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Schools and youth organizations, both local and national, face a wide spectrum of potential lawsuits. These can arise from injuries sustained during activities or on the premises, employee terminations, enrollment or expulsion disputes, and claims based on sexual assault or corporal punishment. Sedgwick has a wealth of experience defending and advising institutions with regards to their potential liability for these claims and their means of resolving them. Special challenges and special opportunities for the resolution of these cases may exist because the claimants are often still children when cases close. Sedgwick’s experience, including the use of structured settlements, enables it to overcome the unique hurdles presented by these cases.

Schools and youth organizations, both local and national, face a wide spectrum of potential lawsuits. These can arise from injuries sustained during activities or on the premises, employee terminations, enrollment or expulsion disputes, and claims based on sexual assault or corporal punishment. Sedgwick has a wealth of experience defending and advising institutions with regards to their potential liability for these claims and their means of resolving them. Special challenges and special opportunities for the resolution of these cases may exist because the claimants are often still children when cases close. Sedgwick’s experience, including the use of structured settlements, enables it to overcome the unique hurdles presented by these cases.

Schools and Preschools

In 1984, the nation was shocked by news reports of accusations that a hundred children had accused day care workers at the McMartin Preschool in Manhattan Beach, California, of sexual abuse. Accusations of sexual abuse in other preschools followed in the wake of the McMartin accusations. In 1984, an association of about 1,000 preschools in California asked Sedgwick to develop a response team to assist preschools in handling accusations of sexual abuse. In the mid- to late 1980s there was a large volume of accusations of sexual molestation of children in preschools by teachers, unpaid volunteers, visitors or other children. Sedgwick has advised or defended such individuals from all such types of accusations. In the course of doing so, Sedgwick attorneys have visited more than 100 schools and preschools to meet with and advise teachers, staff, principals and administrators during police and children’s protective service questioning.

The relationship between schools and preschool associations and Sedgwick has continued for a quarter of a century, even as accusations of sexual misconduct against preschools have vastly diminished. Sedgwick lawyers have offered dozens of seminars at conferences and at other educational programs about the law relating to liability of schools and how to minimize the risk of such suits.

Sedgwick has advised or represented preschools and schools in cases revolving around:

• Wrongful termination of employment due to discrimination or lack of cause.
• Injury claims made by students or visitors on the premises.
• Licensing disputes with public agencies.
• Lost children (usually during or following field trips).
• Sexual abuse of children by employees, volunteers, visitors or other children in the program.
• Corporal punishment of children.
• Enrollment disputes, including Americans with Disabilities Act claims.
• Disputes or expulsion of a child or termination of services due to a child’s behavior or parental behavior.

Youth Organizations

Sedgwick has represented a wide variety of camps, clubs and other youth organizations over the years.

Sedgwick has advised or represented youth organizations in cases such as:

• Claims of wrongful termination of employees.
• Claims arising from injury or death of youth participants.
• Claims arising from injury to adult volunteers.
• Claims relating to property disputes.
• Claims of wrongful expulsion of adult volunteers seeking reinstatement.
• Claims of wrongful expulsion of youth members seeking reinstatement or damages.

Schools and youth organizations, both local and national, face a wide spectrum of potential lawsuits. These can arise from injuries sustained during activities or on the premises, employee terminations, enrollment or expulsion disputes, and claims based on sexual assault or corporal punishment. Sedgwick has a wealth of experience defending and advising institutions with regards to their potential liability for these claims and their means of resolving them. Special challenges and special opportunities for the resolution of these cases may exist because the claimants are often still children when cases close. Sedgwick’s experience, including the use of structured settlements, enables it to overcome the unique hurdles presented by these cases.

Schools and Preschools

In 1984, the nation was shocked by news reports of accusations that a hundred children had accused day care workers at the McMartin Preschool in Manhattan Beach, California, of sexual abuse. Accusations of sexual abuse in other preschools followed in the wake of the McMartin accusations. In 1984, an association of about 1,000 preschools in California asked Sedgwick to develop a response team to assist preschools in handling accusations of sexual abuse. In the mid- to late 1980s there was a large volume of accusations of sexual molestation of children in preschools by teachers, unpaid volunteers, visitors or other children. Sedgwick has advised or defended such individuals from all such types of accusations. In the course of doing so, Sedgwick attorneys have visited more than 100 schools and preschools to meet with and advise teachers, staff, principals and administrators during police and children’s protective service questioning.

The relationship between schools and preschool associations and Sedgwick has continued for a quarter of a century, even as accusations of sexual misconduct against preschools have vastly diminished. Sedgwick lawyers have offered dozens of seminars at conferences and at other educational programs about the law relating to liability of schools and how to minimize the risk of such suits.

Sedgwick has advised or represented preschools and schools in cases revolving around:

• Wrongful termination of employment due to discrimination or lack of cause.
• Injury claims made by students or visitors on the premises.
• Licensing disputes with public agencies.
• Lost children (usually during or following field trips).
• Sexual abuse of children by employees, volunteers, visitors or other children in the program.
• Corporal punishment of children.
• Enrollment disputes, including Americans with Disabilities Act claims.
• Disputes or expulsion of a child or termination of services due to a child’s behavior or parental behavior.

Youth Organizations

Sedgwick has represented a wide variety of camps, clubs and other youth organizations over the years.

Sedgwick has advised or represented youth organizations in cases such as:

• Claims of wrongful termination of employees.
• Claims arising from injury or death of youth participants.
• Claims arising from injury to adult volunteers.
• Claims relating to property disputes.
• Claims of wrongful expulsion of adult volunteers seeking reinstatement.
• Claims of wrongful expulsion of youth members seeking reinstatement or damages.