A student whose complaint to school officials about being bullied fell on deaf ears, is now suing those officials as the bullying grew violent and the attack left him with severe injuries, as reported by the News Telegram from Des Moines, Iowa.
The Iowa school district, several of its administrators and a school football coach are all named as defendants in a personal injury lawsuit filed by the teenager and his grandmother.
The grandmother is the teen's legal guardian. Neither the boy nor his grandmother are identified by the press for their own protection.
The suit was filed in Des Moines Federal Court on March 29. It is alleged that Bedford high school officials knew of the bullying but ignored the teen's pleas for help.
During a fall football practice the boy, 16 at the time, was attacked. The incident left him with a severe brain injury and permanently disabled.
The suit states that the school officials, "would tell him that they would look into the allegation or directed (him) to tell another teacher or coach or that they didn't want to be bothered and walk away."
It is alleged in the lawsuit that during a football practice the teen was repeatedly struck with footballs tossed from a six-foot distance while he stood on the sidelines. The blows landed largely on the back of the teen's head.
The teen asked the others to stop, and when they failed to, he went to coach R.M. for assistance.
Coach R.M. allegedly told the teen that he would look into it but he was sure, according to the suit, that the other boys did not intend to cause him harm.
Eight days after the attack the teen developed headaches, speech problems and began to notice a paralysis on the left side of his body. He entered a local hospital and was soon transferred to Children's Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha, Nebraska.
The suit states that following the attack the teen suffers with physical, emotional, neurological and cognitive problems – permanent problems. The suit states that because the teen is "permanently and totally disabled" they are seeking damages for past and future medical bills, pain and suffering, loss of full mind and body, and loss of earning capacity.
A trial by jury is also sought.
Thomas Slater, the teen's Des Moines-based attorney, said, "He is, we believe, clearly going to suffer the long-term effects of what is a serious traumatic brain injury from this."
The teen has since returned home from the hospital.
The defendants named in the suit include the Bedford Community School District, Superintendent J.D.; Bedford High School Principal D.N.; the district's dean of students and special services coordinator, D.B.; and coach R.M.
On April 1 Superintendent J.D. stated that all of the district's students are provided with a safe and civil school atmosphere "in which all members of the school community are treated with dignity and respect."
Being bullied and beaten at school becomes a personal injury lawsuit if the responsible parties failed to protect a student from harm. If you or someone you love has been injured contact a personal injury lawyer to file your lawsuit!