Facts About Injury

When a professional athlete is undergoing surgery, it is crucial that the athlete is informed about all possible consequences and risks. In certain cases, athletes have sued for millions of dollars because their career ended due to various surgery-related reasons.

Sports are the leading cause for unintentional injuries with children and young adults. 42 percent of people between the ages of 15 to 24 are injured annually in sports related accidents. Sports injuries represent a public health concern and account for 23 percent of all traumas, following motor vehicle injuries. Sport injuries concerning the spinal cord, back and neck are not only long lasting and painful, but may also lead to paralysis and other life disrupting conditions.

If you, or anybody you know has been injured during a sport accident, click here to contact one of our lawyers near you.

Know your Legal Rights

If you have been injured due to another person’s negligence, it might be difficult to make claims against the other party. However, the number of claims for sporting injuries is on the rise and the likelihood of an increase in the future can be attributed to the greater awareness of legal rights. Because the threshold for liability is so high, it is important that the injured can prove general reckless or unreasonable behavior that caused the injury. Consider the following examples:

In a football, like a soccer game, it is normal that players are tackled, grabbed or thrown to the ground. If a player is “attacked” in a reckless and dangerous manner the maneuver is most likely considered a serious foul. Any injuries that result from such a behavior can be blamed on the player and he/she can be held liable in court.

In 1999, the case Leatherland vs. Edwards stated that a hockey player, who followed through to high with his stick and caused an eye injury, was negligent and sued in court.

A rugby player was liable for picking an opponent up and dropping him on his head but two jockeys, on the other hand, were not found liable for an error of judgment, because of the frequency of those happening injuries.

In some exceptional cases the referee or judge can also be held liable for certain injuries. If a referee fails to enforce specific rules, leading to unfair games and injuries he/she may be held accountable but has the right to appeal. The same applies to a governing body or the organizer of the sports event. If it can be proven that the person in charge has failed to provide adequate emergency facilities or did not ensure the safety of the premises, there is ground for a lawsuit.

The Future of Sports Law

Likely, the area of sports injuries will continue to develop in the future. While people might have accepted sports injuries for what they were in the past, more and more people claim another person’s involvement in their injury. Suffering from sport injuries can be a long, painful process and a leisure time activity might alter a person’s whole life forever. Anyone who has been injured through a sport accident and believes that the injury occurred through somebody else’s negligence should contact a lawyer immediately. However, claims can be made within three years of the initial injury. In order to guarantee the best possible chances to damages, a lawyer must be notified as soon as possible.

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