Doing sports is fun and all until you get injured. From 2018 to 2019, Canada recorded approximately 27,000 hospitalization due to sports-related activities, and more than 50% of the injuries were sustained by men and women whose ages ranged between 18-64.
Accidents may happen anywhere and anytime. Courts, gyms, and fields are not exemptions. Athletes of all ages suffer sports-related injuries that can be minor or something more severe and fatal.
Due to the nature of sports injuries, they can prevent the athlete from performing his daily activities, especially the more severe ones like bone fractures. Generally, natural events cause injuries but, there are cases where it is the result of negligence. This means that there is a need for legal action.
That is why, when you suffer from sport-related injuries, and you know that negligence caused it, you should speak to a lawyer and consult them about the possible legal options you can do.
What is a Sports Injury?
Sports injuries are injuries that occur during sports, exercise, or practice. These injuries involve muscle strains and sprained joints, abrasions and cut wounds, head trauma or concussions, and broken bones.
These types of injuries are often caused by overuse, direct impact, or the application of force that is greater than what you can structurally withstand. Still, some injuries may be caused by the negligent acts of other players, coaches, and sports leagues.
Even though it is the athlete’s responsibility to know the risks of the sports he chose, it is still not enough to invalidate that other injury-causing factors can be controlled. Here is where liability comes in. The athlete should study his case very well to know if someone else is liable for the injury.
An athlete needs to determine if someone is liable for his injuries since medical bills are no joke. An injury means that you won’t be able to attend your regular activities due to the required medical attention and recovery time.
Common Examples of Sports Injuries
The most common sports injuries are cuts, bruises, sprains, strains, and orthopedic-related issues. Other injuries are more severe and require immediate medical attention to prevent more complications. Included in these are fractured bones, head traumas, and deep wounds.
To give you an idea of what specific injuries are sustained in sports and other athletic activities, we have listed some examples.
- Abrasions and cut wounds
- Concussions
- Spinal cord injury
- Contusions
- Fractures
- Facial or jaw injuries
- Eye injuries
- Damage to the back or neck
- Nose bleed
- Knee injuries
- Moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI)
Due to the nature of some sports, it is uncommon for someone to be injured while playing. A good example is darts. The only injuries a player may sustain are muscle strains and tension, dart elbows, and puncture wounds from wrongly aimed dart pins.
Unlike in sports like darts, golf, and swimming, the probability of an injury occurring in other sports are higher. Below is a list of sports that has a higher chance of causing your injuries.
- Boxing
- Football
- Hockey
- Soccer
- Track and field
- Baseball and softball
- Basketball
- Pro-wrestling
- Skiing and snowboarding
- Motocross
Who is Liable for Sports Injuries?
During a sports activity, injuries sustained are mostly accidental, and you can’t hold anyone liable for that. Usually, your regular health insurance company will be responsible for covering the costs of your treatment.
However, in the event of negligence, you will need to identify all negligent or reckless parties so that you can take legal actions and hold them responsible for the injuries. Besides other players in the court, coaches, school districts, sports facility owners, spectators, gym owners, equipment manufacturers, and trainers and staff may also be held liable for your injuries.
Liability For Sports Injuries
It may be hard for you to determine if someone is liable for your injury. That is why it is a good idea to contact a sports injury lawyer to evaluate your case. He will also guide you through the process so that you will get the compensation you deserve.
Here are things you should look into when you’ve experienced sports-related injuries.
- The injury occurred beyond the scope of the usual risk assumed by the players.
- The instructor or coach was negligent or careless in causing the injury.
- The injury was caused by faulty sports equipment.
- The injury occurred because the court or field was unsafe.
- The sports facility owner failed to provide standard safety measures to prevent injury to players.
Note that these are just examples, and your case may still hold someone liable. So, it is always better to consult a lawyer.
Another benefit of hiring a lawyer is that he will determine the type of liability suited for your case. Some of the laws linked to sports injuries are premises liability, injuries caused by defective equipment, unreasonable or malicious behavior, and injuries caused by negligent coaches.
When having your case evaluated, you must bring evidence that may be used in coming up with a lawsuit. Some of the standard documents you need in filing a claim for sports injury liability are medical records or treatment, photographs and videos, witness statements, and damages.
Contact a Diamond and Diamond Law Personal Injury Lawyer
When you’ve fully recovered from minor, soft-tissue injuries like bruises, or minor sprains, you can probably negotiate a fair settlement directly with the insurance company.
Suppose you or a loved one suffered a serious sports-related injury that may have been caused by negligence. In that case, you might want to contact a sports injury lawyer to evaluate and discuss your case reasonably.
Contact our experienced personal injury lawyers at Diamond and Diamond today. Use the contact form or call 1-800-567-HURT to schedule a free consultation.
