A school district in New Jersey agreed to settle a lawsuit for $4.2 Million Dollars brought by a student who was paralyzed when a known bully punched him.  The attack caused a clot in an artery that supplies blood to the spine, resulting in paralysis from the waist down.

Prior to the attack, the victim, Sawyer Rosenstein, and his family complained to the school district about being bullied, emailed school officials to report the incidents and requested action be taken.

The family of Sawyer Rosenstein also settled a claim against the boy who attacked their son. Terms of this portion of the settlement are confidential.

Each day an estimated 160,000 students in the USA refuse to go to school because they dread the physical and verbal aggression of their peers.  Many more attend school in a chronic state of anxiety and depression. It’s reported that 6 out of 10 American youth witness bullying at least once a day.

Bullying can result in reluctance to go to school and truancy, headaches and stomach pains, reduced appetite, shame, anxiety, irritability, aggression and depression. Bullying is a direct attack on a student’s status, sense of belonging and core identity, and often results in low self-esteem. The effects of bullying often continue many years into adulthood. In the most extreme cases, targets have taken out their anger and despair through school shootings or by committing suicide.  While the target of the bullying bears the brunt of the harm, there are negative consequences to everyone as well.

With the popularity of social media including Facebook, Twitter, texting and e-mails, bullying no longer occurs just face to face.  To address these concerns, Missouri requires school districts to put the terms “cyber-bullying” and “electronic communications” into their anti-bullying policies, which have been required since 2007.

As parents and grandparents of school aged children our attorneys are sensitive to the devastating effects bullying can have on a child.  Combined with our over 50 years of experience and knowledge of the law, call us today toll-free at 866-298-1020 and let our  St. Louis bullying attorneys and Missouri cyber bullying lawyers answer your important questions.