School abuse is an alarming and heartbreaking issue that can have lasting emotional, psychological, and physical consequences for children. As a parent or guardian, it can be difficult to know when to seek legal assistance after discovering that a child has been mistreated in a school setting. If you suspect your child has been abused at school, take action now.
Don’t wait for the situation to escalate. An experienced Las Vegas school abuse lawyer can guide you through the legal process and hold the school accountable. Schedule a free consultation today to pursue the justice your child deserves.
How to Recognize School Abuse
School abuse can take many forms. Understanding these various forms of abuse is key to recognizing when a child may be subjected to harmful conditions.
Common types of school abuse include:
- Physical abuse: The use of excessive/unwarranted force to restrain or any form of intentional physical harm inflicted on a child by a teacher, staff member, or even, in some cases, another student.
- Neglect: Occurs when a school fails to meet a child’s basic needs, such as adequate food, medical care, or supervision. It can also include failing to meet the educational needs of students, especially those with disabilities.
- Verbal abuse: Includes bullying, name-calling, humiliation, threats, and other forms of verbal mistreatment that can negatively affect a child’s mental health and self-esteem.
- Sexual abuse: Ranges from inappropriate touching to online harassment. It can be perpetrated by teachers, school staff, or other students.
- Psychological abuse: Includes actions that cause long-term harm to a child’s mental or emotional well-being, such as threats, humiliation, excessive yelling, and constant put-downs by staff or peers.
In most cases, schools can be held accountable when such abuses occur. Holding schools accountable can be transformative for a student’s future, and also helps prevent future abuse.
What if My Child Suffered From Physical Abuse at School?
It is urgent that you act when you discover that your child is being physically abused at school. In Las Vegas, you can report suspected child abuse to the Clark County Child Protective Services (CPS) and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
The police department has an abuse and neglect division that focuses on the criminal investigation of child abuse, neglect, elder abuse, and exploitation. When you contact the police, they may file their own report. To keep your legal options open, you may want to document specific details about the abuse for yourself as well.
Your documentation will be an essential resource for your legal team should you choose to seek justice and monetary compensation. Key ways to document physical abuse include taking clear photographs of injuries, keeping a detailed journal of incidents, and seeking medical attention for official records.
Types of physical injury that students can suffer at school include:
- A sprain or dislocation
- Damage to cartilage
- A fracture of a bone or the skull
- An intracranial hemorrhage or injury to another internal organ
- A burn or scalding
- A cut, laceration, puncture, or bite
- Permanent or temporary disfigurement of the body
- Loss or impairment of a part or organ of the body
Once you have notified the appropriate authorities, contact a Las Vegas school injury lawyer. Even if you’re not ready to contact an attorney, retain your documentation.
How Can I Protect My Child From Emotional Trauma at School?
The effects of school abuse often go beyond physical injury. There are signs of psychological or emotional trauma to look for, including depression, anxiety, changes in behavior, or withdrawal from school or social activities. When a child’s mental health or behavior is significantly harmed, affecting their ability to function normally, that is considered emotional abuse.
You should report school abuse that has caused your child mental injury to the authorities. You should also immediately remove your child from the care of that school. Parents have also found professional counseling to be a valuable resource for children who have endured abuse, with payments often covered as part of financial compensation recovered through legal action.
Once your child is safe, our team of Las Vegas school abuse attorneys can help you hold the responsible parties accountable.
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What if My Child’s Safety Is Threatened at School?
Verbal assault, threats, and bullying at school can lead to serious damage to a child’s emotional well-being. Behaviors such as harassment and discrimination can create a hostile environment where the school no longer feels safe for a child.
The Nevada Department of Education describes bullying as:
- Repeated or pervasive taunting, name-calling, belittling, mocking, or use of put-downs or demeaning humor.
- Behavior that is intended to harm another person by damaging or manipulating their relationships with others, such as spreading false rumors.
- Repeated or pervasive nonverbal threats or intimidation such as the use of aggressive, menacing, or disrespectful gestures.
