Student wounded in school shooting: Failure to provide safe environment: Broken arm: Liver laceration: Settlement

Law Reporter, Mar 2003

Hintz v. Moses Lake Scb. Dist., Wash., Grant County Super. Ct., No. 96-2-00931-4, May 6, 2002.

Hintz, 13, was attending class when a classmate entered with a loaded rifle and two pistols hidden under his coat. The student opened fire, killing the teacher and two students and injuring Hintz. Hintz suffered lacerations to her liver and diaphragm, a broken arm, and muscle and nerve damage to her arm. Hintz suffers from posttraumatic stress disorder and her use of her right arm is permanently limited. Her past medical expenses total approximately $200,000.

Hintz sued the school district, alleging it failed to protect its students by addressing the warning signs the gunman exhibited and referring him for counseling.

The parties reached a settlement before trial for a confidential amount.

Plaintiff's expert witnesses in this case included Tony Choppa, vocational rehabilitation, Bothell, Wash.; Paul Kingery, school violence, Washington, D.C.; Judith Billings, school safety, Shelton, Wash.; Michael Furlong, adolescent psychology, Santa Barbara, Cal.; and Lowell Bassett, economics, Seattle, Wash.

Defendant's experts included Wendy B. Marlowe, neuropsychology; Donald Silverman, physical rehabilitation; and John Taylor, economics, all of Seattle, Wash.; Joseph A. Moisan, vocational rehabilitation, Tacoma, Wash.; and Ronald Stevens, school safety, Westlake Village, Cal.

Plaintiff's Counsel

*James S. Rogers, Seattle, Wash.

*Mary K. Fleck, Seattle, Wash.