Determine Your Rights When A Child Gets Injured In Youth Sports
Michael Babboni
Personal Injury
With so many kids participating in school sports, it’s no wonder that so many injuries can occur. From grade school through high school, millions of children and teens in the U.S. take part in these competitive activities. This doesn’t make things any less stressful for parents, however. When an injury is severe, or life-altering, what type of recourse does a parent have to get their child the compensation and help they deserve?Taking A Look At The Numbers
The American Academy of Pediatrics and Safe Kids Worldwide have come up with some statistics to show just how prevalent sports related injuries are today.
• More than 30 million children participate in organized sports each year.
• More than 3.5 million children ages 14 and under receive medical treatment for sport injuries yearly.
• 62 percent of organized sports related injuries occur during practice, not during a game.
• One-third of parents admit that they don’t take the same safety precautions during practice that they take during games.
• Contact and collision sports such as football and rugby have higher injury rates.
• Individual sports such as swimming and gymnastics produce injuries that are more severe.
• Statistics show that coaches and organizations don’t take practice as seriously as they take games when it comes to the potential for injuries.
Who Pays For These Injuries?
If your child has health insurance, this will usually cover treatment for injuries as well as follow up care. Emergency room visits, doctors’ appointments, surgeries, and even certain types of therapy (such as physical therapy) are typically covered by standard health insurance. Of course, the policy owner will be responsible for any deductibles or co-pays that must be met as required.
Though the standard health insurance policy covers medical treatment, it does not typically compensate for other issues, such as pain and suffering. These can be life-altering issues, especially in teenagers. Some of the common symptoms include:
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Emotional distress
• Loss of ability to enjoy activities
It’s sometimes possible to file a third-party claim under the liability portion of the organization or business who is responsible for the child’s injury. The insurance company, however, will only pay the least amount possible to settle the claim. They have no personal interest in you or your child’s wellbeing.
Is There Any Legal Recourse?
Sports injuries are considered to be normal, unforeseeable events that happen when kids take part in athletic competition. It is determined that when parents allow their children to participate in sports, they are willing to accept the normal risks in those sports.
Successful lawsuits can occur only if the athlete or their parents can prove that an injury was caused by reckless, negligent, or intentional conduct of another participant, coach, or facility owner. A parent can sue if they can prove that a defect in the sports facility or school contributed to the accident. Laws can vary based on whether the injury occurred during a sanctioned game or a practice session.
If your child has been injured as a result of playing a school or organized sport, get medical treatment immediately. Then contact an experienced personal injury attorney who can help you get the compensation that you and your child deserve.