High School Sports Injury Leads to Lawsuit

If you participated in any kind of sport in your high school days, you know that players, coaches, faculty, and other students take the games very seriously. Practices are not optional, and players who do not give sufficient attention to their sport will be cut from the team or, at the very least, will be stuck on the bench for most of the season. Even so, our San Diego injury lawyer knows that there is a need for coaches to remember that the players are only kids and there are proper rest requirements and safety measures that must be maintained to ensure that injuries are avoided.

Recently, the family of a high school football player named Justin Williams has filed a lawsuit against East Nicolaus High School in Sutter County, Florida. According to an article by Fox40 out of Sacramento, the lawsuit alleges that after Williams missed a football practice, Coach Mark Varnum punished him by making him run drills in the scorching 95-degree heat and having the other players tackle him repeatedly. Williams fell ill while at practice, and he was taken to the hospital, where doctors determined that he had suffered a collapsed lung and a concussion.

Unfortunately, as often happens in these cases, the school and the coach are denying any liability for Williams’ condition. It remains to be seen how this case will eventually play out in court. Regardless, the story is a good example of the importance of being vigilant and remaining aware of what is going on at your child’s sports practices. In our area, San Diego sports injuries are common in high school sports. They can occur not just in high-impact activities like football, hockey, and lacrosse but also in low- or no-impact sports like baseball, tennis, or even swimming. The best way to prevent most sports-related injuries is to educate kids about the dangers involved in the sports they play and to try to help them understand when the coach is asking too much of them.

In Justin Williams’ case, the allegations are that the coach’s method of punishment was the cause of Williams’ injuries. However, California high school sports injuries can occur in other situations, such as where the equipment used to protect players does not function as intended or even where players just do not take proper care of their bodies by getting enough food and water to keep it running. In some cases, precautions can be taken to prevent sports-related illnesses, such as dehydration. Anyone who plays any kind of sport, whether it be in an organized athletic program or just a casual game with friends, should always be aware of any risks and take measures to prevent injury.

Even so, athletic injuries can still occur, and many times, they could have been avoided if the coach or teacher responsible for supervising would have used reasonable care in carrying out his or her duties. If you or a loved one has suffered a sports injury of any kind, please contact our San Diego injury attorney a the Walton Law Firm right away to see if you are entitled to compensation. It is often only after careful evaluation by a legal professional that all of the causes of one of these injuries can be properly evaluated.

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