Children and teenagers involved in sports may sustain cuts and scrapes that go along with such playtime. Unfortunately, in some cases, there are extenuating circumstances involved in athletics that can cause more extreme injuries, including brain injuries. Such is the case for one New Jersey teenager who sustained a brain injury while playing in a youth baseball game in 2006. Now 18 years old, the teenager is unable to manage daily routines on his own and will require daily care for the rest of his life.
Following the accident, the teenager’s parents filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of baseball bats, Little League Baseball Inc., as well as a sporting goods chain of stores. The lawsuit filed in New Jersey Superior Court claimed that an unsafe metal bat was used in the baseball game, which is what led to the teenager’s injury. After another youth struck a line drive with the metal bat, the ball hit the victim in the chest at the precise moment in between heartbeats, which caused him to go into cardiac arrest. Several adults rushed to the collapsed youth, and someone trained in CPR began to work on him. Paramedics were called to the scene, and within minutes had administered oxygen and began transporting him to the hospital.
Unfortunately, the teenager did not receive oxygen to his brain for at least 15 to 20 minutes, causing permanent damage. At the age of 18, he still resides with his parents and depends on them for daily care. The lawsuit was settled recently in Passaic County for $14.5 million, and this law firm was privileged to assist the family in achieving that goal. The president of Little League Baseball Inc. stated that the settlement will guarantee that the teenager gets the care he needs as he moves forward from this accident.
The road ahead for this family will still be challenging, although eased with the settlement of this lawsuit. Now the family will have the financial assistance they need to care for this teenager and move forward with their lives. Anyone who suffers brain injuries resulting from an accident, whether by use of a dangerous or defective product or otherwise, may be entitled to pursue claims for damages based upon evidence of negligence. When such injuries occur, it may benefit families to research the law and seek to understand what recourse may be available to them.
Source: WWLP-TV, “$14.5M for boy’s brain injury from metal bat,” Wayne Parry, AP, Aug. 22, 2012
