Sacramento Sports Injury Attorney

When Can I Sue a School District or Athletic Organization over a Sports Injury in California? 

You might be able to sue a school district or athletic organization when you or your child sustains an injury beyond the inherent risk of the sport. Inherent risks will vary by sport and may include:

• Injuries from a false start
• Collapsing from exercise during practice if you did not drink enough water
• A ball hitting a player on the field when they are not paying attention
• Sustaining a sprained ankle from a soccer game
• Hitting your head during a cheerleading routine

Conversely, schools and athletic leagues may be responsible for accidents that are not inherent to the sport. When these injuries occur, you should speak to a California injury attorney. 

Causes of Sports Injuries in California That May Allow You to Sue 

From dangerous property conditions to a lack of sufficient coach training, there are many ways children can sustain injuries during a sporting event. Depending on how the accident occurred, there could be multiple parties responsible for your child’s injuries. For example, if your child participates in school sport, a coach or the school district may be liable. Otherwise, your kid may play a sport for your local community. In that case, sports organizers might be responsible for injuries. 

Some common causes of sporting injuries that may be grounds for a lawsuit include the following.

• Negligent coaching: Coaches have a reasonable duty of care to keep their players safe. When they breach this duty, an accident may occur. Coaching negligence may include using alcohol or drugs during games or practice, abusing players, or having players engage in unreasonable exercises. 

• Defective or dangerous products: Under California law, multiple parties may be responsible for defective or dangerous products. Manufacturers, designers, distributors, and stores may be liable. Additionally, coaches, school districts, or community leagues may be responsible for knowingly purchasing or using defective or dangerous sporting equipment. 

• Failure to address hazards: Before a practice or game, someone should examine the field, court, or playing area. What looks like an injury caused by a legal tackle may have been caused by a poorly maintained field. One example is a 14-year-old basketball player impaled by a piece of wood from the court. Had someone properly examined the playing area, the player may have avoided the accident. 

• Playing in dangerous weather conditions: Schools and athletic organizations are under obligation to take precautionary measures to protect athletes from weather conditions, such as lightning. Open fields, such as baseball, football, and soccer fields, are magnets for lightning strikes.  

• Failure to recognize heat exhaustion: Too many people ignore or do not recognize the symptoms of heat exhaustion, such as heavy sweating, pale skin, and vomiting. Coaches who ignore these signs may be responsible for serious injuries a child might sustain, including shock, brain damage, or death. Similarly, school districts or communities that do not provide proper training to recognize these symptoms may also be liable.  

Injuries Resulting from Sports Accidents 

Due to the intense physical nature of most sports, athletes are more prone to minor and significant injuries than others. These injuries may be traumatic and might take months or even years to show symptoms. Some of the most common injuries resulting from sports accidents include: 

• Traumatic brain injury 
• Muscle strains or sprains 
• Broken bones 
• Shoulder, neck, or back injuries
• ACL strains or tears 
• Hamstring strains 
• Joint problems 

These injuries can cost thousands of dollars in medical bills, and some may leave an athlete permanently disabled. 

What Compensation May I Receive for My Sports Injuries? 

The compensation you can receive for your injuries will depend on various factors, such as the extent and severity of your injuries. Ultimately, you will need an experienced California sports injury lawyer to thoroughly investigate your accident and what led up to it to understand what compensation you may be eligible to receive. 

Economic Damages for a Sports Injury 

Economic damages in a personal injury case are the actual financial losses you endured because of your injuries. They include all of the monetary losses associated with the injury, such as medical bills, physical therapy costs, lost wages, or property damage. To obtain the total amount, you must save all bills and receipts. Your attorney can then use that information when pursuing economic damages from the responsible party’s insurance. 

Non-Economic Damages for a Sports Injury 

Conversely, non-economic damages compensate for your pain and suffering, mental anguish, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of activities, or worsening of prior injuries. These damages are more challenging to calculate since there is no monetary amount. 

Attorneys may use the multiplier method. They multiply your economic damages by a number between one and five. One is the least severe, while five is the most severe. For example, say you have $3,000 in medical bills and damages from a broken arm. An attorney may assign that a three in severity and seek $9,000 in non-economic damages. 

How a California Sports Injury Attorney Can Help You 

A California sports injury attorney can help you determine whether you have a case. Remember, just because you sustained injuries does not mean you are entitled to compensation. Your attorney must prove that the other party—the school district, coaching staff, or athletic organization—acted negligently. Sports injuries also add another level of complications. Your lawyer must also prove that your injuries were not an inherent risk of the sport. 

A lawyer can investigate the accident by interviewing witnesses and examining evidence to prove fault and liability. They also know how to handle negotiations with insurers, which will employ tactics that may deny or reduce your claim. If necessary, a California sports injury lawyer will take your case to trial and represent you.