What You Need To Know About Youth Sports Injuries
Brian O Sutter
Personal Injury
Sports are a great activity for kids. They help promote physical health and well being, foster healthy competition, and encourage teamwork and social skills. Plus, sports can be a fun, beneficial way for kids to spend their free time. However sports are not always safe, so what happens if your child has been injured playing sports? We’ve put together a basic guide to help parents understand what to do if their child is ever injured. Youth Sports Injury: A Serious Risk
Every year around 1.35 million children go to the emergency room for a sports-related injury and one in every five doctor’s visits were related to sports injuries for children between 6 and 19. The most common injuries include:
- Muscle strains and sprains
- Bone fractures
- Contusions
- Abrasions
- Concussions
- Lacerations
- Dislocations
- Dehydration
The most common sport that caused injuries was football, followed closely behind by basketball, soccer, and baseball. These sports are not necessarily more high risk, they tend to have more players nationwide so there is more exposure. However low contact sports like golf and tennis tend to be less risky than high contact sports like football and rugby. So when signing your child up for sports, consider the risk involved in the sport they are going to play.
What Is My Legal Recourse If My Child Is Injured?
You can pursue a claim when a child has been injured playing sports. In many cases schools, leagues, and intramural organizations have insurance policies to protect against such injuries. However, with the majority of youth sports injuries these organizations are not liable. That is because in most cases, in order to participate, a parent usually has to sign a consent form or a waiver that relieves the organization of liability for any injuries. However, there are cases where there has been gross negligence and a parent can pursue a claim for their child’s sports injury.
Determining Fault In Youth Sports Injuries
In order to receive a claim against an organization, there must be proof that the injury was a product of activities beyond the normal scope of the sport. These can include situations such as:
- The injury was the result of an organization or coach allowing or even encouraging aggressive or violent behavior during the game
- The injury occurred while the team was inadequately supervised
- Faulty or defective sports equipment provide by the organization caused the injury
- The field or court was improperly maintained and caused an injury
- The coach or team failed to remove a player from the game after they sustained an injury
- The coach or staff failed to contact or consult medical professionals in an emergency situation
- A member of the staff has physically or verbally assaulted the child
- Staff encouraged illicit behavior like the use of performance enhancing drugs
- Staff encouraged extreme weight gain or loss or other unhealthy practices
- An injury occurs as the result of sports violence
In cases such as these, the parents or guardians of the injured party can pursue legal recourse.
However pursuing a claim for a youth sports injury is incredibly difficult because of waivers and consent forms. So it is crucial to hire an attorney like the knowledgeable professionals at All Injuries Law Firm. Our staff can help you determine fault in the case of a youth injury and can pursue monetary damages to compensate for medical bills, trauma, and any other costly factors associated with the health, well-being, and development of your child. So contact us today for a free consultation and we can help you figure out if you have a claim.