When you play sports, you’re at risk of getting injured. You can either fall or someone else might injure you by mistake. It’s not the safest activity, yet it’s a great method to stay active and healthy.
Whether you play sports often or you have a child who does, you may be wondering if you can sue after an injury that occurred due to this sort of activity. The laws are more permissive, in some states than in others. For example, if you live in Washington, it might be easier for your Washington state personal injury lawyer to win a claim than if the injury had occurred in Arizona. This article will tell you whether you can sue for sports-related injuries or not.
Common Situations when Sports-Related Injuries Happen
Injuries can occur in sports for many reasons, but the most common ones are collisions or contact between players. Usually, the situations when injuries happen are:
There are many others, but these are the most commonly encountered. What makes these injuries awful is that not only do they cause a lot of pain, but they also reduce someone’s life quality and may negatively impact their future.
Can You Sue for Sports-Related Injuries?
In general, suing for sports-related injuries is not going to help in any way. When these things happen, there’s nothing you can do. When an adult or even a child plays a sport, these issues are expected from the beginning. There’s always a risk of injury there. Legally, this is known as “Assumption of Risk”.
Due to this concept, you will not be able to receive any monetary compensation for getting injured when voluntarily taking part in a sports game. The player accepted these risks from the beginning, which makes it impossible to get any compensation.
When it comes to children, parents also have to sign a consent waiver, which then means they agree to the child playing the sport.
Are There Situations When Suing Is Possible?
In some rare instances, you will be able to sue. Negligent coaching is a common situation when people can sue because it means the sports player was put in a dangerous situation for no reason. Products liability is another case, and people can sue when an injury occurred due to a defective or poorly manufactured item.
Also, when one athlete recklessly injures another, the injured one can sue. Lastly, if a child is injured intentionally by another player, then you can sue for any potential losses.
Final Thoughts
While suing for sports-related injuries is not possible most of the time due to the Assumption of Risk, several situations may allow you to sue. Whether you got injured or your child did, make sure you know all the details before you try to sue.