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School board paying $100,000 to Paterson student injured in outdoor gym class fleeing wasp attack | Paterson Times

School board paying $100,000 to Paterson student injured in outdoor gym class fleeing wasp attack

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A John F. Kennedy High School student, who tripped over a pothole while fleeing a swarm of wasps during an outdoor gym class at Westside Park four years ago, is getting $100,000 in settlement from the Board of Education after his parents sued.

Luis Silverio, the student, suffered “severe and permanent physical, emotional and psychological injuries,” from the fall, according to the lawsuit.

The incident happened on September 16, 2016. Silverio was part of physical education teacher Jason Brandt’s gym class.

Brandt allegedly had the students run laps on the dilapidated pathway in Westside Park. Silverio followed the instructions and began to run laps around the circular path at the park.

Other students started to throw rocks at a tree containing a wasp nest. Wasps began swarming and stinging the students.

Silverio and other students ran towards the school building to flee the wasps. He tripped in one of several potholes on the circular path, “severely” injuring himself, says the lawsuit.

Brandt is accused of failing to properly supervise students and failing to see the presence of a wasp nest in the area where students were told to run laps. He is also accused of failing to prevent students from throwing rocks at the wasp nest, according to the lawsuit.

Silverio accused the Paterson Public Schools of negligence. His lawsuit also named the city of Paterson for failing to properly maintain the public park.

After the lawsuit dragged on for years, Silverio’s attorney made a judgment offer of $135,000 to the Paterson Public Schools to resolve the case in October 2019. The attorney also made a $100,000 judgement offer to the city of Paterson to resolve the matter.

School board members agreed to settle the case by paying Silverio $100,000 on Monday night.

The city of Paterson has yet to settle the case.

Email: [email protected]

  • HankMorgan

    Good for him. But not much of a jackpot. I love that pic, though. Broken sign, busted fence. The campus looks haunted.

  • John

    Emotional and psychological. In other words BULLSHIT. How much more can these Democrat cities take. What a joke. And what a Shameful family to sue because he's son tripped. What does he do if he runs.elsewhere? Trips on curbs. Now he has mental issues? Who buys this shit!

    • Pony

      Most school aged children are over weight these days. I cannot see a picture, but I am guessing the victim is "vertically challenged".

  • Yogi Zuna

    There is always another reason to take more of the taxpayers money, always. It's a perpetual motion machine that never ends.

  • Pony

    Kids just throw rocks. Some kids throw rocks more than others. In our area, I am constantly stopping kids from throwing pea gravel on the play ground equipment, especially the slides. This was simply a case of opportunists taking advantage of an embarrassing moment for their son.

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