Your time at college is supposed to be some of the greatest years of your life, not a painful memory. Many colleges take care to ensure that their facilities and premises are safe for students, and place student safety as one of their top goals. However, sometimes staff and administrators fail to do everything they are expected to do, and students and others get seriously injured.From on-campus crime to car accidents, food poisoning at the dining hall to slip and fall injuries, you face multiple injury risks on college campuses. If you or your child was injured on campus while attending, visiting, or working at a college or university in Texas, talk to one of our attorneys today for help with your injury case. The Texas college campus injury lawyers at The Queenan Law Firm represent injury victims and their families and fight to get them the compensation they need. For a free consultation on your case, contact our law offices today at (817) 476-1797.
Types of Injuries on College Campuses
College campuses can often function much like a small town or city, with thousands of people living and working across the acres of property and multiple buildings that form the campus. The college is responsible, as the property owner, for ensuring that the premises are reasonably safe for the students and guests, as well as faculty and staff. Injuries on college campuses commonly include many of the same injuries people face in society at large.
Car accidents on campus are always a risk. On many campuses, most areas are reserved for pedestrian traffic, but campus-owned cars or utility carts may still pass through. Other campuses are more open to street traffic, and students can be injured if cars crash into pedestrian areas or there aren’t proper safety precautions for crosswalks or pedestrian bridges. Especially if an accident is caused by a school vehicle, the university should be responsible for the damages.
Campus facilities often have steps, ramps, sidewalks, and many indoor and outdoor areas for students to gather. Any problems with the construction or structural integrity of these areas could cause injuries. Loose or uneven steps could collapse or trip people, causing serious injuries from falls. Especially if you are already injured and rely on crutches, a wheelchair, or a scooter, you could face further injury from dangerous premises.
College campuses are responsible for the students, staff, and faculty, and it is their responsibility to have adequate security to prevent members of the school community from becoming the victims of crime. Thousands of injuries occur each year from students who commit crimes against other students and from others who gain access to campuses with the intent to do harm. Protecting students with adequate security staff, restricted building entry, and emergency call boxes is of vital importance. If colleges fail to uphold this duty, people can get hurt.
As the provider of many goods and services, the school is also likely responsible for many other injuries that could occur. Equipment loaned to students for sports or other activities should be safe. Food served at dining halls and other eateries should be safe for consumption. Safety equipment for science and engineering classes should keep students safe. If any of these kinds of things cause injuries, the college or university may be held responsible.
Suing a College or University for Injuries
If you or a member of your family was injured on a college campus, you may be entitled to sue the college or university for compensation. This may be true not only for students but also for visitors, staff, faculty, sports fans, and others injured on college property.
To get compensation from a lawsuit against the college, you must first prove that the college breached a legal duty it owed you, causing your injuries. Many of the things discussed above deal with the duties colleges and universities owe, including:
- The duty to have their staff drive carefully,
- The duty to have safe premises free of hidden dangers,
- The duty to provide adequate security, and
- The duty to provide reasonably safe products and services.
If the college or university failed to uphold this duty, a court of law can hold them liable for the injuries you faced.
When the court rules against the college, they can order the college to pay you damages as the victim. These can include damages for the medical expenses you faced from the injuries, compensation for any wages you missed because of your injuries (both during recovery or reduced future earnings), and compensation for your pain and suffering.
Suing for injuries may be complicated if the university is state-owned and operated. Many private universities are held accountable for their own failures, but state colleges may be protected by certain laws. Talk to an attorney to discuss whether there are any potential caps or limits on damages or lawsuits and the best way to get compensation for your injuries in your case.
Texas Injury Lawyer for College and University Injuries
If you or someone in your family was hurt while working at, visiting, or attending a college in Texas, talk to our attorneys today. You may be entitled to file a lawsuit for your injuries, which could cover the costs of medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For a free consultation on your case, call the Texas college campus injury attorneys at The Queenan Law Firm today at (817) 476-1797.