About 3.7 million Americans seek medical treatment for injuries caused by sports and recreation accidents each year. Those in the 15-to-24 age range, in particular, suffer sports and recreation accident injuries at an alarming rate. Almost 500,000 million people in this age group are injured while playing sports annually.
Alabama has the sixth-highest percentage of teenagers playing sports in the country, as its high school participation rate has surged to nearly 54%. If you’re a parent of a high schooler, you may need to hire a sports and recreation accident lawyer in Mobile, AL, at some point. You might also have to look into doing this if you’re among the 18% of Alabama adults who exercise recreationally on a regular basis.
Before you consider filing a personal injury claim through a personal injury lawyer in Mobile, AL, make sure you know what constitutes a sports and recreation accident and how you can improve your chances of winning a case involving an injury caused by one. Learn more about these issues below and contact Jackson & Foster if you have any questions.
What Are Sports and Recreation Accidents?
Studies show that 63 million Americans suffer accidental injuries every year. Sports and recreation accidents cause a small percentage of them and sometimes compel people to hire a sports and recreation accident lawyer in Mobile, AL, to take legal action against the responsible party in their case.
Sports and recreation accidents refer to accidents that occur while people are playing organized sports, such as football, basketball, or baseball, or while participating in recreational activities, like hiking, kayaking, or rock climbing.
Examples of Sports and Recreation Accident Injuries
More than 30,000 high school students in Alabama play football in the fall. This is of interest since concussions have become prevalent sports and recreation accident injuries.
The Alabama Head and Spinal Cord Injury Registry reports that over 6,000 individuals are hospitalized in the state each year. Some, including high school and college football players, choose to hire a sports and recreation accident lawyer to file lawsuits. They may take legal action against their coaching staff, schools, equipment manufacturers, and more in pursuit of financial restitution for their injuries.
The following are other common examples of sports and recreation accident injuries:
- Broken bones
- Joint dislocations
- Soft-tissue injuries
Sports and recreation accident injuries can also include injuries suffered while using playground equipment, swimming pools, and equipment at amusement parks.
Common Causes of Sports and Recreation Accident Injuries
Injuries are, unfortunately, a big part of playing sports at any level. If you spend enough time playing sports and participating in recreational activities, the odds of sustaining injuries are high. These injuries are often caused by:
- Lack of training
- Poor technique
- Ill-fitting gear
Factors like negligent supervision and defective products also lead to sports and recreation accident injuries. In these instances, hiring a sports and recreation accident lawyer in Mobile, AL, may help you figure out whether you should consider taking legal action against someone who caused you to sustain an accidental injury.
When Can You File a Sports and Recreation Accident Lawsuit?
You can’t file a sports and recreation accident lawsuit every time you suffer an injury while playing an organized sport or participating in a recreational activity. You can, however, think about filing a lawsuit against someone if they demonstrated gross negligence or reckless conduct in the moments leading up to your injury.
Examples of this might include:
- A high school football coach forcing a player to return to a game despite exhibiting concussion symptoms
- A pickup basketball player attacking a fellow player and badly injuring them after a game ends
- A rock climbing company failing to provide a recreational climber with the right equipment and causing them to fall
Why You Need a Sports and Recreation Accident Lawyer in Mobile, AL
If you would like to consider your legal options after sustaining an injury, contact a sports and recreation accident lawyer in Mobile, AL, to review your case. These types of personal injuries are often confusing since they involve premises liability and other factors. They can end up being even more complicated if you signed a liability waiver before participating in a sport or recreational activity.
An experienced personal injury attorney can analyze all the details.
Call Jackson & Foster After Suffering a Sports and Recreation Accident Injury
Sustaining an injury while playing a sport or taking part in a recreational activity can limit your ability to remain active in the future. It can also leave you with a huge pile of medical bills and impact your finances in other ways. Contact Jackson & Foster today at 251-433-6699 to speak with a seasoned sports and recreation accident lawyer in Mobile, AL, about a traumatic brain injury or another sports-related injury.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have additional questions about when to hire a sports and recreation accident lawyer in Mobile, AL? Look for answers to them below.
Can I File a Lawsuit After Sustaining a Sports or Recreation Accident Injury?
Yes, you can file a lawsuit after sustaining a sports or recreation accident injury. But you will need to have evidence to prove that someone else caused your accident and the subsequent injuries to occur to launch a successful lawsuit.
How Much Is My Sports and Recreation Accident Injury Lawsuit Worth?
Your sports and recreation accident injury lawsuit could be worth almost any amount of money, depending on the circumstances surrounding your case. There have been quite a few multimillion-dollar payouts in legal cases involving concussion injuries, in particular.
