By Alex Stalvey
There’s a video trending on social media involving a high school football player whose spine was broken during a reckless “belly flop” attack. It’s sent commenters abuzz, with many of them discussing what they would have done if this were their child.
The thought is devastating. You want to protect them, you want answers, and you want to know whether anyone could and should be held responsible.
Parents often feel powerless in these situations. In many instances, they likely know the family of the assailant. They want to focus on their child’s recovery, but they are also worried about medical bills, long-term care, and whether there are legal steps they should take.
The question we always get asked? Do parents have legal options?
Yes. Athletes accept the ordinary risks of playing a sport, such as collisions, tackles, and minor injuries, which are likely covered in a signed release form. However, just because you signed a release, it does not mean that you have given up all your or your child’s legal rights.
Broadly speaking, schools, coaches, instructors, and other personnel have a legal duty of care to their young athletes. This duty of care typically requires them to protect their athletes from “unreasonable” or “concealed” risks. They do not accept reckless or intentional harm, nor do they accept a failure by schools or leagues to enforce safety rules. In these cases, there may be legal responsibility.
In South Carolina, courts have recognized that schools and leagues may be liable if their actions rise to the level of gross negligence, for example, failing to supervise, ignoring safety rules, or allowing reckless behavior to go unchecked. In the instance of the bellyflop incident, an experienced attorney could present this argument.
Steps Parents Can Take Now
Even if you are not ready to call a lawyer, there are essential steps you can take to best prepare for legal recourse:
- Prioritize medical care and save records
- Keep discharge papers, prescriptions, and referrals.
- Organize bills, doctor’s notes, and insurance paperwork in one place. Under South Carolina law, families may pursue recovery of necessary and reasonable medical expenses incurred as a result of the injury.
- Document what happened
- Write down what you saw, who was involved, and what was said by coaches, referees, or staff.
- Ask your child to share what they remember as soon as they are able.
- Request that all necessary forms be filled out immediately. Consider asking the police to file an official report.
- Speak with witnesses
- Ask other parents or players what they saw.
- Collect photos or videos if they exist.
- Review school or league policies.
- Revisit the documents you signed for participation.
- Understand what safety commitments the organization made. Even when waivers are signed, they do not automatically shield a school or league from liability where risks were hidden or conduct was unreasonable.
- Track the impact on daily life.
- Keep a journal of pain levels, school absences, therapy sessions, and emotional struggles.
- This record illustrates the impact of the injury on your child’s life.
Myths and Facts About Sports Injuries
Myth: If your child plays football, you cannot take legal action for injuries.
Fact: Athletes accept ordinary risks, not reckless or intentional harm.
Myth: Schools are not responsible for injuries on the field.
Fact: Schools and leagues must provide supervision and enforce safety rules. If they fail to do so, they may be liable.
Myth: These incidents are just part of sports and cannot lead to legal claims.
Fact: Serious, long-term injuries often involve multiple insurance carriers and legal responsibility to cover ongoing costs.
When to Consider Legal Guidance
It’s natural to feel anger and frustration when you see the public commentary surrounding cases like the one above. But if your child has been seriously injured, the best thing you can do is set emotion aside long enough to focus on facts and documentation.
Legal claims are built on evidence, medical records, witness accounts, and school or league policies, not on headlines or social media debates. Staying grounded in the details gives your family the strongest chance to secure the care and compensation your child may need.
If an injury was severe or clearly caused by reckless conduct, it may be time to seek legal advice and speak with us. We would begin by gathering statements from witnesses, reviewing game footage, interviewing coaches, referees, and teammates, and requesting school or league records. We’d then facilitate a thorough medical review and secure any doctors’ opinions to establish a direct connection between the injury and the reckless act.
We would also help you identify and understand which insurance policies may be responsible: the school’s, the league’s, the other family’s homeowners/renters policy, or excess coverage.
An experienced attorney can perform this work very effectively because they know which evidence carries the most weight in court, how to locate key witnesses quickly, and how to persuade schools or leagues to produce records they may be reluctant to share. This thorough groundwork often makes the difference between a case that stalls and one that leads to meaningful compensation.
If you find yourself in this situation, know that we can guide you through insurance, explore all possible avenues of recovery, and fight for the resources your child may need. This process is designed to protect your family from the long-term financial and emotional costs associated with a preventable injury.
