For the past quarter century, Toronto sports fandom has been emblematized by Sisyphean struggles. Whether Jays, Raptors, or Leafs, our teams are either downright terrible or (even more tragically) good but prone to choking in the playoffs. But, believe it or not, our fanatic, vicarious suffering is consistently topped, year in and year out, by actual sports injuries suffered across Ontario. Provincially, we incur some 120,000 – 130,000 sports-related emergency department visits and 3,000 sports-related hospitalizations each year. To reduce these numbers, it is essential to recognize risk factors and learn best practices for avoiding sports-related injuries. Fortunately, a sports injury lawyer can help you with that task.
Risk Factors for Sports Related Injury
With experience handling sports injury cases, any sports injury lawyer should be familiar with the risk factors. At the highest level, risk factors divide into two categories: modifiable and non-modifiable factors. Modifiable factors are those over which the athlete has control. For instance, in a high-speed sport like hockey or skiing, athletes can wear a helmet to reduce the modifiable risk factor of head injury. Non-modifiable risks depend on an athlete’s age, gender, and family history, as well as environmental factors.
- Non-modifiable Risks
- Childhood and Adolescence: children’s bones, muscles, and ligaments are still growing, which makes them more prone to injury than adults (however they also tend to recover more quickly). Children’s physical sizes also tend to be more diverse than amongst adults, increasing the risk of injury for smaller kids.
- Adults: many adults only have time for sports on the weekends, thus risking over exertion in a smaller amount of time. Sudden bursts of activity can put stress on joints and muscles.
- Older Adults: if older adults do not compensate for the limitations that their aging brings about (e.g. eyesight, hearing, mobility), they will face a higher risk of injuries.
- Socio-economy: low-income areas and areas with inadequate municipal upkeep have a higher percentage of poorly maintained parks, fields, courts, etc.
Reducing Risk
As a sports injury lawyer knows, reducing risk means addressing the non-modifiable factors above. As far as children are concerned, parents, caregivers, and coaches should help to educate their children on equipment and safe participation. Coaches should also do their best to divide players by size in games. Adults should do their best to stay active throughout the week, even if only for short periods of time. Older adults should recognize their physical limitations, play at the appropriate pace, and use equipment specially suited to their needs (e.g. sport eyewear, braces for joints, etc.)
Spinal Injury Information
People can take action for themselves to prevent injury, but organizations and municipal shareholders have responsibilities to fulfill as well. If you sign your child up for a football league and the athletes are not made to wear proper equipment, that organization may be held responsible. If you believe you have a case after your own or a loved one’s sports injury, call a Toronto personal injury lawyer at Sokoloff Lawyers for a free consultation and seek out the compensation that you deserve.
Experiencing frequent back pain can be extremely frustrating for people who are trying to live their day-to-day lives. Back pain can make it impossible to be involved in life like you’d like to or used to be. And, unfortunately, many people who are involved in a car accident suffer with back pain for a lifetime. Keep in mind that rehabilitation, medical treatment, support workers, and other expenses will begin to pile up.
So what’s the damage? When you are in a car accident, the force of the accident takes a tremendous toll on your body. A blow to your spine in an accident causes fractures, dislocating, and can compress your vertebrae. This is why it is no surprise that motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of spinal injuries. The damage can also worsen overtime as the injury can swell, become inflamed, bleed, or accumulate fluid.
The Risk Factors
Although spinal cord injuries can happen to anyone in a car accident, there are many different risk factors that can lead up to a serious injury. Here are a few of the factors to be aware of:
- Male: If you are a man, unfortunately you are at a greater risk of suffering a spinal cord injury. This is because a greater number of men suffer with this injury, compared to women statistically.
- Age (16-30): The statistics also reveal that you are more likely to suffer a spinal injury if you are in the age range of 16-30 years old.
- Risky Behaviour: If you are taking risks when driving, such as driving without a seatbelt on, speeding, or making impulsive maneuvers on the road, then you are more likely to suffer a spinal injury.
- Bone or Joint Disorder: If you have a bone or joint disorder and are involved in a car accident with this previous condition, you are more likely to suffer a spinal injury.
All of these factors will increase the risk of someone suffering a serious spinal cord injury, so it’s important to assess your risks and take extra precautions if you are vulnerable to this injury. If you are involved in an accident, a Toronto personal injury lawyer will be able to help you in the aftermath, while ensuring that you are taken care of. You should feel comfortable sharing your concerns with your lawyer, and ask any questions that you would like. This is why it’s great if you can find someone that you trust, while being completely honest about your situation with them.
Hiring a Toronto Personal Injury Lawyer
After a spinal injury, a Toronto personal injury lawyer will help you file your spinal injury claim so that you can fight for the compensation you deserve. The chance of a full recovery is slim with a spinal cord injury, and the expenses can continue to pile up. If you were involved in a serious car accident at the fault of another party, then filing a spinal injury claim can relieve the financial stress your injury causes you. Book a free consultation with a Toronto personal injury lawyer at Sokoloff Lawyers and learn more about filing a spinal cord injury claim today.
Sources:
http://www.ohpe.ca/node/10293
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/spinal-cord-injury/basics/causes/con-20023837