Injury Compensation in Recreational Sports

Joining a recreational sports league and being physically active is beneficial for both your mind and body. Players assume a certain level of risk of incidents or accidents that fall within the rules when they participate in a sport, but the use of excessive violence is not generally tolerated in any league, let alone a rec league. Sports organizations often have rules that govern conduct. When the rules of conduct are ignored, there may be a variety of sanctions imposed on a player. Suspension from play is one common consequence of aggressive behavior and sometimes a player is banned from play indefinitely if they go too far.

The unfortunate part about these incidents is the aggression is typically out of character and the player simply reacts in the heat of the moment. Even the most cool, calm and collected players can lose their tempers, and when a hockey stick or baseball bat is in their hands, they suddenly have a weapon they never intended to use.

Aggressive players may expose themselves to legal liability for injuries caused on the field or ice, regardless of if they use their fists, a piece of equipment or even verbal attacks. Typically, a sports injury claim would fall into the category of assault and/or battery.

Assault and battery are often confused and they have different and distinct legal meanings in the civil (tort) and criminal contexts. In tort law, an assault means to put a person in immediate fear (or apprehension) of physical injury or offensive contact. This may include verbal attacks.  Battery, in tort law, refers to actual physical contact with another individual.

If you are seriously injured while playing a sport due to aggressive behaviour, it’s important you know your rights. You may be entitled to claim damages to compensate you for your injuries. A personal injury lawyer from Ferguson Barristers will evaluate your claim and help you recover the compensation you deserve.

Ferguson Barristers can supply you with a personal injury lawyer in the following locations:

• Alliston
• Barrie
• Brockville
• Fergus
• Midland
• North Bay
• Orillia
• Sudbury
• Whitby
• Plus many more locations

Contact Ontario’s Injury Lawyers

If you have been involved in a boating accident, one of our experienced Ontario personal injury lawyers would be happy to speak with you regarding your rights and potential remedies. Contact us online for a free legal consultation or by phone at 1-800-563-6348.

This blog post is presented for information purposes only. The information contained in this post should not be construed as legal advice from Ferguson Barristers or the individual author, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal advice on any matter. You should not act, or refrain from acting, based on any such content or information without seeking appropriate legal advice from an attorney licensed in your jurisdiction.

Please note that we are only able to provide legal advice to clients of Ferguson Barristers. You may contact us about becoming a client. Any unsolicited information sent to Ferguson Barristers may not be protected by attorney-client privilege.