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Original poster

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

95 replies

ThisLemonMaker · 24/09/2026 18:43

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?

OP posts:
GardenCovent · 24/09/2026 18:45

And this is everything that is wrong in society.

Smallpoxy · 24/09/2026 18:45

Accidents happen. Next question.

SoSoLong · 24/09/2026 18:53

Was the school negligent in any way? Was the equipment poorly maintained? Was the child unsupervised beyond what is normally expected in a playground? Or was it just an unfortunate accident?

ReallyIsThisStillGoingOn · 24/09/2026 18:55

Don't be a dick. This sort of thing will make schools stop letting children play outside at all.

SmokeAllamaDrama · 24/09/2026 18:55

YABVU

SeptemberSunshineWins · 24/09/2026 18:55

🙄

Bunnybigears · 24/09/2026 18:56

Was the equipment broken? Were the children allowed to play with it in an inappropriate way? Was the surface below the equipment poorly maintained? If it was simply an accident and no negligence involved im not sure what your claim would be for?

Sirzy · 24/09/2026 18:57

Risky play is good for children and should be encouraged (within reasonable risk level of course) Unfortunately that does mean there is the risk that sometimes injury will occur.

there is nothing in your post to suggest that school were neglectful or the equipment was unsuitable.

WellThatIsABitMad · 24/09/2026 18:57

Crazy. But it might be worth a sensible conversation with them about whether they would consider removing the monkey bars if serious falls from them have already happened.

plims · 24/09/2026 18:57

How awful to want to financially gain from a child’s accident. It’s shameful.

Passaggressfedup · 24/09/2026 18:58

If it happened in a playground, who would you sue? Maybe the NHS should sue parents when they don't supervise their kids properly too?

beaglescurleduplikebagels · 24/09/2026 18:59

Ridiculous.

labradorservant · 24/09/2026 18:59

What value are putting on this injury. Was he going to be an Olympic shot putter and won’t be now. Or a top model. Can only sue for losses incurred.

RawEdges · 24/09/2026 19:01

I broke my ankle in a hotel last year because of a stupid poorly designed step. The recovery was long and painful. Never occurred to me to sue. I am older, so from a different mindset perhaps.

Offherrockingchair · 24/09/2026 19:01

I think it’s a lot more nuanced than some posters are suggesting. If there was any negligence then a claim could be perfectly reasonable. The school won’t lose out. They’ll be insured for something like this. More detail needed really.

Slawbans · 24/09/2026 19:02

What is your loss here? People usually get payouts when they suffer financial loss. So unless his hand modelling career is seriously affected, I can’t see what exactly you would be expecting compensation for.

Shame on you for even thinking it.

TruffleSlinky · 24/09/2026 19:04

Offherrockingchair · 24/09/2026 19:01

I think it’s a lot more nuanced than some posters are suggesting. If there was any negligence then a claim could be perfectly reasonable. The school won’t lose out. They’ll be insured for something like this. More detail needed really.

The school will lose out indirectly. The more ridiculous claims like this there are, the harder / more expensive it will be for them to get insurance.

Wizardonabroom · 24/09/2026 19:04

GardenCovent · 24/09/2026 18:45

And this is everything that is wrong in society.

Completely agree. If this had happened in a play area outside of school you wouldn't sue and you wouldn't know it had happened before. Absolutely disgraceful targeting a school which (assuming not an independent school) uses public funds to educate children, reducing it's ability to hire good teachers, support trips, buy resources, pay bills etc. By all means ask if they are going to update the risk assessment but accidents happen and that is part of life.

StarPyjamas · 24/09/2026 19:04

As long as the monkey bars were well maintained, I don’t understand why you want money for a fairly common but unfortunate childhood accident?

TeenLifeMum · 24/09/2026 19:05

my cousin got a big payout and free private dental for life when she slipped on a wet floor in McDonald’s back in the 1990s. However, they admitted fault due to negligence (no signs up and wrong products used making it more slippery than just water).

If equipment was faulty or the injury was exacerbated by delay in care then you may have a point. If it’s a standard accident, child injured, school acted appropriately, then no, you have no case.

Original poster
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.

OP posts:
allthemind · 24/09/2026 19:06

Oh ffs

Binnyforthewin · 24/09/2026 19:07

Are you American?

GardenCovent · 24/09/2026 19:08

So it’s your sons over confidence that caused the accident?

wigglycactus · 24/09/2026 19:08

My child broke their wrist falling from the monkey bars at school. They had to have a metal pin inserted (and removed) and missed a few days of school etc. They do have scarring. It literally not once crossed my mind to think about suing the school over this. You absolutely would be that parent and your relationship with the school would be tarnished by something like this.