Ont. girl's brain impaled by sawed-off golf club in freak gym class accident

[spaminator]

Ont. girl's brain impaled by sawed-off golf club in freak gym class accident
Postmedia Network
First posted: Wednesday, June 01, 2016 12:32 PM EDT | Updated: Wednesday, June 01, 2016 04:08 PM EDT
WINDSOR, Ont. - A 14-year-old Windsor girl is in critical condition after a sawed-off golf club impaled her head during a freak accident in gym class last week.
Madison Arseneault was running with her Gordon McGregor School gym class on the nearby city-owned Ford Test Track facility on May 25.
There was wire wrapped around sawed-off golf clubs stuck in the ground to mark chalk soccer lines on the grass infield, according to Jennifer Bezaire of Greg Monforton and Partners law firm.
Arseneault appears to have tripped on the wires while jogging and one of the golf clubs punctured the back of her skull, piercing her brain.
"Madison's family is devastated and has been at her bedside around the clock since this horrible incident occurred," Bezaire said. "They want to know what happened, but right now their priority is Madison's well being."
Arseneault is awake, but heavily medicated in hospital, Bezaire said. It's too early to tell if she faces any long-term paralysis, but will likely need "extensive rehabilitation," her family's lawyer said.
The Greater Essex County District School Board said it couldn't comment.
"Due to privacy regulations, we can't comment on any incident or situation involving a student," said spokesman Scott Scantlebury.
Madison Arsenault, shown in a school photo, was impaled by a sawed-off golf club on May 25, 2016. She was with her class from Gordon McGregor elementary school during a physical education class at Ford Test Track. Her skull was punctured and fractured after she tripped and fell on the shaft of the golf club. (handout-Windsor Star)
This handout photo shows one of the sawed-off golf clubs city workers use to mark straight chalk lines at the Ford Test Track facility. One such club impaled elementary school student Madison Arsenault during a physical education class at the track. She suffered a punctured and fractured skull during the May 25, 2016 incident. (Handout)

Ont. girl's brain impaled by sawed-off golf club in freak gym class accident | O

 

[SLM]

Wow. So the city is using sawed off golf clubs as markers for chalk lines??? Fairly certain that isn't regulation.

It does seem to be all kinds of stupid though.

 

[spaminator]

Family of Ontario girl impaled by golf club in gym class seeks $22 million
Doug Schmidt, Postmedia Network
First posted: Thursday, March 02, 2017 03:40 PM EST | Updated: Thursday, March 02, 2017 03:48 PM EST
WINDSOR, ONT. - The family of a 15-year-old Windsor girl impaled by a sawed-off golf club in a bizarre incident last year at the Ford Test Track has launched a $22-million lawsuit against the city and the public school board.
Madison Arseneault was left permanently disabled and will require lifelong care, said Windsor lawyer Jennifer Bezaire, a partner at Greg Monforton & Partners which filed the multimillion-dollar statement of claim in Ontario Superior Court of Justice Wednesday.
“She’ll never be whole again,” Bezaire said of Arseneault, who suffered “devastating” injuries during a May 25 gym class outing.
While running, Arseneault’s skull was impaled after she tripped on a wire strung between a sawed-off golf club and a metal stake used to assist city workers marking chalk lines on a soccer field. Airlifted to a London hospital, the Grade 8 student at Gordon McGregor school remained in critical condition and in a coma for weeks.
“Madison suffered multiple trauma including a severe brain injury resulting in partial paralysis, impaired vision, chronic pain, facial numbness and cognitive impairment,” Bezaire said, adding the girl’s “life is forever changed and she requires round-the-clock assistance.”
In the statement of claim — the facts of which have yet to be proven in court — the city is accused of being negligent for “employing equipment that is inherently dangerous and unsafe,” not properly instructing employees on proper work procedures and failing to properly alert pedestrians of the presence of the low-lying wire and other equipment.
The Greater Essex County District School Board was negligent for, among other things, not properly supervising the students while off school grounds, according to the claim.
In addition to $20 million in general damages and $550,000 in special damages for Madison, the civil suit also seeks $750,000 in damages for each of her parents, Shirley Martin and Andrew Arseneault.
Madison returned home Dec. 22 from Bloorview Rehabilitation Centre in Toronto and recently began limited Grade 9 classroom time.
Whether she can complete high school remains a question mark, said Bezaire, adding the teenager requires 24-hour attendant care, currently performed, for the most part, by her parents and family.
Even if the lawsuit is successful, Bezaire said any payout is years away, with the family meanwhile struggling financially. The father still has his factory job but is battling multiple sclerosis, while the mother undergoes back surgery Thursday.
With Madison currently sleeping in the living room, her friends have launched a GoFundMe campaign — Helping Madison Keep Her Home — to help pay to make the family home more accessible. Donations can also be made at TD Bank branches where a trust fund has been set up.
“Absolutely, she definitely needs help now,” said Bezaire, adding the family has been “pushed to the brink financially.” Outside physical help is only provided to the family several hours a day, she said.
Contacted Wednesday about the lawsuit, public school board spokesman Scott Scantlebury said the board had no comment. City solicitor Shelby Askin Hager said the municipality also had no comment.
Askin Hager said Windsor’s municipal insurer would be involved with the case, with the city’s deductible set at $250,000 for such lawsuits.
In addition to the municipality and local school board, also named as defendants in the lawsuit are two of Madison’s teachers on the day of the incident, along with a city employee responsible for maintenance at the Ford Test Track last May 25.
Madison Arseneault, 15, is shown with her parents, Andrew and Shirley, in this photo provided by the Arseneault family. Madison's skull was impaled by a sawed-off golf club on May 25, 2016 during an elementary school physical education class in Windsor, Ont. (Arseneault family photo)

Family of Ontario girl impaled by golf club in gym class seeks $22 million | Ont

 

[Jinentonix]

Windsor has been half-a$$ing things for years. That's how they've managed to stay within their budget and not have to raise property taxes for so long.