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17 J. Legal Aspects Sport. 107 (2007)
Headfirst Aquatic Incident Court Decisions: The Plaintiff's Odds

handle is hein.journals/jlas17 and id is 111 raw text is: Headfirst Aquatic Incident Court Decisions:
The Plaintiffs Odds
ANNIE CLEMENT
Saint Leo University
&
KADENCE A. OTTO
Western Carolina University
Swimming and diving are among the most popular sport and recreational
activities in the United States. Within these activities is one of the most serious
injuries in all of sport - the headfirst water entry injury. The National Spinal
Cord Injury Association Resource Center estimated that the number of persons
living in the United States in 2003 had sustained permanent spinal cord injury
from diving (headfirst entry) to be between 13,250 and 21,200 (National
Spinal Cord Injury Statistics, 2006). Present (1989) and Gabrielsen and
Spivey (1990) published comprehensive studies on headfirst injuries resulting
from entry into water for recreational purposes. Present (1989) analyzed
descriptive data of headfirst injuries reported to the National Electronic Injury
Surveillance System (NEISS) for a single year. Over a fifteen-year period,
Gabrielsen and Spivey (1990) examined 486 court decisions and cases settled
out of court. The following study was inspired by the rigor of Present's
research design and report, and the depth of information gained by Gabrielsen
and Spivey in examining the results of cases.
The purpose of this study was to investigate the results of published court
decisions involving headfirst entry into water from 1990 to June, 2005, and to
determine the factors that support the plaintiff who has the greatest chance of
success in a court of law. Although tort law is state specific and attorney
skill and diligent discovery efforts play a key role in success in the courts, the
results of this research will provide attorneys, risk managers, and
administrators a general idea of the odds of the plaintiff winning in a court of
law.

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