Our Georgia Attorneys Help Parents Understand High School Football Player Head Injuries and Prevention

High school football games are a fun pastime for teenagers and adults alike. In many cities and towns across the country, Friday nights are dedicated to football games. Many parents understand that some risk of injury is present in a football game. However, some are unaware that there is a risk of death in this popular sport. According to our Georgia personal injury attorney, 24 high school football players died over the past few years from traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries they sustained during football games.

Although the number of deaths has overall decreased since the 1960s and 1970s, largely due to more advanced medical care and better helmet safety standards, the numbers seem to be creeping up. Interestingly, roughly 20 percent of the high school football players who died from traumatic brain injuries had suffered a concussion about a month before they died.

Examples of actionable negligence may include:

• Inadequate supervision
• Poorly trained employees
• Dangerous sports equipment, including safety equipment
• The failure to maintain sports facilities
• A lack of onsite medical care

Consider the following scenario. A football team is practicing for its upcoming game. The players put on their uniforms and hit the field. Several of the players have complained for some time that their helmets seemed unsafe. Many noticed cracks in the helmets, and they appeared to have a great deal of wear and tear. 

Football helmets should be used for a period of no more than ten years - sometimes even less. At this point, they should be replaced. Helmets should also be replaced if they are cracked or overly worn. In this example, the school would likely face liability for the player’s injuries because it 1) had a duty to provide quality safety equipment to its students, 2) had notice of the dangerous condition of the football helmets, 3) breached its duty to the student by allowing him to participate without proper safety equipment, and 4) due to that breach, the student was injured.

Pursuing a personal injury claim can be a detailed process. Without an experienced personal injury attorney, victims may unintentionally forfeit their right to recover damages, or they may resolve their claims for far less than their claims are actually worth.

Montlick & Associates: Dedicated to Keeping Children Across Georgia Safe

If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident caused by someone else's negligence, contact Montlick & Associates today for your free consultation with our experienced Personal Injury Lawyers in Georgia. Montlick & Associates has been representing those who suffer serious injuries throughout all of Georgia and in the Southeast for over 39 years, including but not limited to Albany, Athens, Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Gainesville, Macon, Marietta, Rome, Roswell, Savannah, Smyrna, Valdosta, Warner Robins and all smaller cities and rural areas in the state.

No matter where you are located our attorneys are just a phone call away, and we will even come to you. Call us 24 hours a day/7 days a week for your Free Consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333). You can also visit us online at www.montlick.com and use our Free Case Evaluation Form or 24-hour Live Online Chat.

Sources:

https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/get_the_facts.html
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3438866/

Montlick & Associates, Attorneys at Law
17 Executive Park Dr NE
Atlanta, GA 30329
Telephone: 1 (800) LAW-NEED
Telephone: 1 (404) 529-6333