Cape Coral, FL asked in Personal Injury, Collections, Juvenile Law and Education Law for Florida

Q: Hi, Who is responsible for my 14 child's medical bills (No Insurance)when he was bit by a rattlesnake inside his school.

I did not have insurance at the time due to a lapse during a job change. I am being sued for $40k in medical bills but I believe the school should be responsible.

3 Lawyer Answers
Stephen Arnold Black
Stephen Arnold Black
Answered
  • Orlando, FL
  • Licensed in Florida

A: A school has a legal duty to make sure their premises is safe for students that attend. If the school was on actual/constructive notice that a rattlesnake was crawling around the property, (and failed to take corrective action), then the school would be liable. This would depend on the unique facts of the case. You should reach out to one of us for possible contingency-fee representation, which means you don’t pay anything, unless you win the case.

Barry W. Kaufman
Barry W. Kaufman
Answered
  • Collections Lawyer
  • Jacksonville, FL
  • Licensed in Florida

A: As between you and the medical providers, you are responsible. The school.district might be liable to you, but the medical providers have no action against the school district. See an attorney.

Tim Akpinar , Terrence H Thorgaard and Charles M. Baron agree with this answer

Tim Akpinar
Tim Akpinar
Answered
  • Little Neck, NY

A: If the school was negligent and you could demonstrate it, they could be liable for the bills. If they do not step up to the plate, it's likely you would need to bring legal action. If you have to file a lawsuit, you're probably looking at very short windows of time to take action (notice of claim requirements - which can be in the order of days). In other words, short filing deadlines to preserve your son's rights in a legal claim. You should consider reaching out to Florida attorney to discuss your options. Most would offer free initial consults in this type of matter. I hope your son is okay. Good luck

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.