Former Student Injured During Chemistry Experiment Sues OPRF For Negligence

A woman injured during a high school chemistry experiment is now suing Oak Park and River Forest High School for negligence in connection with her wounds.

Gabriela Menezes, who was a student at the time of the incident in October of 2013, filed a complaint in Cook Count Court on Feb. 6, the Cook County Record reported. She is reportedly suing OPRF, Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 and another woman for the accident.

According to the Record, Menezes sustained "severe injuries" during a student-conducted experiment involving isopropyl alcohol. She said a glass beaker containing the substance exploded near her, resulting in her injuries.

According to Fox 32, she'd been wearing goggles at the time, but not an apron. When the beaker and the hotplate it was on exploded, Fox 32 reported, shards of glass went through her clothing.

Menezes is claiming that OPRF and its related entities are responsible for not taking the necessary safety precautions to prevent or minimize the likelihood of such incidents in the classroom.

Menezes is in college now, Fox 32 reported, but told the outlet that her prevalent scars are a constant reminder of the experiment gone wrong.

"It was so bad that I couldn't even see my skin," she told Fox 32. "I was completely covered in blood."

The Record reports Menezes is suing OPRF for more than $50,000, plus court costs.

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