KEY POINTS:
Two mothers suing a school over the death of their disabled sons are relieved to have reached a settlement just days out from a court battle.
Carol Neal and Sharon Jopson were both seeking compensation of $180,000 from the Waimate High School board of trustees after their sons drowned on a school trip to South Canterbury's Waihao River seven years ago.
Glenn Jopson, 13, first got into difficulty in a swimming hole in the river, and when Hamish Neal, 15, tried to help his brain-damaged classmate, they drowned.
They were among a group of 12 special needs pupils from the school under the supervision of one teacher on February 10, 2000.
A two-day hearing was to be held before a judge in the Timaru District Court beginning tomorrow, in which it was to be argued that the school failed to provide a duty of care to the boys.
But on Monday a confidential settlement was reached.
A spokesman for the Jopson and Neal families told the Herald both were greatly relieved they did not have to go through a painful court process.
They felt they could now move on after a long struggle for recognition.
Waimate High School board of trustees chairman Ken Buckingham said the school was delighted an out-of-court settlement had been reached.
"In a case like this, there can be no real winners."
Because the death of the boys fell outside ACC, compensation could be sought in the civil court.
