You can also call our toll-free hotline at: 888-927-4332 / 888-927-IDEA.
My child is 21 or graduated high school in June 2020. Is he/she eligible to participate in the class action?
Yes and No the class action applies to any child who had an IEP in March 2020 and was required to receive special education or support or related services, including those that were supposed to transition in June or September 2020.
If you are still unsure if your child is eligible, please call our toll-free hotline: 888-927-4332 / 888-927-IDEA.
I don’t see my child’s school district is he/she eligible?
Any child with a disability (has an IEP or 504 plan) aged 3-21 that lives in the United States and Puerto Rico, that have been affected by the school closures is eligible.
My Child’s School opened for 5 days a week of in-person learning, is he/she still eligible to participate in the class action?
Even students who are currently receiving 5-days in-person or have transferred to private schools, are still eligible to participate in the class action. If they have/had a DOE IEP and were affected by service issues/changes at any time from March until now they are eligible.
You may be eligible if any of the following applies:
1. Services disrupted before, but back to ‘normal’ now.
2. Receiving Hybrid.
3. Services disrupted throughout.
4. Parents placed in private school on their own.
5. Parents reached out for a resolution with the school district, but the school district is not fulfilling the agreement.
6. Students who aged out
If you are still unsure if your child is eligible, please call our toll-free hotline: 888-927-4332 / 888-927-IDEA.
What is your privacy policy?
All information received from a client is strictly confidential. Our firm takes every step possible to protect your privacy. The data submitted via this form is encrypted and secured using industry-standard 128-bit SSL encryption.
The retainer agreement states that there are legal fees. Is this lawsuit still pro bono?
Legal representation for the Covid Class Action is completely pro bono/FREE. If we are the prevailing party in certain instances we can seek legal fees for the work we did on the matter, any legal fees that we seek will NOT be billed to you at all.
The retainer agreement states that there are legal fees. Is this lawsuit still pro bono?
Legal representation for the Covid Class Action is completely pro bono/FREE. If we are the prevailing party in certain instances we can seek legal fees for the work we did on the matter, any legal fees that we seek will NOT be billed to you at all.
I have good relationships with the teachers at my child’s school. Will this lawsuit directly affect them?
While we cannot control or predict what actions a school district may take, actions taken by a school district in retaliation for your participating in the lawsuit is serious and a violation of federal law. Your family’s privacy will be preserved to the fullest extent possible.
When is the deadline to submit the IEP or 504 plan?
We will need that information and any other information you may have, including emails or letters from the school district related to its Covid-19 actions, as soon as you can. They can be sent via email.
Most Common Issues for Children with Disabilities:
Remote Instruction is Not Appropriate – Many children cannot focus for more than 5 minutes on a computer screen, many have vision issues, or require hand over hand instruction.
Not Accessible to All – Some parents were not provided with equipment, while others had problems connecting to WiFi. Many parents said that the technology used by the teachers was not compatible with their devices.
Live instruction Not Provided – Very few teachers gave live instruction and when they did connections were erratic, with delays in audio and visuals, making it very frustrating for students. The most “meaningful” interactions have been teachers checking in through phone calls. Many parents have reported that YouTube videos were assigned by teachers and therapists.
Seeing Classmates and Teachers Online is Upsetting – Students have had a mix of reactions from crying for hours because they miss their teachers, paras and classmates so much, to being so upset that the students are breaking their laptops or attempting to break their laptops.
Parents Left to Teach – The sole responsibility of teaching was left to the parents who did not have proper training or skills. In addition, many families have more than one child with special needs – having 1 child with special needs is challenging enough, 50% of the families participating in the lawsuit have 2, 3 and even 4 children with special needs.
Regression, Aggression, Depression – Almost all parents have reported that they have seen their children regress and some have seen a loss in skills that took years for them to acquire. Almost all families have reported a big increase in aggression and self-injurious behavior. The most devastating is hearing of kids, who were once happy in school are now suffering from depression.
Loss of income – For most families hiring a caregiver to help implement remote instruction was not an option. Many families have had to take time off work or have lost their jobs, to care for their children and implement remote instruction.
There are three ways to help with the ReOpen Class:
*Brain Injury Rights Group is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
