AIBU to consider a claim after my child broke his arm?

ThisLemonMaker · 2026-09-24T17:43:21+00:00

My child broke 2 bones in his arm at school last week falling off the monkey bars. He had to have an operation to have metal into the arm. He is going to have bad scaring and will have to go under GA again to have the metal removed. This isn’t the first time children have broken bones on the monkey bars at the school. Do you think I’m being unreasonable to contact a solicitor and make a claim? My thinking is that we won’t know for sure yet if any nerves have been effected and what recovery will look like also if he will be conscious of the scars when older. I have no issues with the school otherwise and don’t wish this to affect my child at school. AIBU?

NeverDropYourMooncup · 25/09/2026 21:13

lanthanum · 24/09/2026 21:28

If there have been multiple accidents, they should hopefully review their risk assessment. They might decide to add mats underneath, or restrict use to the older children, or only let them use it when an adult is directly supervising.

I might ask about the risk assessment for the equipment, but I wouldn't sue (unless, I guess, it turns out that they were going against their existing risk assessment).

What the OP's kid did was he jumped about 12 inches off the ground and landed wonky.

The Risk Assessment can't take into account children who forget what gravity is for when they aren't even on the equipment.

Abstaining · 24/09/2026 22:18

ThisLemonMaker · 24/09/2026 19:05

It wouldn’t be for myself it would be for when my child is 18. My son can’t reach the monkey bars so had to jump to reach and fell.

How old is your child?

Ilmiocompleanno · 24/09/2026 22:12

OP, to successfully bring a claim against someone for an accidental injury, it is generally necessary to show that the injury was caused by that person's negligence, ie broadly that the person failed to take the level of care that it was reasonable to expect of a person in that role. Based on what you've said, it's not immediately obvious that your son's accident was caused by anyone's negligence. What do you think the school should have done that they failed to do?

Pawparazzi · 24/09/2026 22:07

It's 'affected' not: 'effected'.

Createausername1970 · 24/09/2026 22:02

My son fell off the monkey bars too. Broke both bones in his arm.

It was a faff at the time but has not caused any long term issues.

It never crossed my mind to sue the school. Accidents happen,

Timeforachange26 · 24/09/2026 21:55

lanthanum · 24/09/2026 21:28

If there have been multiple accidents, they should hopefully review their risk assessment. They might decide to add mats underneath, or restrict use to the older children, or only let them use it when an adult is directly supervising.

I might ask about the risk assessment for the equipment, but I wouldn't sue (unless, I guess, it turns out that they were going against their existing risk assessment).

The child wasn't even on the bloody monkey bars

I remember messing about on a swing in the park as a kid. Fell and broke arm. My dad told me off for acting like an idiot. He didn't rush to sue the local council

PopcornKitten · 24/09/2026 21:36

unless you have omitted important information you are being very unreasonable. This is a common childhood injury.

lanthanum · 24/09/2026 21:28

If there have been multiple accidents, they should hopefully review their risk assessment. They might decide to add mats underneath, or restrict use to the older children, or only let them use it when an adult is directly supervising.

I might ask about the risk assessment for the equipment, but I wouldn't sue (unless, I guess, it turns out that they were going against their existing risk assessment).

NewNameW · 24/09/2026 21:23

My kids school close down all outdoor activities that isn't just the playground and grass any time someone gets injured. We could be speaking a scraped knee.

This is why, you are why. Your kid jumped and missed something he couldn't reach how is that the schools fault ?

Some kids are shorter than others, fml.

Blinkett · 24/09/2026 21:00

You sound nice OP!

first post nails it.

Bunnybigears · 24/09/2026 20:58

GladysHeeler · 24/09/2026 20:56

Because he’s a poor decision maker whose mother sues his own school when he jumps and breaks his arm. If he gets a job she will probably sue them be there is no room in the fridge for his sandwich and he will have to live on the streets.

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Ah I see what you mean. Maybe a GoFundMe is in order?

GladysHeeler · 24/09/2026 20:56

Bunnybigears · 24/09/2026 20:32

Will he? More than a child that hasn't broken their arm?

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Because he’s a poor decision maker whose mother sues his own school when he jumps and breaks his arm. If he gets a job she will probably sue them be there is no room in the fridge for his sandwich and he will have to live on the streets.

Hellodarknessmyoldpal · 24/09/2026 20:37

Yabu. Very.

Bunnybigears · 24/09/2026 20:32

GladysHeeler · 24/09/2026 20:19

He will need all the help he can get.

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Will he? More than a child that hasn't broken their arm?

Catza · 24/09/2026 20:31

ThisLemonMaker · 24/09/2026 19:05

It wouldn’t be for myself it would be for when my child is 18. My son can’t reach the monkey bars so had to jump to reach and fell.

So what do you sue for here? Monkey bars being too high? Your child being too short?
And are you expecting him to still suffer from this unfortunate incident after he turns 18? Is this going to affect his career or something?

SouthLondonMum22 · 24/09/2026 20:30

ThisLemonMaker · 24/09/2026 19:05

It wouldn’t be for myself it would be for when my child is 18. My son can’t reach the monkey bars so had to jump to reach and fell.

How is that schools fault?

Timeforachange26 · 24/09/2026 20:28

ThisLemonMaker · 24/09/2026 19:05

It wouldn’t be for myself it would be for when my child is 18. My son can’t reach the monkey bars so had to jump to reach and fell.

Well that's his own stupid fault then.

Why does he need money when he's 18 over a ( self inflicted) accident

GladysHeeler · 24/09/2026 20:19

Bunnybigears · 24/09/2026 19:45

Why does he need money at 18 for a broken arm in childhood? Broken arms in childhood are incredibly common and very rarely leave any lasting damage.

He will need all the help he can get.

MatriarchCaz · 24/09/2026 20:18

Cannot believe YABU isn't at 100%
Jeez

Bunnybigears · 24/09/2026 19:45

Why does he need money at 18 for a broken arm in childhood? Broken arms in childhood are incredibly common and very rarely leave any lasting damage.

ThatBlueTurtle · 24/09/2026 19:35

ThisLemonMaker · 24/09/2026 19:05

It wouldn’t be for myself it would be for when my child is 18. My son can’t reach the monkey bars so had to jump to reach and fell.

As the saying goes "where there's blame there's a claim". It seems on this occasion there's no one else to blame. So yes, I would say yabu.

Floppyearedlab · 24/09/2026 19:35

You are joking right?

Will he need long term adaptations that will cost him? An adapted car? Long term care?

No. He will require a few weeks of inconvenience and a bit of (NHS funded) physio.

Imisscoffee2021 · 24/09/2026 19:34

I worked at a place that had a children's playground in, and a dad once tried to sue because his kid had been running fast with his head right down like an anime character, arms at his back. He was looking at the ground and ran into a metal slide. The dad tried to say the slide was sharp somewhere as he split his head, but it was an impact split. Pushed it for ages and wasted so much time and resources before giving up, he was hoping we'd just settle and use insurance or something I think. This was a charitable organisation too. If someone is using equipment improperly it's not grounds to sue usually op.

sunshine244 · 24/09/2026 19:34

I've had one child break a bone at a kids club and one at school. These things happen. Never even passed my mind to consider taking legal action. In fact I took flowers in to staff at the club afterwards as they were so upset by it all.

Matildatoldsuchdreadfullies · 24/09/2026 19:33

My dc (in their twenties) are still mildly annoyed that the monkey bars were out of bounds after a parent complained because their child broke their wrist.

Ironically at the same time my DD broke her arm very badly picking up her friend’s sweater. Perhaps I should’ve sued her friend? Or the school for having sweaters?