It goes without saying that the most important job of any parent is to keep their children safe. Today it seems this seemingly natural goal is becoming increasingly difficult. Parents are constantly faced with the charge of protecting their offspring from new and developing threats. In the spirit of that protection, parents often leave their children with individuals whom they hope will keep them safe. However, this is not always the case.
Liability of Employers for Not Protecting Children
Child molestation is a serious crime and is treated as such by the attorneys charged with prosecuting the alleged molesters. However, if the molestation occurs at a school or a summer camp, the owners of the institution employing the molester may be liable if they knew or had reason to know the individual was dangerous. The Las Vegas Review Journal reported on just such a case involving the Clark County School District. In November of 2008 Jeremiah Mazo, a music teacher, was arrested on charges of molesting students. The case was eventually dismissed, and the school district rehired Mazo. Then, Mazo was arrested on similar charges in April of 2015. Although he faced up to 32 counts of child molestation, he eventually pled to three other counts of attempted lewdness. The Judge sentenced him to up to 60 years in prison.
Today, the school district faces a civil lawsuit. The basis of the lawsuit stems from the school district’s inability to protect students. Although the district was unable to fire Mazo, the suit alleges the district needed to “move him to a position where he had no access to children,” or at least reduced access. Although this doesn’t seem like a typical personal injury case, the charges filed against the school district are. The school district in this case is being charged with negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress. According to 8 Las Vegas Now the parents allege the district had a “duty to warn them and other parents” of Mazo’s danger, and breaching that duty resulted in injury to their children.
Other Examples of Liability
Other schools have faced similar suits, such as the Kamehameha School in Hawaii. The Las Vegas Sun reported the plaintiffs were victims of molestation by a psychiatrist at the school. The school allegedly knew about the allegations for years, but never investigated any of them. In a similar case, KATC 3 News reported on a suit filed by a parent against a teacher and school for the molestation of her child. The parent alleges the molestation caused mental and emotional distress, and seeks damages for pain and suffering, as well as mental anguish.
If your child was the victim of molestation, or any negligence, you may be able to file a personal injury suit. The injury suffered by you and your child should not go without justice. If a school system failed to adequately protect the interests of you and your child you can file a claim for the physical and emotional trauma your child has suffered. To file your suit you should seek the counsel of a licensed Nevada personal injury attorney.