Los Angeles School Sports Injuries

Sports are an integral part of many children’s lives, and offer the opportunity to build relationships, burn off energy, and hone their relationship skills. However, recent studies have highlighted the dangerous implications of sports injuries on children throughout grade school. Serious injuries may remain latent for years, only emerging later in life with severe complications. Sports offers a great avenue for students throughout the country to channel their energy and remain active throughout the day. But, as sports injuries become more prevalent, leading to severe injuries, the question remains whether coaches are adequately trained and the appropriate safety procedures are in place to protect students from injuries. An experienced Los Angeles school sports injury attorney can help.

Common Sports Injuries

Safe Kids Worldwide completed a survey of emergency room visits, which indicated that more than 1.35 million children wound up in the hospital in 2012 due to sports injuries. The most common sports injuries which affect school-age youth include:

The Safe Kids Worldwide study showed that one in five children who end up in emergency rooms across the country are there due to sports-related injuries.

The incidence of concussions in sports injuries has risen lately, causing great concern throughout the medical field, since many concussions go unreported. Coaches and school districts have now begun to highlight the danger which can occur after a sports-related concussion. However, accidents unfortunately continue to happen. In the fall of 2015, seven high school football players passed away due to injuries suffered while on the field. There is no one study that accurately records the number of student athletes who are killed or severely injured each year while playing in their favorite sport, but it is likely often higher than reported.

Schools are ultimately responsible for the safety of all students, whether on campus or at an off-campus sporting event. Studies continue to point to the fact that traumatic injuries to children can affect them later in life, and often take longer (than adults) to heal, given their still-growing bodies.

School District Negligence During Sporting Events

A school district may be liable for sports injuries due to their negligence in hiring an unqualified coach or due to the school’s failure to adequately maintain sports equipment. Injuries can occur both on and off the field, depending on the sport, the number of students involved, and the level of experience of the students and the coaches. Football often gets highlighted as the sport leading to the most severe injuries, although injuries can occur during any sporting event.

In order to bring a negligence claim against a school district, you must be able to prove that the injury would not have occurred but for the negligent behavior of the school district.  Schools have a duty to ensure that the coach is accurately trained, and any school equipment used is up to the appropriate standards. The failure of a school to guarantee the safety of a student could lead to a claim for damages in the case of an injury.

Los School School Sports Injury Attorneys

If your child received a sports injury, you may be entitled to bring a claim for damages against the school district. Schools are in charge of hiring experienced coaches and supervising the safety procedures during a sports event. The failure of a coach to recognize a potential sports accident or injury could lead to a claim for negligent behavior. The school sports injury attorneys of Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP have years of experience in assisting clients with sports injury claims related to the failure of a school district to protect their child. Contact our Los Angeles and Newport Beach offices today for your initial free consultation.