Florida family sues school district over son’s brain injury

The parents of a high school football player have filed a negligence lawsuit against a Tampa school district in connection with a brain injury that put their son in the hospital. Last year, on Oct. 9, 2013, the highschooler was playing catch on the football field when he hit his head on a paint machine used to line the field.

The teen was not taken to a hospital and returned home unsupervised. He later went to Florida Hospital Tampa, where he spent nine days in a medically induced coma. A piece of his skull was removed to reduce pressure and swelling in the brain.

The teen’s family seeks compensation for lost wages as well as loss of companionship and other non-economic damages. The teen’s medical expenses had already exceeded $200,000, the cap for payout for agencies of the state. The teen’s parents allege that the Hillsborough Country School District should be held accountable for their son’s condition. The lawsuit states that the school failed to provide appropriate medical care or contact the boy’s family about the accident. Video obtained by the family’s legal representation showed the teen unsupervised for long periods of time after the incident.

Injuries like brain trauma and spinal cord failure are serious issues that could potentially result in lifelong impairment. Someone who has suffered traumatic brain injury may wish to work with a lawyer to obtain compensation from the party liable for the injury. Compensation could be used to cover medical expenses as well as a loss of income due to missed work.

Source: The Tampa Tribune, “Hillsborough district sued over football player’s brain injury”, Nick Williams, September 12, 2014