Experienced Child Sports & Recreations Injuries Lawyer
Serving Los Angeles, Claremont, & Pasadena
Millions of children engage in sports and recreational activities. They play organized sports in school and in leagues. They play in backyards, parks, and streets. Sporting accidents can and do cause serious injuries, especially in children. Injuries to the head, neck, spinal cord, back, joints, and neck are among the most common.
Child Sports Statistics
- 2.6 million children under 9 are treated in the emergency department each year for sports and recreation-related injuries
- 775,000 children under 14 are treated in hospital emergency rooms for sports and recreation-related injuries each year
- Sports and recreational activities contribute to approximately 21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries among American children
Most sports injuries are accidents. They are not the result of someone’s negligence or intentional misconduct. However, some sports and recreational injuries are the result of negligence and intentional misconduct. When this occurs, you need to know your rights.
Your Child’s Rights as a Sports or Recreation Accident Victim
Organizations and people involved in making and selling sports and recreation products have certain responsibilities that they cannot break. Think of them as duties, obligations, or “standards of care” owed to users of their products. The same is true of people and organizations that operate, manage, or supervise child sports and recreation activities. When these standards of care or responsibilities are broken – the injured party may be able to sue and recover damages.
Other people and organizations can be liable for their actions and inactions when they have a standard of care or duty to meet. For example, if an organization fails to properly maintain sporting equipment and playing fields then they may have breached a required standard of care. Coaches, teachers, or supervisors may have breached a standard of care when they make children continue to play even after the child has suffered an injury, or encourage reckless and dangerous activities. When that breach is the cause of a child’s injury, you may have a case and the ability to recover damages for your child.
Faulty or defective sporting and recreational gear can cause child injuries. A manufacturer cannot make or distribute defective or unsafe equipment like helmets, protective gear, gymnastic equipment, and automated throwing machines. Nor can manufacturers make or distribute defective or unsafe exercise and recreational equipment like treadmills and ellipticals; or all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) or children’s motorcycles.
Sports & Recreational Activity Waivers Do Not Bar All Lawsuits
In many situations, parents are required to sign a waiver to allow their child to participate in sports programs, camp programs, and recreational activities. This waiver does not necessarily prevent you from taking action in the event of your child is injured. An experienced attorney can help you address this issue.
Free Consultation With A Los Angeles Child Sports Accident Lawyer
We handle all types of child sports and recreational injury accident cases including those involving: baseball, softball, football (including Pop Warner), gymnastics, cheer, soccer, hockey, swimming, track and field, lacrosse, cross country, wrestling, camp activities and games.
Call us at (626) 604-6973, complete the form below, or send us an inquiry form by clicking here. All child sports accident cases are handled on a contingency basis, meaning you do not pay unless you recover.
Sports Injury Prevention Tips
Gear up:
Make sure children wear the appropriate protective gear when they participate in sports or recreation.
Age and child-appropriate activities:
Children develop over time. Allowing children to participate in sports or recreational activities that are age-inappropriate can lead to injuries. In addition, a child physically mismatched relative to the other participants can lead to unnecessary risks of injury.
Practice makes perfect:
Learning and practicing the skills needed in an activity will make children safer. For example, knowing how to properly warm-up and jump can help children strengthen their leg muscles and avoid knee injuries. Practicing proper form can prevent injuries during baseball, softball, and many other activities. Practice also leads to better conditioning which strengthens a participant. Being in good condition can protect children from injury.
Be a role model:
You must demonstrate safe behavior and practices. You or the child’s coach must demonstrate and communicate safety messages. Wear helmets and following the rules.
Other important areas of concern
- Stay hydrated
- Identify high-risk situations (bad/poor fields, poorly maintained equipment, poor supervision, suspension or avoidance of rules)
Resources:
Sports Safety From Vanderbilt’s Children’s Hospital
Centers for Disease Control & Prevention – Children’s Sports Injury Safety