Accident injury news
19/02/2009

Snowball school warned of personal injury claims

The Scotsman has reported on the fact that snowball fights in Scottish primary schools are being examined as a potential source of personal injury claims, after one school partially raised its ban on the winter game.

The Aberdeenshire primary school received an avalanche of requests to be allowed to throw snowballs despite the ban that was brought in years ago to avoid accident injury and potential compensation claims being made by the area's no win, no fee solicitors.

As a compromise, the school set up a 'zone' in which snowballs could be thrown, and warned its pupils that they could only have their snowball fights in this area, in an attempt to allow fun while minimising risk. The head teacher commented, "It looked like the whole school was in the zone when I went past."

A local personal injury lawyer has warned, however, that the school has a duty of care to its pupils, and that the 'zone' is a tacit encouragement of the pupils to throw snowballs. If, he argues, an accident injury occurs, the school may find it is liable in a personal injury claim.