Sports injuries are injuries that occur during sports activities, like concussions, torn ligaments, and spinal cord injuries. Sports injuries are extremely common for student-athletes, adults, and professional athletes. If you suffered an injury playing sports and want to learn more about your legal options, our sports injury law team at Brain Injury Law of Seattle is here to help.

Sports injury law is the field of law that holds negligent parties accountable for carelessness leading to injury during sports activities.

Various conditions can lead to an injury, whether poor field conditions or subpar janitorial services in the locker room. If you’ve been injured playing sports, you need a sports injury lawyer on your side to explain your legal rights.

Not all sports injuries are eligible for compensation, but some are. This can be true even if you signed a waiver and have absolved the other party from responsibility. Protocols, rules, regulations, or statutes related to an injury can return the fault to another party.

Why Do I Need a Specialized Brain Injury Attorney?

Brain injuries are different from other accident-related injuries. A broken arm or whiplash, while painful, usually has a straightforward diagnosis and recovery path—these injuries are visible and obvious.

Brain injuries, however, can be complex, invisible, and highly unpredictable. Symptoms can linger for months or even years, and in some cases, additional complications appear long after the accident.

Insurance companies often downplay concussions or TBIs, labeling them “minor” injuries or questioning the extent they affect your daily life. Without legal representation, you may find your claim undervalued or outright denied.

Types of Sports Injuries

With sports injuries being a frequent occurrence, sports injury law is quite common. Some of the highest 2017 injuries count as reported by the National Safety Council:

  • Bicycles: 457,266
  • Football: 341,150
  • Playgrounds: 242,359
  • Trampolines: 145,207
  • Track and field: 35,938

Do you believe a school or a particular individual may be at fault for the injury? You could have a case. Whether you fell off a bike or tore your ACL due to a ditch in the field, contact our sports injury lawyers for a case evaluation.

How to Prevent Sports Injuries

There are several ways to minimize your risk of sports related injuries.

A good way to prevent injuries is to stay healthy. With strong muscles and healthy joints, you can prevent all sorts of injuries, from brain bruises to sprained ankles. Always stretch before physical activity to reduce the risk of muscle strains.

Whether you’re playing soccer at a local park or working out at a gym, ensure that the equipment is in good condition and that you follow any safety procedures the organization outlines.

Common Causes of Sports Injuries

A serious sports related injury can happen for several reasons. The most common causes of injuries below are instances in which another party may be liable for the damages you suffered.

Intentional Misconduct

Intentional misconduct is a willful ignorance of guidelines set by law, the governing entity, or the facility. Such a scenario can place the blame for an injury on the person or entity who ignored the guidelines. This can be a player on the field, a coach on the sidelines, or an entity that creates policy, such as a school or facility.

Negligent Coaching

A coach who sent you back into the game or practice while injured may be negligible and liable for damages. The same is true for a coach who pushes you beyond the usual endurance standards. Negligent or intentional conduct that leads to a sports related injury are grounds for legal action to ensure that the responsible parties are held liable.

Defective or Dangerous Products/Equipment

Improper upkeep of equipment can lead to all sorts of injuries. For example, bad turf can lead to torn ligaments and concussions. Faulty playground equipment can lead to concussions and broken bones. The person or entity in charge of that upkeep may be at fault.

Failure to Remove Property Hazards

If the playing field or property contains hazards, the property owner may be at fault if you suffered an injury due to the hazard. For example, if your child’s high school created or allowed the continued existence of dangerous field conditions that hurt your child, they may be liable. The same applies to sports facilities, trampoline parks, and similar entities.

Lacking an Emergency Action Plan at School

An emergency action plan is necessary to keep children safe at schools and school sporting events. If the school does not have an action plan and you were injured during an emergency evacuation, the entity in charge of creating the plan may be responsible.

Abuse and Acts of Violence

There is never an excuse for abuse or acts of violence. If you have been the victim of abuse or an act of violence during sports activities, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit or a sports injuries lawsuit.

Alcohol or Substance Abuse

Suppose the person responsible for overseeing your safety as an athlete was under the influence of alcohol or drugs. In that case, you may be able to seek compensation from them for your medical expenses, lost wages, and more.

Brain Injury After a Car Accident

We Can Help

What Do Sports Injury Lawyers Do?

A sports injury attorney has experience with sports injuries and filing claims to pursue compensation. Handling your case on your own can be overwhelming since you’re unfamiliar with the legal repercussions that can arise from sports injuries. Not only that, but you should focus on your recovery. A sports injury lawyer makes the process of seeking compensation hassle-free.

Sports Injury Lawsuit Damages

  1. Players. A reckless player can cause an injury and be held accountable for the damages.
  2. Coaches. A coach who sends an injured player back into the game or pushes athletes beyond a normal standard of endurance can be liable for damages.
  3. Sports organizations. Entities that fail to create or enforce safety policies, such as your child’s school, can be responsible for injuries.

As an athlete or the parent of an athlete, you can file a lawsuit sue for damages in any of these scenarios. In sports injury cases we fight to achieve fair compensation using the legal process to help cover things such as medical care or ongoing medical bills, lost wages, and more. Our team will take on the insurance company lawyers and get you fair compensation. To begin the process of a sports injury lawsuit, reach out to a qualified sports injury lawyer at Brain Injury Law of Seattle.

Contact an Experienced Sports Injuries Lawyer at Brain Injury Law for a Free Consultation

Are you looking for “sports attorneys near me”? The award-winning team at Brain Injury Law of Seattle is at your service. Our attorneys have years of experience in sports injury law. We can help you navigate your way through this difficult time and handle every detail of your cause. We started this practice because we care about you and your health and are here to help. To book a free consultation, call us today!