SULTAN — The Sultan School District has paid a teenager $87,500 to settle a lawsuit over an injury in woodshop class.
Joshua Doane, 18, was a senior at Sultan High School at the time of the accident in January. He told the district he is likely to lose an index finger that became ensnared in a table saw.
As part of the settlement, his family dropped their suit, and the school district did not admit liability, according to public records obtained by The Daily Herald. They initially had sought $3 million in damages.
Doane claimed his class was lacking in supervision and protective equipment. He alleged in the records that staff negligence “resulted in my tendon being completely severed, a compound fracture, and surgery. Doctors will more likely than not have to amputate, and I will suffer from arthritis.”
Doane also alleges that another student was injured days earlier under similar circumstances.
A damage claim in July led to a lawsuit that was filed Sept. 24 in Snohomish County Superior Court. The school district filed a response in court last month, denying the allegations. It said that Doane’s injury was caused at least in part by “plaintiff’s own conduct.”
The Nov. 2 settlement includes a provision forbidding the family from talking about the matter publicly. They were represented by Behrends Law of Bothell.
The district released the settlement Monday in response to a Nov. 6 records request.
“The safety of all our students is of paramount importance to us, and we take that seriously day in and day out,” Superintendent Dan Chaplik said Monday. “It’s unfortunate that this incident occurred, and we’re grateful that he is doing well.”
Rikki King: 425-339-3449; rking@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @rikkiking.
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