When you enroll your child in an extracurricular sports league, you probably don’t think that you’ll ever Google the phrase “personal injury attorney Washington DC.” Nevertheless, as we know very well at Cohen & Cohen, P.C., youth sports leagues cause an alarming number of serious injuries. In most cases, children sustain mild injuries that are simply “part of the game,” otherwise simply considered to be injuries that occur as accidents where no single party is responsible. However, research shows that the number of serious and preventable injuries in youth sports organizations is on the rise.
Sports-related injuries for kids and teens are more common than you think.
According to the Southwest Athletic Trainers’ Association (SWATA) on youth sports and safety statistics:
- Around 8,000 children, on average, are treated in emergency rooms across the country every single day for sports-related injuries.
- Every year, high school sports injuries number approximately two million individual injuries and 30,000 hospitalizations.
- Contrary to popular belief, practice sessions actually cause more injuries than games or matches. Around 62% of all sports-related injuries occur during practice.
- Almost half (47%) of all U.S. schools do not have an adequate number of nurses for the number of students in attendance, as suggested by federal guidelines for school safety.
- Out of all age groups, teens aged 15-17 are the most likely to require hospitalization or emergency room treatment for sports-related injuries.
Many sports-related injuries won’t have parents frantically searching for the “best possible personal injury attorney Washington DC for kids sports,” but the injuries that could justify legal action are often very severe.
A 2013 investigation from USA Today, sprains, fractures, and concussions are some of the most common sports-related injuries that ER pediatric doctors treat. For children between the ages of 6 and 19, this medical treatment costs a collective $935 million every year. Concussions, in particular, account for approximately 12% of all sports-related ER visits in the U.S. for children.
Concussions are some of the most serious injuries that can occur in young children and teenagers, simply because this type of injury can cause traumatic brain damage and even spinal damage. In far too many cases, concussions are not examined by a medical professional or are considered to be moderate because the child recovers quickly with minimal side effects.
The problem researchers are finding out now is that former athletes are showing signs of brain damage years after sustaining a sports-related concussion. Unfortunately, even the best personal injury attorney Washington DC can provide may not be able to help a victim very much when the brain damage is discovered decades after the injury occurred.
Any Youth Sport Can Lead to Traumatic Injuries
Team sports that facilitate high-impact contact, such as football and lacrosse, are notorious for causing concussions and broken bones. Even individual sports, such as gymnastics, have a high rate of injuries and many of these injuries could be preventable with proper training, equipment and oversight.
When a Youth Sports Injury Could Have Been Prevented…
This is where an experienced Washington DC personal injury attorney is helpful, and possibly even necessary. Parents whose children have suffered severe sports-related injuries should consider contacting a local personal injury attorney in Washington DC; an investigation into the accident could show that the injury was preventable and, therefore, the result of someone else’s negligent behavior.
No amount of money through an injury settlement can reverse the damage of a traumatic injury in a child, but financial compensation can help families deal with the consequences and focus on recovery.
When you need a personal injury attorney Washington DC residents know and trust, contact Cohen & Cohen, P.C. today.
Thanks to our friends and contributor’s at Koa Sports for their insight into the specifics of youth sport related injuries.
