Uncalled Cheap Shots

[VaTerp]

Originally Posted by Camron Rust

Not when the injury happens on play #7 at the hands of #34 with plays #1 - #6 preceding them as in this example. At some point, the officials, having not properly addressed the prior plays, will have exposed themselves to more trouble than just losing games.

It may not be enough for criminal conviction, but civil cases have a much lower threshold.

Criminal conviction is not even a remote possibility here.

The issue in a civil matter is negligence. And in many states, a plantiff in a case like this would have to prove not just negligence but that the actions of the official(s) were either reckless or willful and wanton.

Of course the complete lack of control of the game demonstrated by the officials in the video could leave themselves open to litigation. But I agree with JRut in that we are making too much of that, and do so in general in these types of discussions.

As Tomegun stated earlier, I think the focus should be on the awful job of officiating these guys did, not from a liability standpoint, but from the standpoint of officials and taking pride in doing a good, professional, and compotent job in the services that we offer.