Alaska Judge OKs $275K Settlement to Boy Injured During P.E.

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An Alaska judge has approved a $275,000 payout to the family of a boy permanently injured during a physical education class at a Juneau elementary school.

The settlement was approved Monday between the Juneau School District and the family of the fourth-grader at Harborview Elementary who was hit in the face by a soccer ball in 2016, KTOO Public Media in Juneau reported .

The boy received a concussion and was permanently blinded in one eye, according to court documents. The family filed the lawsuit in February alleging the teacher lacked sufficient training, making the school district negligent.

“The settlement is the product of a negotiation and compromise between the parties,” said Matt Singer, the family’s attorney. “The case involved an unfortunate and significant injury and we think it reflects a fair compromise for both parties.”

The school district and the city and borough of Juneau do not admit any wrongdoing in the settlement, said Clay Keene, the district’s attorney.

“The Juneau School District admits no fault, there was no fault,” Keene said. “The decision to settle this matter was a business decision on the part of the district and the CBJ.”

The city’s insurance will cover all costs above $250,000 in the case. The city has spent about $105,000 in legal costs for the case since last year.

“I don’t know of another claim like this that’s happened for some time with the city or the school district,” said Jennifer Mannix, the city’s risk management officer.