LPOSD suit dismissed

SANDPOINT — A lawsuit filed by the parent of a Sandpoint High School cheerleader who was injured by a falling gym mat has been dismissed.

The basis for the dismissal was not included in a joint motion drawn up by attorneys for the Lake Pend Oreille School District and the teen who was injured. The parties also stipulated to bear their respective attorney fees.

The case was dismissed on Sept. 16, according to court records. The suit was dismissed with prejudice, which means the claims contained within it cannot be revived.

The suit stemmed from 2007 incident in which the former student was struck by a gym mat that was pushed off a loft and onto the Sandpoint High School gymnasium floor.

The suit sought more than $10,000 in damages for medical and dental expenses, in addition to corrective and cosmetic surgery.

The plaintiffs argued the cheerleading practice was negligently supervised and the school district failed in its duty to protect the teen from harm while at school. The school district denied the claim of negligence and maintained that the teen and others present during the practice were at fault.