Jacksonville Youth Sports Injury and Concussion Lawyer

Sports are good for children, and most injuries are part of the game. Some are not. A player sent back onto the field with a concussion, a heat stroke at a practice with no water breaks, a spinal injury from a drill a coach should never have run, or a fall from equipment that was never inspected: those are failures by adults, and Florida law allows the family to hold them accountable.

📞 Call (904) 619-5244 · Text Us · Free Case Review

Free and confidential. No fee unless we recover compensation; costs and expenses may apply.

Injuries We See

  • Concussions and second-impact syndrome — a child returned to play before the first concussion healed

  • Heat illness at practices and conditioning sessions

  • Spinal cord and neck injuries from improper tackling, cheer stunts and gymnastics

  • Equipment failures — helmets, goals, bleachers, mats

  • Field and facility hazards

  • Abuse or hazing by coaches, staff or teammates that the program ignored

Florida’s Concussion Rule

For school athletics, Florida Statute § 1006.20 requires that a youth athlete suspected of having a concussion or head injury be removed from practice or competition immediately, and prohibits a return to play until the athlete is evaluated and cleared in writing by a licensed physician trained in concussion management. A coach or athletic trainer who let a dazed child back in, or a program that had no protocol at all, has violated a rule written specifically to protect that child. Many private leagues and clubs have adopted the same standard; those that haven’t are measured against it.

Waivers

Nearly every league, gym and club has parents sign a waiver. Under Florida Statute § 744.301(3), a parent can waive a commercial activity provider’s liability only for the inherent risks of the activity, and only if the waiver uses the statutory language. A waiver never covers the provider’s own negligence: a coach who ignored concussion symptoms, equipment that was not maintained, or supervision that was not there. Bring the form to your consultation; most of them do far less than parents fear.

Who Is Responsible

  • A public school district, subject to the written-notice rule and damage caps of § 768.28

  • A private league, club, gym or camp and its liability insurer

  • A coach, trainer or official acting outside the program’s rules

  • A facility owner for unsafe fields, floors or bleachers

  • An equipment manufacturer for a defective helmet, goal or mat

Long-Term Effects

A concussion at 12 can mean headaches, attention problems and mood changes through high school. Repeated concussions raise the risk of lasting cognitive harm. We do not settle a child’s brain-injury case until a pediatric neurologist has told us what the next decade looks like, and we structure the settlement so the money is there when it is needed.

Deadlines

Two years from the injury. Written notice within three years for a public school district, with damage caps. Practice film, incident reports and group chats disappear quickly; call us the same week.

Frequently Asked Questions

The coach put my child back in after a hard hit, and now the symptoms are worse. Is that a case?

It can be. Florida’s concussion rule requires removal and written medical clearance before return. A program that skipped that step is responsible for the harm the second impact caused.

I signed a waiver. Can I still sue?

Usually, yes. Florida limits a parent’s waiver to the inherent risks of the sport, on a specific statutory form. It does not cover the program’s own negligence.

Can I sue a public school for a sports injury?

Yes, but § 768.28 requires written notice to the district and the state within three years, gives the agency up to six months to respond, and caps recovery at $200,000 per person unless the Legislature passes a claims bill.

My child was hurt by hazing. Who is liable?

The students involved may face criminal charges, and the school or program can be civilly liable if it knew or should have known and failed to supervise. Florida treats hazing as a crime, which strengthens the civil case.

What does it cost to hire you?

Nothing up front. No attorney’s fee unless we recover compensation; costs and expenses may apply. The consultation is free and confidential.

📞 Call (904) 619-5244 · Text Us · Free Case Review

Free and confidential. No fee unless we recover compensation; costs and expenses may apply.

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Reviewed by Belkis Plata and Shannon Schott, attorneys Board Certified in Juvenile Law by The Florida Bar. Updated October 2026.