AND WHEN FILING A LAWSUIT IS APPROPRIATE //
Fall is a fun time for youth sports, and as any parent knows, everything from football to volleyball poses risks. If your child sustains an injury in the heat of the moment, it’s probably not cause for a lawsuit, unless:
- Another athlete intentionally harmed your child
- Another athlete was acting recklessly
- Your child’s injury was caused by defective sport’s equipment
- Your child’s coach was negligent
Coaches are responsible for keeping your child safe from dangerous or unreasonable situations. For example, a coach cannot send a child on the field without proper safety equipment. Sometimes, however, coaches do send children onto the field with safety equipment that is not worn correctly. If this occurs, it may justify legal action.
Your child’s coach should be a responsible adult, and you trust them to look after your pride and joy. When coaches fail to uphold this duty of care, Richardson Richardson Boudreaux PLLC can help.
We can also help when someone’s intentional or reckless actions cause your child’s preventable injury.
WHAT ARE SOME COMMON FALL SPORTS INJURIES?
Most fall sports injuries are strains and sprains of the knees, ankles, and shoulders. Luckily, these injuries are not too serious and tend to heal relatively quickly. They are also less likely to be caused by negligence, recklessness, or violence on the court or field.
When young athletes fall, however, they can sustain significant fractures, concussions, and torn ligaments. This is especially true if they are not wearing the right protective equipment – or if their equipment is defective. “Contact injuries” like the ones we just described are more likely to involve malice. If another player tackles your child with unwarranted aggression, for instance, what could have been a minor injury could become much more serious. Further, if your child is not wearing the correct safety equipment – and wearing it properly – they should never be put in a position where they will make contact with another athlete.
Consider a soccer player entering the field without shin guards, or with their shin guards on backward. What could have been a tiny bruise or no injury at all can become a bloody or broken shin. This is simply unacceptable.
Even “no-contact” sports like volleyball can end in serious injury if athletes enter the court without kneepads, or if an aggressive athlete kicks, trips, or scratches your child through the net.
Sports can be risky, yes, but they should never be played carelessly – and athletes should never be allowed to play dirty.
If your child has been injured in any of these fall sports, we wish them a speedy recovery:
- Football
- Cheerleading
- Volleyball
- Soccer
- Cross country
- Tennis
- Golf
- Hockey or field hockey
If your child seriously hurt or injured because someone behaved inappropriately during one of these sports, call our attorneys for a free consultation.
You can reach Richardson Richardson Boudreaux PLLC at 918-492-7674 or online anytime you need us.
Play hard, stay safe, and don’t hesitate to call or click if anything goes wrong.