Teacher fights for payout after falling two steps off stepladder

A Victorian primary school teacher who injured herself after falling off the second-bottom rung of a stepladder is suing the school for an undisclosed payout.

Kathryn Deal claims she was taking down a classroom display of cardboard and papier mache at St Peter the Apostle Primary School in Hoppers Crossing, southwest of Melbourne, when she lost her balance and fell.

Ms Deal alleges she dislocated her knee and required four operations, News Corp reports.

She claims the school was negligent because it lacked a proper policy on how to use the ladder or take down artwork.

The ex-teacher's case has already been thrown out by a County Court jury but she has now taken her fight to Victoria's Court of Appeal.

Her lawyer, Andrew Ingram, told the appeal court this week that removing the display was a "dangerous job" as she had to concentrate on keeping the paper steady while going down the ladder.

"Where was her carelessness in missing the step as she fell? It became obscured from her because of the load she was carrying," Mr Ingram was quoted as saying.

The Court of Appeal has reserved its decision.