MUNICIPAL LAW: Superior Court awards $1.01 million for student eye injury

The plaintiff was a student at the nursing academy at Hartford High School and was walking to science class when the lights turned off and another student threw a bottle that struck the plaintiff in the face.  The plaintiff alleged negligent supervision against the Hartford Board of Education and the City of Hartford.  The Superior Court finds that the plaintiff was an identifiable victim subject to imminent harm.  The court holds that the danger could have been reduced by covering the light switches so that students could not turn them off.  Although there were two or three teachers in the hallway, none were near the light switches.  The student reportedly used a fingernail to shut the lights off.

The court concluded that security personnel, teachers and school workers did not provide adequate supervision and breached their duty to keep the plaintiff safe.  The court awarded economic damages of $14,226.00 and non-economic damages of $1 million.  The plaintiff’s right eye vision was reduced from 20/20 to 20/400 and she reportedly developed a lazy eyelid and difficulty with peripheral vision and night driving.

Mahon v. City of Hartford, February 1, 2016