On April 21, 2021, an 18-year-old high school boy was allowed to wrestle in a wrestling meet against another high school when he had suffered a head injury two days before in the school wrestling practice. He was absent from school the two days before he was allowed to wrestle in a school-sponsored match with another high school. His head was slammed to the mat three times, causing him to later lose consciousness. The school did not adhere to state law and school policies for concussion protocol and allowed him to wrestle when he was ineligible. There was a delay in calling 911 for an ambulance which caused further brain damage.
Van Blois & Associates attorneys contended that the school district was liable for negligent supervision and failure to follow mandatory concussion-related laws for schools and negligent supervision of the school’s wrestling coaches.
The high school student suffered a large left intraparenchymal hemorrhage (IPH) with brain compression and underwent a left hemicraniectomy and evacuation of the IPH. He was unable to communicate for months and recently has been able to communicate with difficulty. With increased therapy, he is slowly improving but will never make a full recovery.