. Although bruises are pretty common, they are usually harmless and go away on their own. However, some bruises can be serious and may require immediate medical attention.
Torn Ligament: Torn ligaments happen from playing sports such as wrestling, football, and basketball. These sports are very intensive and can cause muscle strain.
Broken Bones: Normally called a fracture, college students can suffer from a fracture because of a direct blow or kick to the body. Fractures are serious, and the victim will require a few weeks for a complete recovery.
Neck Injury: A neck injury can be caused by stress, strain, or even disease such as arthritis or disc degeneration.
Most college injuries are reported from sports in the U.S. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), which monitors injuries among college students and athletes at member schools, published that men’s football accounts for most college injuries. Other injuries, such as cuts and lacerations, chronic pains, spinal cord injuries, and organ damage, all contribute to the list of college injuries.
What are the claims from an injury to a college student?
Some of the claims a student can benefit from are:
Past and future medical costs: This includes medical bills resulting from injuries obtained in the past education, whether the schools were government or private owned.
Loss of income: Due to an injury sustained, a student who works part-time while schooling just to cover basic living expenses can make claims for loss of income.
Diminished earnings capacity: students who are involved in accidents or injuries within the college have limited financial resources and, as such, can stand to lay claims.
These and other forms of claims can be filed by a college student.
Can a college student file a personal injury claim?
In general, college students are no different from the broader public in terms of how personal injury law operates. On college campuses, however, there are usually further concerns raised when injuries happen. Particular issues like institutional obligations, administrative rules, and campus security can have a big impact on how these situations turn out. So, in principle, yes!
Hiring a personal injury lawyer will enable the students to understand what compensation they stand to benefit from or claim in court. A lawyer also helps them understand the laws that pertain to each university and city, since different states have different codes of conduct in these matters.
So as a student, it is advisable to approach an attorney in this case, a personal injury lawyer, who will explain in detail what you stand to gain.
Hernaldo Turrillo is a writer and author specialised in innovation, AI, DLT, SMEs, trading, investing and new trends in technology and business. He has been working for ztudium group since 2017. He is the editor of openbusinesscouncil.org, tradersdna.com, hedgethink.com, and writes regularly for intelligenthq.com, socialmediacouncil.eu. Hernaldo was born in Spain and finally settled in London, United Kingdom, after a few years of personal growth. Hernaldo finished his Journalism bachelor degree in the University of Seville, Spain, and began working as reporter in the newspaper, Europa Sur, writing about Politics and Society. He also worked as community manager and marketing advisor in Los Barrios, Spain. Innovation, technology, politics and economy are his main interests, with special focus on new trends and ethical projects. He enjoys finding himself getting lost in words, explaining what he understands from the world and helping others. Besides a journalist, he is also a thinker and proactive in digital transformation strategies. Knowledge and ideas have no limits.
