Top Personal Injury Lawyer Houston TX

Top Personal Injury Lawyer Houston TX

National statistics show that almost 30 percent of children in the United States – almost six million – are involved in bullying, either as a target of bullying, as the bully, or both. One recent survey revealed that 13 percent of students in grades six through 10 admitted to bullying others, 11 percent said they were targets of bullying, and six percent said they had both been a victim of bullying and had bullied others. Many of these kids live right here in Texas. If your child has been a victim of bullying, you may be able to take legal action. A personal injury lawyer Houston TX clients recommend can help.

The Impact of Bullying

The impact of the bullying has a significant impact on the students personal and educational lives, as children who were found to be the victims of this harassment were more likely to skip school to avoid their abusers, and 32 percent of victims self-mutilated or harmed themselves in some way, as opposed to 13 percent of non-bullied children who self-mutilated. The obvious physical, emotional, and psychological effect of bullying on children has been significant and is a widespread practice. In the past, it was assumed that the “mean girls” would always be present in high school, and that high school torment was a basic rite of passage. However, the law has been stepping in, and creating a duty of the public schools to stop the bullying and harassment among its students.

Texas Anti-Bullying Laws

Texas enacted an anti-bullying law in 2017. This law also prohibits cyberbullying. The law defines bullying as:

“A single significant act or a pattern of acts by one or more students directed at another student that exploits an imbalance of power and involves engaging in written or verbal expression, expression through electronic means, or physical conduct . . .”

Cyberbullying is defined as:

“Bullying that is done through the use of any electronic communication device, including through the use of a cellular or other type of telephone, a computer, a camera, electronic mail, instant messaging, text messaging, a social media application, an Internet website, or any other Internet-based communication tool.”

A personal injury lawyer Houston, TX parents trust knows that Texas bullying laws also require schools to have certain elements in place. There must be statements that prohibit bullying and retaliation issued by the school. The school must also have procedures in place to notify the parents of both the victim and the bully, and reporting and investigating the incident(s).

The school should also provide information to students regarding what action they should take to get assistance against the bully, as well as where they can obtain counseling.

Schools may be held liable for the injury or death of a bullied victim when the following factors are available:

• The school had a duty to provide a safe school environment for its students.
• The school knew or had reason to know that the student was being bullied or harassed.
• It was foreseeable that there would be further bullying and harassment of the student.
• The school did not take reasonable steps to prevent further bullying of the student.

Call Our Firm for Help

If your child has been injured on school grounds, either due to bullying or due to poorly maintained facilities, you want the top personal injury lawyer in Houston TX advocating for your family. Call John K. Zaid & Associates to schedule a free and confidential consultation to find out how we can help.