CLEARWATER — A Pinellas County woman is suing the local school board, alleging negligence led to a child suffering injuries.
Kristi Randazzo, as guardian of J.S., a minor, filed a complaint Oct. 24 in Pinellas Circuit Court against the Pinellas County School Board, alleging failure to follow applicable safety guidelines and regulations.
According to the complaint, on Oct. 24, 2016, J.S., minor ward of the plaintiff, was on the defendant's property at the Richard L. Sanders School in Pinellas Park for an assigned physical education activity. The suit says J.S. sustained substantial lacerations on his head, which required staples, when the securing section of an HVAC system came crashing down onto the minor's head when a basketball hit the ceiling of the school gym,
The lawsuit states J.S. suffered great physical and mental pain, and incurred medical expenses.
The plaintiff alleges the Pinellas County School Board breached its duty by failing to provide a safe physical education environment, and failed to secure all the component parts of the HVAC system.
Randazzo seeks trial by jury, damages of more than $15,000 and all other relief the court deems necessary. She is represented by attorneys Peter A. Sartes and Peter L. Tragos of Tragos, Sartes & Tragos PLLC in Clearwater.
Pinellas Circuit Court case number 17-CA-6382