Illinois High School Football Player's Injuries Draw Lawsuit
The mother of an Illinois high school football player is suing his football coach and the district. According to an article in USA Today, she claims her son sustained permanent, stroke-causing brain injuries during a game after the linebacker’s complaints of a headache and signs of a concussion went ignored.
The mother has accused the high school coach of recklessly endangering his players by such tactics as contact drills without proper protection.
The lawsuit claims that the coach taunted his players for not playing or complaining of symptoms consistent with concussion.
The mother also claims that the coach created an atmosphere in which injuries were not reported or were underreported.
The suit seeks compensation for at least more than $200,000 the injured player has incurred, as well as at least $50,000 for each of the petition’s four counts.
According to the lawsuit, the football player sustained a broken collarbone in July 2008 when the coach ordered him to tackle a teammate while neither wore protective gear. The other player suffered a broken neck.
Three months after the July injury, during a game the player complained of a headache and showed symptoms of a concussion. He was told by the coach to continue playing. The boy collapsed later in the game on the sidelines after a blood vessel in his brain apparently burst. It caused the 5-foot-11, 190-pound linebacker to have several small strokes and seizures, according to the lawsuit.
The injured football player had to receive Speech and Occupational Therapy and began home-schooling after his injuries.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 300,000 sports-related traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) of mild to moderate severity (1), most of which can be classified as concussions (i.e., conditions of temporarily altered mental status as a result of head trauma), occur in the United States each year. The proportion of these concussions that are repeat injuries is unknown; however, there is an increased risk for subsequent TBI among persons who have had at least one previous TBI (2,3). Repeated mild brain injuries occurring over an extended period (i.e., months or years) can result in cumulative neurologic and cognitive deficits (4,5), but repeated mild brain injuries occurring within a short period (i.e., hours, days, or weeks) can be catastrophic or fatal. The latter phenomenon, termed “second impact syndrome.”
If you’re dealing with the aftermath of a Pennsylvania brain injury accident to a loved one, you are probably feeling stressed, scared, and alone. You can sue the responsible parties for their part in the brain injury, collecting compensation for medical treatment, pain and suffering, even punitive damages designed to discourage others from acting negligently.
The attorneys at Cherry, Fieger, & Marciano understand the stress and anxiety that can accompany a brain injury. They offer qualified, competent legal representation with proven results. From investigation to discovery to expert witness testimony and in-court representation, the firm has what it takes to get you the compensation you deserve. Call today for your free and confidential consultation.
Source article: http://www.usatoday.com/sports/preps/football/2009-08-04-illinois-lawsuit-football_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip&POE=click-refer
