I fell badly on a dodgy piece of paving at school and they haven'y even apologised.

[ExLondonite]

I'm not a 'pick up the phone and call injury lawyers r us' sort of person, but this really peed me off!!!
To set the scene ... rainy, early evening. I'm late for pick-up, it's dark - before the clocks went back. I'm running because my 7 yr old is going to bollock me for being kept waiting, I leap over a puddle onto 'paving' . 'Paving' is in inverted commas, because 'paving' was actually a very slippery (like ice-slippery) wooden sleeper that 'trims' the side of the length of the pavement. I end up doing a comedy, whole body in the air, landing on my side, in a puddle, car keys flying out of my hand fall. A nice, young guy in his twenties walking past offers me a hand and picks up my keys for me, I'm trying to recalibrate and know something's happened to my knee, a lovely mum I know comes running over and tells me she's mentioned the wooden sleepers to the headmistress ... so I arrive at school entrance limping, my suede coat dripping and feeling like I'm stupidly about to cry!
The first person that sees me is the headmistress who looks suitably sympathetic and tells me she's going to fill in an accident report form. I warn her about the wooden sleepers - they're truly dangerous. And it's great, the next day there's an email warning all parents about them, signs go up, and three days later the metal plates are put on top of the sleepers.
Eight weeks later, after a twisted knee and realigned sacroiliac joint, signed off by my chiropractor, I'm okay but feeling totally peed off. Why should I have to pay for these sessions, couldn't they at least have paid for my dry cleaning and said 'sorry' , an 'are you okay; email wouldn't have gone amiss. I know we now live in a libellous society, but it all felt so wrong.
I called the school and asked them to pay for my four chiropractic sessions. I felt almost fraud-like asking them to do this. I felt like a grabby, faker and very even worse when the accounts dept sent me an email saying 'accidents do happen', no, they wouldn't pay for my chiropractic sessions, their insurance wouldn't cover it and they were glad I felt better. ARGH!!! Just so you know, I've never done this before - claimed for an accident, I have had 3 children at the school - and...and ... argh!
So, I'm left with the sad, realisation - which has probably always been the case with some schools - that they are, after all, businesses, company policy comes in front of all the moral values they say they teach our children - compassion, kindness, respect for others ..and I'm just lucky I came out of it unscathed, but massively peed off/let down/rather sad/disillusioned/peed off etc.

[escapedfrommordor]

Is this for real? Are people actually like this...?

[MovingOnUpMovingOnOut]

How's the coat doing? Will it live? 💉

[steff13]

When you say "wooden sleeper," do you mean a railroad tie? Because yeah, those get slippery in the rain.

You were running and jumping in the rain. That's not the school's fault. You shouldn't have been jumping at all, you shouldn't have been jumping onto a railroad tie, and who wears a suede coat in the rain?

[Teddy1970]

I'm sorry you've hurt yourself, but running in the dark when it's raining usually doesn't end well, and I certainly wouldn't expect the school to foot the bill for something that was my fault. Even the teachers at school are always telling the kids to walk not run! I hope you feel better soon.

[LordoftheTits]

It's unfortunate but these things happen. I went over on a cobble in Paris last September and fractured my ankle. It has never been the same since, and is actually very sore today after a week's walking holiday.

I had to take time out of work to get it xrayed when we came home, I had to lose money and stop going to (pre-paid) bootcamp classes entirely because the jumping bothered it and I currently can't wear half of my shoes. All my own fault - I should have looked where I was going.

[Imaginosity]

People successfully claim for all sorts of things - it's amazing. Not sure if it's easier to claim here in Ireland

m.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/psychiatric-nurse-awarded-130000-after-weetabix-boxes-fell-on-her-during-tesco-shopping-trip-31019733.html

m.independent.ie/irish-news/courts/woman-gets-75000-for-slip-at-shopping-centre-34487632.html

[LarryStylison]

Maybe you should complain to God for his series of unfortunate events?

[peacheshoney]

I'm running because my 7 yr old is going to bollock me for being kept waiting

I think your 7 year old needs to learn who is the parent and who is the child!

[Kr1stina]

Yes, the law in Ireland is different from England

[wasonthelist]

Yabu. For the poster asking if a railway sleeper means a railroad tie - no it's a railway sleeper.

[mouldycheesefan]

You asked the school to pay for your chiropractor because you chose to run on a slippy surface in the dark and consequently fell over? You took this risk because you thought your seven year old would be cross if you arrived later all be it safely? Your risk assessment skills and decision making need some work. But your letter asking for them to pay for your chiro will make a hilarious addition to the staff room notice board.

[Penfold007]

Ouch!!! that's sounds painful, I hope you are making a good recovery. Do you have household contents insurance or car insurance with legal cover? If you do it's worth having a chat with the legal helpline most insurance companies offer.
in my opinion by sending out the take care email and carrying out the adaptions to the sleepers the school are admitting that there was an issue. The HT saying that their insurance won't cover any claim is ridiculous, not their place to make a decision for the insurance company.

If you want to pursue a claim then take advice, have a clear idea of what you want to claim for such as medical bills, specialist dry cleaning, loss of earnings etc. The school like any other public place has to carry Public Liability Insurance. You may not have a claim but no harm in seeking advice.

[Floggingmolly]

A railroad tie and a railway sleeper are different names for the same thing, wasonthelist

[wasonthelist]

Penfold - and this is why so many voluntary events can't get insured or people don't want to run them. Insurance becomes expensive or unobtainable and people are worried about being sued.

[Floggingmolly]

Why do you think the school should apologise, op (never mind pay any bills incurred) because you went arse over tit running on a slippery surface?
They haven't actually paved the paths with railway sleepers leaving you with no actual path to walk on, have they?

[annoyedofnorwich]

Oh manage to learn your own risk and get on with it. Sure you probably do have a 'claim' but really?

[MaddyHatter]

sorry your loss!

I fell over on the school playground after stepping on some uneven play area edging and turning my ankle.

I ended up with a severe sprain that i can assure you took A LOT longer than 8 weeks to heal.. i did it in April and was still in a support bandage 6mo later.

Never even occurred to me to sue the school.. my own fault for not watching where i was putting my feet!

[annoyedofnorwich]

I meant learn to manage your own risk... but fingers failed to keep up with brain!

[PresidentCJCregg]

You fell over! Shit happens

[Penfold007]

wasonthelist its a great shame PL insurance is so expensive but it needs to be in place and if an event organising team can't budget for it then the event shouldn't go ahead. Before you flame me I am involved in organising charity events and PLI has to be factored in along with robust risk assessments.

[thebestfurchinchilla]

I don't think you can blame the school for an accident like that. It would make you look quite unreasonable too which you don't want if your DC are to remain at this school. Accidents happen, there doesn't always have to be claim involved. Tarmac playgrounds are slippy when it rains, children learn this, you are an adult and should know already.

[Janeymoo50]

Running and leaping in the dark and rain = accident waiting to happen.

Not all accidents need to be "blamed" on someone in order to get money.

[NattyNatural]

Yes YABU for wearing a suede coat

[YorkieDorkie]

Silence... where is OP?

[Blatherskite]

Sounds like the accident was your own fault tbh