Hockey Injury Lawyers - Compensation Claim Law
Our hockey injury lawyers offer expertise that is second to none in Canada. If you would like to talk to a specialized lawyer about a hockey accident, just make contact and a lawyer who deals exclusively in personal injury compensation claims will give you advice at no cost and with no further obligation.
Hockey in Canada
Although Canada’s ice covered ponds and lakes are still teaming with hockey enthusiasts of all ages, hockey is no longer Canada’s most popular sport; among adults it’s now golf and most children now prefer soccer. The allure of the National Hockey League (NHL) and million dollar contracts still pulls at the heartstrings of Canada’s youth.
Despite the high costs of both equipment and injuries, the excitement of the sport still draws millions of Canada’s youth to the ice with dreams of landing a spot in the NHL. And, why not; Sidney Crosby will make 12 million dollars on the ice, south of the border, playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins and another 4.5 million from endorsements with companies like Reebok, Gatorade, and others. Although injuries have slowed “Sid the Kid” in recent years, he is still Canada’s highest paid hockey player. Crosby will make more than 100 million dollars from the Penguins alone, from the twelve year extension he recently signed.
While injuries in the NHL are expected given the intensity of play, and in spite of the safety equipment and rules adopted to prevent them. These NHL players are highly insured and still get paid by their teams even when injured. However, that is not the case with most of our youth. Very few have the safety equipment to protect them from serious injury, and even fewer are insured for the risk.
Last year, more than a thousand of Canada’s youth between 10 and 19 were hospitalized or killed playing the sport. This statistic does not account for the thousands of others who spent no hospital time, but were treated in the emergency department (ED) or a doctor’s office and released.
*According to “Greg Webster, Director of Primary Health Care Information and Clinical Registries at CIHI, in Ontario alone, (where complete data is available) more than 45,000 people were treated for winter season injuries.” Certainly a lot of these were trips and falls, but a high number can likely be attributed to ice hockey injuries.
The most common of all hockey injuries, are head injuries. Sure you see college, youth programs, and NHL players wearing helmets, in most cases these helmets are provided to the players, but what about the thousands playing without the benefit of safety equipment?
Even with safety equipment, the most prevalent cause of hockey injuries is bodychecking, which has been allowed for youth players as young as nine years of age since the 1998-99 seasons. Furthermore, bodychecking from behind, although illegal, causes the most severe injuries, especially when young players crash face first into the boards. These hits oftentimes result in spinal injuries, whiplash, and brain trauma.
Significant injuries such as these can affect the future activities and possible income potential for these youngsters, as well as adults. If you or your child has been involved in a personal injury, whether hockey or otherwise, our team of personal injury lawyers can help you recover compensation from insurance or other sources.
Hockey Injury Lawyers
Our hockey injury lawyers are experts in negotiating with insurance companies, and since 90 percent of all personal injury cases are settled prior to trial, it is imperative to hire a personal injury lawyer with both trial experience and the skills necessary to handle insurance claims. In most cases you will not need to pay upfront fees, as we normally represent our clients for a percentage of the compensation.
Contact our team today to discuss your possible claim and get a no fee consultation. Our hockey injury lawyers will give you the facts regarding pain & suffering thresholds, and lost income potential, which is not affected by thresholds, as well as advise you about the strength of your personal injury claim. Regardless of the results of our conversation, you are under no obligation to file a claim and the consultation is without charge.
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