Possible Lawsuit in NJ: Why you should join NASO

[MJT]

Originally Posted by MadCityRef

This is an example of how officials and coaches must teach kids to tackle with their bodies, and not their heads.
We must penalize leading with the helmet (offense and defense) every time. Yeah, you'll catch hell for it, but here's the alternative.
"Coach, I'll trade your anger for a kids ability to walk every time."

I don't think there is a coach out there who does not tell their kids to tackle with their head up and to the side. They talk about it, do drills to show kids how to do it right, then a kids makes a mistake and an accident occurs and the parents blame and sue the coach. This coach has done so much to help this family and this his how he gets repayed? Tell me what the principal and superintendent did to contribute to this accident? What a crock! Some lawyer got to them and convinced them there is blame share and money to be made. Obviously they weren't blaming the coach when they'd call him for more stuff they needed. This is just another example of how twisted our society has become! I feel bad for the player and his family, but it was an accident, a freak accident, and no one is really to blame. But hey if we can get some money out of it, let's do it!

[Jim D]

I'm not a lawyer or a legal expert but I believe the common practice is to name everyone in a suit that might possibly be even remotely connected. In a case like this the lawyers might name to school district, coaches, trainers, officials, equipment makers, EMS people, doctors, etc., etc. Then, as discovery goes on, they drop defendents from the law suit.

That's one huge reason why I join NASO. Even if I'm not really involved in some problem, I still may get sued and have to hire a lawyer to represent me.

[Texas Aggie]

common practice is to name everyone in a suit that might possibly be even remotely connected.

You have to have a specific cause of action against each individual defendant or you run the risk of getting sanctioned. This was such a horribly written article, I can't begin to comment on it because I couldn't tell what the hell actually happened.

[parepat]

Sounds to me that this is a notice that needs to be served within a certain time frame to protect the right to sue. In order to preserve the rights of the plaintiff these are routinely filed against everyone involved and then the true defendants are sorted out later.

[legend]

How would any action done here to revive the kid be any different then those at a car accident? I believe that in most states have good samaratian laws in place to help protect the witnesses who try to help individuals in catastrophic situations (I.E. car on fire, unconscienous passanger.....etc.) If the coaches stepped up and actually saved this childs life I would think that such a law would protect them........ correct?

[Texas Aggie]

legend: I think the focus of the lawsuit would be more on the coaching -- i.e. the coach was negligent in that they didn't teach them to tackle with their head up. EMTs and such have qualified immunity in most or all states. Qualified means there's a presumption that their actions are immune without a showing of something more -- e.g. gross negligence.

[ljudge]

What's even more strange is the opposing coach may be sued...and his team was on offense! It's not his job to teach tackling kid to the opponent. And, it's not like one of his kids blocked the kid with a dangerous or illegal technique. If that were the case I supposed there could be some foundation. The kid simply tried to tackle their brusing fullback who I understand is like "a bull."