- Threats of harm to a person, to their possessions, or to other persons.
- Blackmail, extortion, or demands for protection money, or involuntary loans or donations.
- Blocking access to any property or facility of a school.
- Stalking.
If you believe your child is being threatened, you can seek legal advice on measures to take for your child’s safety.
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How Do I Recognize Educational Rights Violations?
Under federal law, specifically the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), schools are required to provide appropriate accommodations to students with disabilities, including an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), to ensure equal access to education.
The IEP outlines the educational needs of the student and provides a customized strategy to address those needs, ensuring they receive a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). When schools fail to implement or deny these accommodations, it can result in significant educational and emotional harm, and the school may be held legally accountable.
If your child’s educational rights are being violated, such as by failing to accommodate their disabilities, a school abuse lawyer can help you deal with the legal system. Our team brings experience in approaching the legal complexities involved in these cases, especially Las Vegas cases for children with disabilities, and we have the experience and resources to stand up to powerful institutions like school districts.
What if the School Is Not Taking Action?
If your child is experiencing verbal assault, threats, or bullying at school, you should report it to the school administration. The Nevada Department of Education requires that schools develop safety plans when bullying is reported. The school may also take disciplinary actions and create plans to support your child’s physical or emotional recovery.
You may also request that your child be placed at another school within your district. The specifics of the schools’ legal responsibilities can vary from case to case.
The department also allows you to appeal plans or decisions made by the school with the school district if you do not agree with them. If you have appealed through your school district but you still do not agree with the decision, you can then appeal through the department’s Office for a Safe and Respectful Learning Environment.
When you make a report about abuse and feel it is not being investigated properly, adequate protection is not being given to your child, or the agreed-upon safety measures are not being enforced, by the school or school district, it may be necessary to seek legal assistance. An experienced school abuse lawyer can help you hold schools and school districts responsible.
Contacting a Las Vegas School Abuse Lawyer
Las Vegas school abuse lawyers play a critical role in advocating for children’s rights and ensuring that those responsible for the abuse are held accountable. In school abuse cases, legal action may include filing a personal injury lawsuit, pursuing compensation for compensatory damages, or seeking punitive damages for the harm caused by the abuse.
You may be ready to contact a school abuse lawyer as a next step if you are approaching or currently taking one of the following actions:
- Investigation and evidence gathering: A school abuse lawyer may be helpful in analyzing the abuse, and gathering witness statements, medical records, and other evidence.
- Advocacy and negotiation: A school abuse lawyer can negotiate with the school district, law enforcement, or insurance companies, in addition to helping recover financial compensation for medical treatment, therapy, and emotional harm.
- Litigation and lawsuit: If necessary, a school abuse lawyer can represent your child’s interests in a lawsuit filed against the school or abuser.
Accountability for schools and school districts that do not do enough to protect students not only brings justice to those who have been harmed but also creates a powerful incentive for school districts to improve their policies, making schools safer for all future students. If you’re ready to take the first step toward justice, contact our team of Las Vegas school abuse lawyers today.
How Much Does a Las Vegas School Abuse Lawyer Cost?
The process of hiring a Las Vegas school abuse lawyer may vary depending on the specifics of your case. Our team of experienced Las Vegas school abuse lawyers works on a contingency basis. This means our services are free until we win for you.
We are here to help you take the right steps to obtain the financial relief you deserve, without having to worry about legal fees you can’t afford. If we fail to win your case, you won’t owe us anything and the fee we collect if we win is taken directly from the money we recover, meaning you never pay any money out of pocket.
Pursuing Legal Action
If your child was abused in a school setting, acting quickly can help prevent further harm and support your child’s recovery. A skilled school abuse lawyer can provide the legal knowledge necessary to deal with the legal system and hold the responsible parties accountable for their actions.
Don’t hesitate to reach out to the team at Arias Sanguinetti today. The sooner you take action, the sooner you can help protect your child’s well-being and seek justice. We have recovered over $1.5 billion in damages for our clients.
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