Can I sue someone for a personal injury that I got while playing sports?
Generally, no. If you agree to a play a sport where contact is obviously a requirement or unavoidable, then you have “consented” to the contact. For example, football players consent to physical contact because tackling and hitting are a requirement of their game. A player who is tackled and injured during the course of the game will not have a successful assault or battery claim. However, if the contact did not occur during the game, or was blatantly outside the scope of the game, then they did not consent the contact and they may have a claim. For example, if a boxer uses bricks inside of their gloves, then this falls outside of the scope of consent. Or, if a hockey player uses his stick to hit another player, that would fall outside of the standard actions of hockey and the player would likely be liable for any personal injury suffered by the person being hit.
Other Assault and Battery FAQs
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My neighbor punched me because he was angry with me. He broke my nose. What type of personal injury claim could I initiate?
Most likely, your claim would be based upon the concept of battery. Battery is the legal term used when someone hits someone else without a legal defense like … more -
Does the other person have a personal injury claim if I punch them back?
No. Self-defense is generally allowed to protect yourself, and others, if you act in a reasonable manner. But, the force that you use must be equal to the force … more -
What type of contact is required in order to have a claim?
One element of a battery claim is a “harmful or offensive contact.” A harmful contact normally occurs when the defendant physically attacks the plaintiff … more -
What if the person wanted to punch someone else, but instead punched me?
Under the doctrine of “transferred intent,” that person will still be liable for your personal injuries if he intended to make contact with another person, … more -
Do I have a claim if a person waives a bat or knife at me in a threatening manner?
You may have a claim for “assault” which does not require any contact. Unlike battery, an assault requires no actual contact with another person. Instead, … more -
What if the person only used threatening words?
Generally, words alone do not constitute an assault without a physical threat. However, threatening words hardly exist in a vacuum. The court may take all factors into … more -
What type of personal injury lawsuit is brought if the person injured later dies?
If a person who suffers an injury due to the carelessness of someone else actually dies, then the family of the dead person has a claim for “wrongful … more
Personal Injury Sub-categories
