Football Concussion Brings Huge Lawsuit Against Hermiston Schools
It's one of the biggest hot-button issues in sports these days, concussions. And now a $38 million dollar lawsuit has been filed against the Hermiston, OR School District over a concussion that occurred in 2016.
In September 2016, according to the lawsuit filed in Umatilla County Circuit Court, 16-year-old Connor Martin sustained a concussion in a JV football game. The suit alleges district officials (coaches) allowed him or put him back in the game despite an athletic trainer suspecting he'd suffered a concussion-his first.
According to the suit, he continued to be allowed to play, because he was improperly discharged by a medical professional. The suit says Martin sustained a second head "injury" in October of that year which has led to prolonged medical issues. For several years now (due to a number of revisions to concussion protocol) athletes who are believed to have received a concussion or exhibit symptoms of one, are not allowed to return to play unless they receive medical clearance from a doctor.
The suit says he suffers from difficulty focusing on tasks, balancing and other physical and mental skills and has not been able to return to school. He has reportedly been told by a medical professional that anxiety and eye abnormalities are likely to be permanent.
The District did not comment, citing privacy and legal reasons.