Switch to ADA Accessible Theme
Close Menu
Tampa Car Accident Lawyer
FREE Consultations Available
813-217-5715
TAMPA
Tampa Car Accident Lawyers > Blog > Head Spinal Injuries > Fresno Football Player Suffers Brain Damage at Practice

Fresno Football Player Suffers Brain Damage at Practice

TBI

The father of a 16-year-old football player is suing the school district after his son was seriously injured following practice in triple-digit temperatures. The father alleges that the coach of the team failed to call for immediate medical attention after his son collapsed on the field. According to the lawsuit, the boy suffered severe brain and organ damage. The family accuses the coach and the school district of negligence.

What Happened? 

The lawsuit states that the player was participating in conditioning drills when he began to feel excessively hot. The player told the coach that he felt weak, but the coach told him to continue running. He tried to run but collapsed on the field.

Instead of calling 911 or otherwise helping the boy, the coach called his father. Emergency personnel never arrived at the scene. Instead, the boy’s father had to transport him to the hospital. By the time they got there, his condition was much worse.

The plaintiffs are accusing the school district and its coach of failing to provide water during excessively hot conditions, failing to render aid when one of the students collapsed and is responsible for his condition worsening when he should have been getting help for heatstroke. By then his brain and other organs had been deprived of oxygen.

The lawsuit seeks to recover damages for decreased quality of life and loss of potential earnings. If the boy is as bad as the lawsuit claims, he will likely need 24-hour care for the rest of his life.

Damages in a Case Like This are High 

In a case like this, damages tend to be high. But when it’s a parent filing a lawsuit against a public school district, the school district is protected by sovereign immunity. That means that the state has the ultimate say in which cases are allowed to move forward, caps damages, and requires certain procedural deadlines be met that wouldn’t be present in a case against any other defendant.

In a typical case against a non-governmental agency, the boy would be entitled to receive damages for medical expenses, lost wages, and reduced quality of life. In the case of a 16-year-old boy recovering lost wages, you would have 50 years’ worth of potential earnings prorated throughout his lifetime. This is in addition to decreased quality of life considerations and the cost of 24-hour medical care.

However, damages against governmental agencies tend to be capped at somewhere between $100,000 and $300,000 depending on the state the claim can be pursued in court. So, it would take an act of the legislature to authorize a figure higher than the sovereign immunity statute allows.

A claims bill is a vehicle by which the judgment gets brought in front of the State Legislature and the lawmakers in Tallahassee (for a Florida claim) have the ability to say whether or not the State will pay in excess of those limits. Claims bills are not readily approved, nor do they happen expeditiously.

Talk to a Florida Personal Injury Attorney Today 

If you or someone you love has suffered severe brain damage as a result of another’s negligence, call the Tampa head & spinal injury attorneys at The Matassini Law Firm today to learn more about how we can help.

Facebook Twitter LinkedIn

The experience you need in your pursuit of justice

The greatest distinguishing feature among attorneys is their level of experience. Our firm has more than 60 years of legal experience, much of it spent in the courtroom at trial. As a result, our Tampa personal injury lawyers rarely encounter an unfamiliar situation and can thoroughly answer your urgent questions. Our criminal defense practice features a board certified criminal trial lawyer and two former prosecutors with impressive knowledge of trial tactics and procedures.

The resources to provide quality representation for the length of your case

Whether your case involves medical malpractice, an auto accident or a wrongful death, your attorney must be prepared to take the case all the way through trial to verdict. Many personal injury attorneys advance the cost of litigation, so they can only last so long before financial pressures start to mount. As a client, you have to wonder whether an attorney's advice to settle your case reflects the quality of the offer or your attorneys need to get paid. Fortunately, The Matassini Law Firm has the resources to pursue civil verdicts and settlements that reflect the actual value of your case.

Call our Tampa Bay car accident lawyers for a free consultation

A crisis in your life calls for capable and compassionate assistance. The Matassini Law Firm, P.A. addresses your needs all the way through the legal process. For your free initial confidential conference with one of our Tampa car accident attorneys, call us today at 813-217-5715 or contact us online.

Share This Page:
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn
888-377-0011
Toll Free
813-217-5715
Tampa
2811 W. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, Florida 33609
GET DRIVING DIRECTIONS
+