It’s September, the kids are back to school, and your child has made his high school football team. As a parent, it is so rewarding to watch your child participate and succeed in the extra-curricular activities he or she chooses. Nevertheless, you can’t help but worry about all of the hard work that will be required of him/her and the chance for serious injury.
Football, specifically, but all sports in general, bring an inherent risk of injury. Many school sports are contact sports, and athletic directors and coaches often push children to their physical limits and beyond.
What happens if your child gets hurt while playing a sport at school? Are Ohio schools legally responsible for your child’s sports injuries?
If you or your child has ever been seriously injured, you understand how devastating that can be. The road to recovery is long and difficult, and you are often dealing with endless medical bills.
If your child was injured at school while playing a sport, you may feel helpless and look for someone to blame. You might even wonder if the school and/or your child’s coaches could have done something to prevent the injury – was your child’s injury the result of negligence?
It is very difficult to prove that a school or coach is liable for your child’s sports injuries.
Ohio law has made individuals and school systems immune from legal action having to do with general sports injuries. Courts have concluded that students who choose to play sports at school have assumed the inherent risk in the activity.
Public schools typically require students to complete a physical before joining a sports team. Furthermore, participants must also sign a a consent waiver, releasing the school from liability for injuries.
However, schools are not off the hook for ALL injuries. If your child suffers an injury while playing sports at school that wasn’t a known/expected risk of playing that sport, the school could be liable. For example, if your child is injured as the result of a dangerous object on the field or court, something the school should have removed or fixed, the school may be liable.
If your child was seriously injured while playing a sport for his or her school, you need to call me at 1 (800) 556-4769, so I can help you evaluate the circumstances of the accident.
If your child’s school or coach put him or her in a dangerous situation, you and your family deserve compensation, so that you can help care for your child. As your personal injury lawyer, I’ll be there for you, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
Author: Tim Misny | For more than 33 years, personal injury lawyer Tim Misny has represented the injured victim in birth injury, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death cases, serving “Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Columbus & Cincinnati, Ohio.” You can reach Tim by email at tmisny@misnylaw.com or call at 1 (800) 556-4769.
