Who is Liable for Injuries Suffered While Playing Amateur Sports?

It’s quite common for people who participate in amateur sports to suffer from injuries of all degrees of severity. But is there any legal recourse available for people who suffer from these types of injuries? 

In many cases, the answer will likely be no. There is an assumed risk of injury involved with playing amateur sports, so it can be extremely difficult to successfully navigate a personal injury claim after suffering an injury on the soccer field or the basketball court. If the injuries you suffered were reasonably related to the sport, you will almost certainly not have a case. There are, however, some exceptions to this general rule. 

• Injuries caused by aggression. Any injuries that you suffered as a result of “unreasonable” behavior by other people playing the sport could lead to a successful personal injury claim. Say, for example, a person was being unreasonably aggressive or was seeking to intentionally harm you during the action of the game, you could look to file an intentional tort lawsuit against whoever caused the injury to you during the game.
• Injuries caused by equipment defects. If defective sports equipment or other products led to injuries, you could choose to pursue a product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer of the equipment.
• Injuries caused by unsafe conditions. If you suffer an injury because of poor facility or equipment conditions, you likely will have the option to file personal injury claim against the owner of the facility on the basis that he or she failed to uphold their duty to properly maintain the equipment or the facility. This type of lawsuit would generally fall under the umbrella of premises liability. 

So while it can be difficult to file a personal injury claim for amateur sports injuries, there are some scenarios in which you do have legal options. Speak with a New York personal injury attorney from [ln::firm_name] today for more information.