The Risks of the Game of Football, Essay Example

Equipment

• A player wearing a worn out or outdated helmet resulting to head concussion upon contact with another helmet; with a head to head collisions, the player can sustain severe head damages from the good-in-state helmet player (Bartsch, Benzel & Prakash, 2012, p. 223).
• A player wearing a substandard or old shoulder pad can suffer shoulder dislocation from tackles. Such injuries can easily be sustained when the set protocols of the appropriate gears are not followed (Defective Sports Equipment Leads to Athletic Injuries, n.d.). The player sustaining such injuries are liable to their damages.
• A player can experience knee break due to the failure to wear knee pads. The risks involved in football require appropriate gears, including a knee pad, failure to have one during in play can result in serious limb injuries, which can lead to permanent injuries.
• Tooth chips as a result of tackle encounters without a mouthpiece. The mouthpiece is very critical during play. Failure to have it during play can result in tooth chipping. The player sustaining the damages are liable to the self-damages caused.
• A player can sustain severe head concussion when wearing a helmet with loose screws. Before getting to the game, all helmets should be tested to be safe for use (Bartsch et al., 2012, p. 228). The failure can result in head damages and could also result in the death of the player.

Facilities

• A football player breaks a leg after running into a close bench. The design of the stadium and the ways to the changing rooms can be hazardous. The result can be injuries to the players while they run to get to the pitch.
• A player gets an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear after running in a muddy and wet field. Wet fields are hazardous to the players. While facing an encounter in a slippery, wet, and muddy field, the player can sustain severe limb damages such as ACL tears.
• A player breaks an ankle after tripping while the turf comes out. Poor fixing of turf can cause severe ankle damages when the player slides over. Turfs often come out upon slides, and the result can be ankle or knee damages.
• A player gets ahead concussion after running through the stands. During play, a player can be pushed over, stumbling to the stands. The results of the encounter can also be limb damages.
• A player experiences a severe sprain ankle after running over misplaced sprinkler systems. Sprinkler systems left in the pitch can be the cause of injury risks such as severe ankle sprain. The player might not be aware of the impending misplaced systems.

Instructions

• A player gets further damages after the coach allows the player to player before being cleared from injury. It is termed as an injury due to negligence. The injured player can file a personal injury lawsuit.
• A coach breaks a limb or an arm after getting hit by an athlete. It is against the rules and instructions for the coach to be in the field during play.
• A player passes out from heat exhaustion after experiencing dehydration as a result of the coach’s failure to provide enough water.
• The coach tears the medial collateral ligament (MCL) after being tackled by a player while standing on the sideline.
• A player experiences severe head injury as a result of poor tackling instructions.

Participants

• A player gets a slow up or ahead concussion after engaging in a helmet to helmet hit. The participants should be aware of the inherent danger associated with the behavior.
• A player’s injury worsens after prescribing anti-inflammatory drugs to continue playing. Such is the suit against the National Football League (NFL) after a player claimed that they received drugs in their professional tenure resulting in opioid addictions and permanent damages (Sports News, ‘`x).
• A player alleges of conspiracy due to their political inclination.
• A player suffers permanent injuries from collisions in a tackle and failure by the insurance company to take coverage. The insurance companies can decline coverage due to the rough nature of the game (Gooley, 2019). Getting a carrier company for such games is much complex.
• The coach gets a tearing ACL after being hit by a player running out of bounds. All participants are at risk while the game is on the play.

Spectators

• A fan gets an injury after brick in the stadium falls on them. Such risks have happened previously, such as that of Jean Michaud, who sustained severe toe injury upon being fell on by a 500kg-cement block (Florio, 2018).
• A spectator sustains severe injuries after a conflict, and a fight breaks out. While fans often argue, there arises fight, and the damages are extended to the onlookers like being knocked to the ground during the altercation.
• A spectator files a suit after being sold a fake ticket. Such happens upon buying a ticket from online vendors only for the spectator to be denied entry to the pitch.
• A spectator sustains injuries from an oncoming ball. When the ball gets off-pitch, the fan can sustain severe head damages such as the broken nose.
• The game attendant sustains limb injuries while leaving the stadium or while going to the benches. A fan takes a tumble while walking down the steps. It could be a result of slippery steps.

Emergency procedures

• A player or a participant sustains severe injuries as a result of hazards like those of lightning strikes. Such could result in filing a lawsuit such as that filed in Florence, SC, where a coach filed a suit against USA Football Company for negligence and contract bleach while searching for shelter during a thunderstorm (Rivas, 2019). Such are risks associated with limited emergency response protocols.
• Participants, fans, and other parties in the stadium sustain serious injuries resulting from a terrorist attack in the stadium during play. Terrorists can smuggle in explosives causing significant damages and injuries. There is a need to have emergency response protocols in such situations.
• Fans and onlookers sustain severe injuries after a fight breaks out. It can result from a slow response by the security teams.
• Fans sustain severe injuries as they walk out of the stadium. Such can arise as a result of few stadium exits causing overcrowding at the exits. Some accidents can result from car collisions as the fans drive out of the stadium, causing severe injuries to the parties involved.
• A player sustains long term or permanent injuries as a result of a collision while in play. The failure to provide immediate response can result in such injuries.

Risk Assessment Matrix

Discussion

The severity is measured in terms of the financial impact of a lawsuit. If the victim were to sue the firm, the severity of the legal claim would range from low to catastrophic. The Frequency of the occurrence of the injuries, which could result in claims, range from low to high. The risk matrix pairs the severity of claims with the Frequency of those claims. For instance, risk numbers 2, 8, 8, 13, and 20 have low probabilities of occurrence and even low probability of financial loss to the club should they occur, while risks number 17, 29, and 30 have a very high risk of occurrence and even high severity injuries.

References

Bartsch, A., Benzel, E., Miele, V., & Prakash, V. (2012). Impact test comparisons of 20th and 21st-century American football helmets. Journal of neurosurgery, 116(1), 222-233.

Defective Sports Equipment Leads to Athletic Injuries. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://thelyonfirm.com/practice-areas/defective-sports-equipment/

Gooley, B. (2019, January 30). Will insurance be the death of football? Market constricts amid brain injury concerns. The National Law Review. Retrieved from https://www.natlawreview.com/article/will-insurance-be-death-football-market-constricts-amid-brain-injury-concerns

Florio, M., (October 13, 2018). Fan Sues Dolphin Over Stadium Accident That Partially Severs Toe. NBC Sports. Retrieved from https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/10/13/fan-sues-dolphins-over-stadium-accident-that-partially-severs-a-toe/

Rivas, B. (2019, January 15). FJFL coach struck by lightning suing USA Football Company. ABC 15 News. Retrieved from https://wpde.com/news/local/fjfl-coach-struck-by-lightening-suing-usa-football-company

Sports News. (September 6, 2018). Court Revives ex-NFL players’ painkiller lawsuit. Reuters. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-football-nfl-painkillers-suit/court-revives-ex-nfl-players-painkiller-lawsuit-iduskcn1lm312