LOXAHATCHEE, Fla. — An 18-year-old high school senior is suing the Palm Beach County School Board, citing negligence after suffering a catastrophic injury at Seminole Ridge Community High School during her freshman year.
Every single day, Trinity Harmon deals with the pain in her feet, a constant reminder of the life-changing injuries she suffered during class three years ago.
"I can’t really walk or run very much because if I do it for long periods of time, I get shooting pains in my legs," Trinity said.
Trinity said she and a group of students were asked to move a 500-pound tractor tire as part of their Junior ROTC program, but the tire fell on top of her.
"All I know is I was on the floor in excruciating pain," Trinity recalled. "At first I couldn’t feel my legs. It was just complete numbness throughout."
Trinity was only 15 at the time and spent three days in the hospital after shattering her right foot, chipping her tibia, and breaking her left ankle. Trinity feared she would never walk again.
"I pushed a lot of my friends away, and I can’t really do much anymore because of the pain," Trinity said.
Trinity has already undergone two surgeries. Now the high school senior is suing the Palm Beach County School Board. Her attorney, Ian Duncan with Steinger, Greene & Feiner said Trinity's injuries were avoidable.
"Had they just provided supervision to Trinity and the other students that were moving the tire, had they assisted in moving the tire, or had they given them any level of instruction," said Duncan. "For whatever reason, they’re refusing to do anything to compensate Trinity to accept responsibility for what’s going on."
Trinity has raked up a mountain of medical bills over the years. The state says damages cannot exceed $200,000, and that is the amount her family is seeking.
The School District of Palm Beach County told WPTV it does not comment on pending litigation.
Trinity has to wear orthotic implants and has developed arthritis. She is now looking ahead to college to turn the page on a painful high school experience.
"I’m trying really hard to get past this, and obviously I’m going to have lifelong problems. They already said I’m going to need surgery again," Trinity said.
