A Barrie woman, who suffered a brain injury during a 2011 incident, has been awarded $7 million after a jury found that a school bus company failed to keep her safe.

Sarah Little was 13 years old when she jumped out of the back of a school bus on the final day of her grade eight year at Guthrie Public School in Oro-Medonte.

The court heard that Little had jumped from the emergency exit before the bus came to a complete stop. She ended up striking her head on the pavement, fracturing her skill in several places.

"We heard from doctors in the trial who testified that when her head hit the cement her brain would have moved in her skull back and forth causing permanent brain injury," said Little’s lawyer Troy Lehman.

Doctors believe Little, who is now a young woman, won’t be able to live independently for the rest of her life because of her injuries.

The court heard that students frequently went out of the emergency exit at the back of the bus, a stunt that Little’s lawyer argued the school bus driver was aware of, and knew was dangerous.

“All that was needed was a report to the principal and the activity would have been stopped and the tragedy prevented. Allowing children to get away with a dangerous activity means they will continue to do it. But condoning an activity like this you create a very dangerous situation,” said Lehman.

The jury ruled that the driver failed clear expectations set out in the company handbook about reporting unsafe behaviour to the school, failed to report re-occurring unsafe acts, and failed to fulfil their duty to keep children safe.

Jurors did find Little to be partially responsible for her injuries, but still ordered operator Sinton Landmark Transportation pay her $7 million.

"I’m just glad that this is over. I was just a kid trying to follow the traditions. Had it not been me, it would have been someone else," Little said in a statement.

CTV Barrie has reached out to Sinton Landmark Transportation for comment, but our request has so far gone unreturned.