‘When a child is in the school district, from the time they get there, the school is responsible for their safety.’ So said attorney Jay Dorsey, who is representing the family of a 14-year-old girl who collapsed and died after a gym teacher refused repeated requests to retrieve her inhaler from her locker.
The family has filed a federal lawsuit against the county board of education, the high school where it happened, and the unnamed gym teacher, charging them with civil rights violations, wrongful death, gross negligence, and negligence in hiring and supervising employees.
Asthma Attack
The incident happened in Montgomery County, Maryland, and Washington’s NBC4 first reported on the lawsuit. According to the suit, Taylor Walton began having an asthma attack during gym class in November 2015, and asked the teacher twice to leave class and get her inhaler:
A third time, Taylor again approached the John Doe Gym Teacher and stated that she was still having severe problems breathing and that she (was) leaving class to get her inhaler … Thereafter, Taylor left the gym class. As Taylor was observed leaving the gymnasium, there were no efforts by Defendant Gym Teacher or other members of the gym staff to accompany her to her locker to help her get her inhaler or to secure her safety.
Taylor was found by another school employee, collapsed on the steps outside the gym. Efforts to revive her by school staff and emergency responders were unsuccessful.
School Board Breach
According to the lawsuit, Taylor had suffered a prior asthma attack in the same gym teacher’s class before, school officials we aware she suffered from asthma, and were required to distribute an “emergency treatment plan” to her teachers. Taylor’s family is seeking $10 million from the Montgomery County Public School district.
“The actions or omissions of the Defendant Board and its staff … breached the duty owed Taylor,” the lawsuit alleges. “Each individual breach by the Board and staff, or in concert with each other, was a substantial factor in proximately causing injury and then death of Taylor.”
Related Resources:
- Find Wrongful Death Lawyers Near You (FindLaw’s Lawyer Directory)
- When Are Schools Liable for Student Injuries? (FindLaw’s Injured)
- How Do You Sue a School District? (FindLaw’s Injured)
- Max Gilpin School Football Death Suit Settles (FindLaw’s Injured)
