Sports Accidents - Negligence on the Playing Field

by Daniel J. O'Brien [email protected]

The spring and summer seasons mean that school aged children and adults alike will be outside and playing their favorite sport such as baseball, football, soccer, etc. Of course, injuries do happen. However, if a serious injury occurs because of someone else's negligent acts or omissions, the laws of Pennsylvania and New Jersey allow the injured person to make a legal claim for their injuries and damages such as medical bills or lost wages.

The following are some common causes of sports accidents on playing fields:

• lack of supervision or negligent supervision,
• failure to train staff,
• use of dated or broken equipment,
• failure to inspect the field for hazards such as sunken areas hidden by grass,
• failure to inspect equipment such as goalposts,
• failure to keep crowds in a specific, designated space, and
• failure to remove hazards from playing areas.

The most common cause of accidents involving students or children is lack of supervision or negligent supervision. When people who are coaching turn their backs or if there aren't enough coaches to supervise a given practice or game, players often end up hurt.

Another reason sports accidents occur is due to use of broken or faulty equipment, such as a defective helmet. For example, in lacrosse, head injuries are very common. Helmets which fail to protect players may be defective and in which case, helmet manufacturers and distributors could be held liable under products liability laws.

In serious injury cases, filing a claim may be the only way to obtain financial compensation for long term hardships such as future medical treatment. Proper investigation is crucial in any sports accident case to ensure that the player and his or her family's present and future needs are met.

Related Legal Articles:

• Pennsylvania & New Jersey Sports Injury and Accident Update: Concussions and Negligence Claims
• Physical Contact Sports and Injuries - Liability of Players

If you'd like to speak to one of our Pennsylvania and New Jersey sports accident lawyers, call 877.944.8396 for a free, no obligation consultation.  We've handled many sporting accident cases and achieved great results for our clients.

*Disclaimer: This website does not provide any legal advice or create any attorney-client relationship. Each case is unique and requires review by a qualified attorney.

Published: May 12, 2012