Hillsborough County School District Recently Agreed To A Record $2 Million Settlement

The Hillsborough County School District recently agreed to a record $2 million settlement with a former student athlete injured on a Wharton High School football field. The former high school linebacker, now a college student, nearly died after suffering a traumatic brain injury warming up before practice in 2013.

The young Tampa area plaintiff hit his head on a paint machine used to draw lines on the football after diving for a pass, he was not wearing pads or a helmet and the injury took place before football practice began. The team trainer called the student’s mother but failed to ask for a response from emergency medical services (EMS). The student was able to avoid trainers and coaches and drive home four miles before his mother arrived.

The decision not to call EMS almost cost the plaintiff his life on that fateful day. A CT scan later revealed the plaintiff suffered a fractured skull and swelling of the brain and cerebral hemorrhage. The young man spent nine days in a coma as his parents prepared for him to pass away.

After undergoing two brain surgeries and the installation of a metal plate on his skull, the plaintiff survived his catastrophic injury. Unfortunately, the young man suffers from epileptic seizures and is unable to obtain a driver’s license.

In response to the accident, the Hillsborough County School district agreed to a $2 million settlement, $1.7 million above what the law currently allows injury victims to recover in claims against the school district. The victim will receive $300,000 plus an additional $1.7 in a claims bill sponsored by the school district.

Hillsborough county schools will also carry an additional $1 million in liability insurance in case of future catastrophic injuries caused by the school’s negligence. The school district has since instituted a new head injury protocol to deal with instances similar to the one that befell the young man in this case.

Florida sovereign immunity laws

This case is significant because the school district agreed to pay the injury victim many times the amount of money claimants may ask for their injuries from a school board. Sovereign immunity laws ordinarily limits the amount of money injury victims may ask for without filing a claim with the state legislature. Fortunately, the school board did the right thing.

Not only has the plaintiff’s personal injury lawsuit resulted in being fully compensated for the tragic injuries he sustained but also prompted the school board to rethink its insurance coverage to help other victims receive the justice they deserve. While The Pendas Law Firm did not represent the plaintiff in this particular case, our law firm regularly fights for the rights of injury victims.

Florida personal injury lawyers

If you or a loved one was hurt by the negligence or carelessness of someone else, the law gives you the right to file a personal injury lawsuit to recover compensation for your damages. The Pendas Law Firm aggressively fights for the rights of our clients in the Tampa, Orlando, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach areas. Contact us for a consultation about your case.