Personal Injury Law

Mom Files Maryland Injuries to a Child Lawsuit Against Baltimore County School System for Failing to Protect Her Daughter from Bullies

By Jack Lebowitz, Esq. and Vadim Mzhen, Esq.

Michele Benbow is suing the Baltimore County school system for $600,000. In her Maryland injuries to a minor complaint, she claims that Franklin Middle School?s principal and other employees failed to stop bullies from antagonizing her daughter, who is a seventh grader.

Benbow says that school bullies verbally abused and physically assaulted her daughter and even harassed her online. The bullying has been an issue for two years now.

Benbow says that on one occasion, the bullies even shoved her daughter down a flight of stairs. Following the incident, she says the school nurse told her that her daughter?s foot wasn?t broken. However, a pediatrician that examined her daughter said that her foot was in fact broken.

Bullying
Bullying is harmful and can cause serious physical and emotional injuries to victims. No one wants to live in fear that they are going to be verbally abused or physically assaulted by their classmates. Unfortunately, bullies can be found in schools across the US. It is the responsibility of school officials to have a no tolerance policy against bullying.

In Maryland this week, school districts are observing Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week to address this problem. The activities and discussions taking place this week come in the wake of recent high-profile bullying incidents in Baltimore and elsewhere in the US. During the 2007-2008 academic school year, 1,257 students were suspended for bullying in Maryland.

Bullying can terrorize the victim who is at risk of sustaining physical injuries and emotional injuries. In some cases, the effects of bullying can be so severe that students have been known to commit suicide.

Just recently, our Maryland Accident Law Blog posted a story about a 9-year-old who tried to hang himself because he could no longer tolerate being bullied. His grandmother is suing the Baltimore Public School system for $10 million.

Baltimore County Mom Files Lawsuit Over Bullying, WJZ, May 25, 2010

$10 Million Baltimore Personal Injury Lawsuit Seeks Damages for 9-Year-Old Who Attempted to Hang Himself After Alleged Bullying, Maryland Accident Law Blog, May 3, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Maryland Bullying Awareness and Prevention Week, Office of Governor Martin O'Malley

Stop Bullying Now

Full post as published by Maryland Accident Law Blog on May 27, 2010 (boomark / email).