Knocked front teeth out at school

[ChrissieKeller61]

So I’ll try and keep this brief.
Child was playing on a raised platform, bit like decking in the absolute pouring rain. There was actually a sever weather warning that day.
So he falls. I get a phone call to pick him up and am handed his front teeth shorn off. Adult teeth.
We’ve had NHS treatment and they’ve capped them with composite filling. But he’s in on going pain. And this solution is temporary. Long term he’ll need veneers maybe even implants.

This going to be an ongoing cost for the rest of his life.
A few friends have suggested we see a solicitor. But who am I claiming against the local authority?

it's outside play.
part of learning is how the outside changes in different weather conditions. i.e. surfaces might become slippery when wet.
it's an accident. could have happened anywhere even on the way home under your supervision. even if dc falls off the sofa whilst watching tv.

I hope your dc recovers soon and that the repair goes smoothly.

and I would be pissed off if the school lets dc spend school breaks inside because of the weather (unless there is a danger of trees being knocked over due to high winds).
outside play is so important for physical and mental health of children.

That's a bit a of leap between somebody dying whilst working for a mining company and a kid knocking a couple of teeth out.

If it had been a staff member that had a simple accident, they might have got a couple of half days off to see the NHS dentist at their own expense, the absence being covered by the head or deputy.

In that case, I think you should go back to the school. They will have insurance. Given the pages of risk assessments that are done for anything the children do these days, and given the number of people on this thread alone talking about how slippery decking is when wet, a reasonable person would conclude is wasn't safe in the conditions you describe and therefore there may be a negligence claim possible. But you need legal advice.

Accidents do happen, but I think there is a argument that wilfully ignoring children playing on a dangerous, slippery surface (in a a school where playground equipment would have to have been risk assessed regularly) is verging on negligence. As I have said upthread, in our primary school, children are banned from the decking and wooden playground equipment in wet and icy weather, because it is known to be a risk - and playground staff police the rule.

I hope your son's teeth are sorted out for him and he's not in too much pain for much longer.

@UnexpectedItemInTheShaggingAre
Unfortunately the provision of dental care is really patchy now. My dgc had an NHS dentist who kept cancelling appts. After 2 years they said they were going private.
My ds could only find private dentistry in his area and because my dgc had missed 2 years appts he needed a tiny filling.
I took him, he's 7, it took 15 minutes, no injections etc.
£108.
His initial check up had been paid for separately.

£108 for something simple. Imagine two front teeth implants. You are talking thousands.

It's not about outdoor play. It's about letting children play on unsafe equipment, due to weather conditions. Our wooden equipment is out of bounds when wet or icy. Children know that,or if they are unsure they ask. There's always a member of staff near it to make sure they get told as soon as they go out.

I wonder if posters are being so flippant because "he just knocked a couple of teeth".

Sorry your child has had this happen. I did the same to my front teeth aged 9 in a playground. Be reassured the teeth will look fine. I had veneers for 20yrs and then crowns put on. My concern is the ongoing pain - this needs sorting ASAP and should be happening. I don't think you're unreasonable in wanting the compensation - I had to have my crowns done privately and they cost me £650 per tooth 8 yrs ago.

I think because my children and I both have lovely teeth they are always complimented on and mine are going downhill I’m probably extra conscious but I mentioned the mining accident and it was an accident because ex broke his neck at school falling off something. Got up brushed himself down and carried on. Woke up at uni 10 years later paralysife from the neck down. 2 years of rehab to learn to walk, degree out of the window. No option by that point to sue anyone as the three years had passed. Kinda wish ex MIL had looked into it.

I struggle to see how decking which is 12 inches off the ground is very dangerous? Where did all the leaves come from, it was late January? DSs (6) school has a high slide and climbing frame which has an open area at the top where the children could fall and the height would be about 8 ft. That to me is dangerous if unsupervised. Will be asking Ht about it

I don't think you're unreasonable asking them to contribute to the cost.

Over a lifetime that is going to be ££££ and a lot of appointments and pain/discomfort.

Those who say implants/veneers are not problem on this thread, it's because you're still young.
Ask someone in their 40s/50s and older who has the above. That's the age where the gums are receding and the bone is thinning, that's when implants and veneers cause problems/infections.

The school will be insured, definitely get the compensation for this.

I would be heart-broken if a child of mine lost their front adult teeth, it's permanent, they don't heal or re-grow, the child will have ongoing expensive maintenance and problems with them.

Even as a lawyer cases like this annoy me. Make a claim against their insurance instead.

If I lost a tooth at work because of an unsuitable floor surface I would put a claim in. And they would have to pay it. I know they have paid for similar accidents before.

The OP is not of this world.

Awaiting “my poor child (23) sprained his wrist at school” thread.
Get in the real world !!!!

My post is in the primary school section. If it’s still at primary school at 23 I’ll put it out of its misery myself.

In the real world people claim against third party insurance every day for accidents.

In the real world people claim for all kinds of accidents for themselves or their belongings. That's why most places/businesses have insurance. That's why schools have insurance.

OP re your ex - the limitation period would have started when he turned 18, not from when the accident happened.

Well nobody knew that at the time this was the late 80’s @ LetsAskaRobot

French your GC did not require a filling because they had not been to the dentist for two years,they required a filling because their teeth had not been cleaned properly and/or their diet contained too much sugar.