May 28, 2021
JML Law

We are seeing it more and more—young athletes mounting personal injury lawsuits against the schools and coaches they play for. Big-name colleges like Perdue, Notre Dame, and even UCLA have been in the news lately, accused of mishandling injuries accrued during unsanctioned practices and mistreating injuries in lieu of getting the players back on the football field before they are ready.

If you have sustained injuries due to your school or coaches not following policies or not providing the appropriate care, reach out to Los Angeles personal injury attorneys at JML Law.

Flag on the play

Student-athletes go out and risk their bodies for no money, leveraging their health to make the next great play. All too often, their dreams of the future are crushed in an instant. At all levels, successful sports programs are money makers. Because the source of their income depends on the performance of amateurs, coaches and organizations take unnecessary risks with players because they can easily be replaced.

An injured player in the NFL or NBA can cost millions due to contracts and player-union agreements regarding responsibility for medical expenses. Professional teams avoid risks that may hurt a player’s long-term performance.

Coaches of student-athletes know the time with these players is limited. This opens the window for unnecessary contact drills and practices. Over time, this extra stress on the body adds up and can result in superfluous injuries.

These injuries can be both physical and psychological and impact the rest of a players’ quality of life with ongoing medical procedures and care, continued medical costs, not to mention, long-term pain and suffering.

Although in most cases, the injuries suffered are distinct to the players, the most common types of injuries sustained include:

  • Concussion
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Scar tissue
  • Emotional and psychological trauma

Let’s look at the replay

Serious injuries occur in the physical acts of both training for and playing sports, and these injuries can be caused by:

  • Inadequate supervision
  • Improper training of medical personnel on staff
  • Defective gym, uniform, or sports equipment
  • Inadequately maintained or malfunctioning equipment
  • Inefficient treatment of sports injuries
  • Negligence or misleading an athlete in the appropriate medical care of injuries

Mounting a sports injury claim is not an easy play. It is an uphill battle no matter who you face off against—coaches, fitness centers, training facilities, athletic organizations, schools, colleges, and universities. Some of these organizations have taken preemptive actions to remain immune to sports injury claims, but sometimes the risk is worth the reward.

What is the next play?

Schools and universities have a systematic problem when abandoning their injured players to become business as usual. If you have injuries sustained during school sports, vigilance is important. Collect medical records for evidence. Make sure teammates and doctors are aware of the situation in case you need witnesses.

Most importantly, the State of California has a one-year statute of limitations to either file a lawsuit or settle these cases. So, if you need someone to coach you or a loved one through a sports injury case, contact Los Angeles personal injury attorneys at JML Law by clicking here for a free consultation or by calling at 818-610-8800.

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