The Colorado General Assembly passed a school violence compensation bill in the final hours of the session’s last day. The bill was later signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper. It immediately went into effect by supporting the case of Claire Davis’ parents, who are seeking compensation and information in the wrongful death lawsuit in regards to their daughter’s death in the Arapahoe High School shooting incident.
Colorado, a state that is no stranger to school violence, passed the bill to prevent future school shootings. The bill enforces parents’ rights to compensation and information in the event of school shooting deaths where school knowledge could have prevented the violence.
In 2013, Claire Davis was killed by another classmate named Karl Pierson. Pierson had been heard months earlier making death threats to his debate coach in the hallway. School administration did not deem Pierson a threat to student safety at the time and he was not punished for the threat.
The parents of Davis see their daughter’s death as preventable and seek to hold the school liable for negligence that could have prevented the Arapahoe High School shooting. Colorado lawmakers agree and hope that the new school violence compensation bill will reduce the incidences of school violence in their state.
The bill allows for parents to receive up to $350,000 in compensation for students who are killed or seriously injured by school violence, due to negligence by the school. However, the cap per incident would be limited to $900,000.
Dealing with the wrongful death of a loved one is difficult and taking the proper steps to seek compensation can be a trying and emotional experience. The Babcock Law Firm seeks to help clients during the toughest times in their lives. If you have any questions about wrongful death compensation, we encourage you to contact our offices today.
For more information about Colorado compensation laws, visit our blog and knowledge center.
