Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima
Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima

Call

The professional team at Rittgers Rittgers & Nakajima
  1. Home
  2.  | 
  3. Child Injuries
  4.  | Gymnast’s Lawsuit Shows Need For Careful Supervision In Sports

Gymnast’s Lawsuit Shows Need For Careful Supervision In Sports

by | Feb 20, 2015 | Child Injuries

The uneven bars are perhaps the most challenging of all gymnastics equipment. An uneven bars routine requires a gymnast to twist or flip in the air while travelling the five feet from one bar to the other.

If a high school was conducting a gymnastics practice, it is pretty reasonable to expect that a supervisor would be spotting and coaching any student using the uneven bars. Unfortunately, that did not happen when one high school freshman was recently using this piece of equipment.

The teen fell from the uneven bars and landed on her neck. The impact temporarily knocked her unconscious. When she came to, she had severe pain in her neck and experienced tingling in her forehead and chin. Rather than call 911, a coach forced her to sit upright and ice her neck. When the girl’s mother arrived at the gymnasium she immediately called 911.

The injured gymnast needed emergency surgery to secure her spine and will require additional operations in the future. The girl’s family has filed a lawsuit against the high school, on her behalf. For more on the details of the accident, click here for the news story.

This sports accident shows the importance of training coaches to sufficiently supervise and know what steps to take, should an injury occur. Even if the coach’s actions were well-intentioned, they put the teen at risk of further injury and possibly death. When such negligence occurs, the injured person and family has little choice but to hold the wrongdoers liable for the resulting harm.

If you believe that your child has been seriously injured due to the negligence of a school or coaching staff, speak with an experienced personal injury attorney as soon as possible.