With the new school year upon us, our energetic, athletic children will be beginning fall sports like football and soccer. Though these organized activities are proven to be beneficial for our children and their physical and mental health, there are a few risk factors to consider before allowing your child to step on the field including sports injuries. Take a look at a few statistics:

• Over 3.5 million children 14 and under are injured playing sports per year
• About 21 percent of all traumatic brain injuries in children are caused by sports and recreational activities
• In New York State, 4,000 children aged 19 and under are treated for sports-related traumatic brain injuries in hospitals
• Most sports injuries are sprains and strains caused when stress is placed on joints, tendons, muscles, and bones such as knee injuries or sprained ankles or wrists
• 5 percent of sports-related injuries involve broken bones
• Over 775,000 children 14 and under are treated in hospital emergency rooms for sports injuries annually

Top 10 Tips on How Parents Can Prevent Sports Injuries

There are a few ways you as a parent can prevent your children from suffering from sports injuries. Take a look at our top 10 tips:

1. Enroll your child in an organized sporting activity to ensure it is properly maintained and committed to injury prevention

2. Ensure your child has the proper safety equipment and utilizes the gear while participating in the activity

3. Pack a water bottle for your child so he or she may stay hydrated while playing

4. Make sure your child has a warmup and cooldown activity to make muscles more flexible before the activity and loosen tightened muscles after exercise

5. Go over the safety rules with your child to make sure he or she understands them

6. If your child is injured, call their physician or go to the emergency room, if necessary, and remember RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation

7. Encourage light exercise outside your child’s sport to prevent soreness

8. Get a physical before beginning a sport to ensure your child is healthy and ready to play

9. Make sure your child speaks up, if they are feeling dizzy or pain, make sure they know to tell their coach

10. Get involved: Go over safety procedures from your child’s school, speak with your child’s coach with your concerns, and be present when appropriate at your child’s practices or games

Who Is Liable If My Child Is Injured Playing a Sport

There are many factors to consider when determining the liability of sports injuries on a school campus. To learn more about your rights and who may be accountable for school sports injuries, take a look at our previous blog.

What to Do If Your Child Is Hurt Playing a School Sport

If your child suffers from an injury while playing a school sport, seek medical attention immediately. Your child and his or her safety is the most important thing. After having a medical professional carefully examine your child, it may be time to discuss a potential school sports-related injuries lawsuit. Obtain medical records for your child with all of the information on performed testing and the injuries diagnosed. Also take note, or if you can, take photos of the site where the sports injury took place. Make thorough observations of what could have caused the accident and injured your child. The next step would be to seek out an injury lawyer. Ensure they have experience in sports injuries and negligence cases. This attorney will help you file injury claims to potentially receive compensation for costly medical bills, your child’s pain and suffering, and more.

If your child has suffered from school sports injuries, your child may be entitled to substantial compensation. Contact the personal injury lawyers at  Brindisi, Murad, Brindisi and Pearlman for free legal advice to learn more about a potential negligence lawsuit. You deserve The People’s Lawyer on your side. Contact our office today.

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