Seven years after monkey bar incident, man sues school board

CHARLES TOWN - A Jefferson County man has filed a suit against the county Board of Education, seeking $100,000 for damages he incurred after being discharged from the Marine Corps because of a childhood injury.

John T. Campbell filed the suit Nov. 19 in Jefferson Circuit Court against the Jefferson County Board of Education.

According to the suit, Campbell was a student in the Jefferson school system. On June 7, 2000, when he was 12 years old, Campbell was playing on the monkey bars at the Wright Denny Elementary School. While playing, he fell and broke both the ulna and radius bones in his right arm.

He was taken by ambulance to Jefferson Memorial Hospital, where he underwent irrigation, debridement and reduction of his fractures. In 2003, he had to undergo corrective osteotomies and required two plates, four screws and a bone graft.

In 2006, Campbell decided to join the United States Marine Corps and reported to Parris Island on Oct. 30, 2006. Before he entered, he had been given a waiver for the retained hardware in his arm. Campbell was subsequently discharged from the Marine Corps for medical reasons.

Campbell claims he suffered serious permanent injuries, physical pain, emotional distress, mental anguish and loss of capacity to enjoy life. Campbell also incurred medical expenses in excess of $23,448.

To adequately compensate him for his damages, Campbell seeks $100,000.

Attorney D. Michael Burke is representing Campbell.

Jefferson Circuit Court case number 07-C-401