Last March, Marin Catholic High School pitcher Gunnar Sandberg suffered a brain injury on a baseball playing field after being hit with a baseball to the head. The baseball, projected from a metal bat and traveling an estimated 100 mph, collided with Sandberg’s head, causing a fractured skull and induced coma.
A metal bat, commonly used in high schools until recently, causes a baseball to have a “trampoline effect” when projected into the air, increasing the ball’s velocity as a result. Serious injuries can frequently occur if the baseball collides with any bodily part, especially the head.
In wake of Sandberg’s injury, a Bay Area legislator lobbied for the state to remove metal bats from high school playing fields and use wood bats only. While the California Interscholastic Federation was able to prevent the rule from taking effect, a new bat safety standard is now in place.
New safety rules to prevent sports injury on the playing field
The BBCOR, or Batted Bat Coefficient of Restitution, measures the “liveliness” of a ball projected from the bat. BBCOR bats are said to reduce the ball’s velocity, causing less risk and personal injury on the baseball playing field.
Now, all baseball bats used in high school must meet the new safety standard.
High schools, coaches, and players are now scrambling to accommodate the new safety rules, but cost and supply have become major hindrances in becoming compliant. New BBCOR composite bats will cost schools between $200 and $300, and the best bats can cost upwards of $400.
Many coaches are expressing frustration for the new requirement, even though it will improve safety on the field.
Even schools who are eager to adopt the new safety standard are struggling to outfit their high school team since manufacturers and distributors of the BBCOR bats are running out of stock.
“Nobody even has them,” said La Costa Canyon coach Justin Machado. “I borrowed one from the junior college that was using them… Obviously [the rule] was passed for safety reasons, which isn’t a bad thing, but the new bats are so bad that it’s going to take away from the game of baseball at our level.”
While coaches may frown upon the new BBCOR baseball bats for now, a reduction in injury risk is a necessity in order to keep kids safe on the playing field.
Tips for increased sports safety
If you’re worried about your child’s safety on the playing field, always remember the following tips and feel free to speak to your child’s coach. A good coach will welcome parent ideas and should work to promote safety on the field.
- Always equip your child with helmet.
- Get your child a doctor’s physical every school year to ensure they are fit for sports.
- Inform your child of the possible injuries at risk, and how to avoid them if possible.
- For extra precaution, outfit your child with knee pads, wrist guards, and other approved safety devices.
Has your child been injured in a sports accident, or has s/he suffered brain injury from a sports-related accident? Our experienced child personal injury attorneys will evaluate your case free of charge. Call 1-800-655-6585 now for a confidential case consultation.
For more information on child sports safety in school, go to:
California Interscholastic Federation
About Michael PinesMichael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.
Martin Erzinger, man claiming bicycle accident was result of New Car Smell. Photo source: Vail Daily News
Morgan Stanley exec Martin Erzinger was involved in a rear-end car accident in July of this year, when he drove his 2010 Mercedes Benz sedan into a bicyclist, according to Vail Daily News. But reason for the car accident is no ordinary excuse. Attorneys for Erzinger call foul on the vehicle’s “new car smell”, which, according to his attorneys, triggered the man to fall asleep at the wheel and cause the car accident as a result.
Attorneys for Erzinger say their client suffers from a condition called sleep apnea, a breathing disorder that causes individuals to go into sudden sleep mode under certain conditions. An “accident reconstructionist” in the case says the Mercedes’ new car smell could be a possible contributing factor to the hit-and-run car accident, triggering the man to suddenly fall asleep at the wheel.
The fumes emitted from a “new car smell” are an allegedly toxic compound of volatile organic aromas that arise from the combination of new materials used to construct the interior of a vehicle. This supposedly toxic smell could have spurred Erzinger’s sudden urge to fall asleep at the wheel and lose control over his vehicle, causing him to strike bicyclist Steven Milo, a professor and liver transplant anesthesiologist.
Milo suffered substantial personal injury to include spinal cord injury, brain injury, and numerous other bodily injuries. His spinal cord leaks fluid now and he suffers from debilitating migraines, according to his doctor.
Developments in the case are still underway, and for now Erzinger is booked on two misdemeanors and a felony.
Stay safe as a bicyclist: be a defensive rider to avoid personal injury
Being a defensive bicyclist is a good way to help avert possible dangers and avoid personal injury resulting from a bicycle accident. Many riders use residential streets and trafficked areas to ride their bicycle, so it’s important to be aware of the street signs and laws. In Milo’s case, he could have done very little to avoid being rear-ended by Erzinger.
Three good ways you can be a defensive bicyclist is to:
- Stop for stop signs and look for other alerts on the road. Be aware of your surroundings and follow the road signs, especially stop signs. Even bicyclists need to follow laws on the road. And, doing so can greatly inhibit your chances of being involved in a car accident involving a bike.
- Ride with the traffic signals. Follow the signs as you would in a vehicle. Don’t suddenly stop in moving traffic, swerve, or go on a red light. You never know when a vehicle will fail to notice you, causing an unintended bike accident.
- Use the left turning lane to turn left. In other words, use the appropriate traffic lanes to ride. In this case, use a left-turning traffic lane if you need to turn left. If you feel uncomfortable riding in traffic, don’t risk it and simply walk your bike to a crosswalk to get to your destination.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident involving a bicycle, call us at 1-800-655-6585 or feel free to contact us via our web form for a free legal evaluation. Our law firm specializes in representing bicyclists who have been injured by a vehicle.
About Michael PinesMichael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.
A setback in recovering from a concussion has caused New England Revolution soccer star Taylor Twellman to be put on the injury list, which will end his season. This comes from reports by the Associated Press on June 23, 2010.
Concussions have become a very hot topic between coaches, players and lawmakers as more studies have shown there is a correlation between concussions and conditions like dementia and depression. As a soccer player, one of the primary things used is your head. Constant blows to the head by either hitting the ball or another player’s head can lead to serious brain injuries that can cause later problems. Read the rest of this entry
About Michael PinesMichael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.
In a game against the Texas Rangers on June 20, 2010, Houston Astros catcher Humberto Quintero was hit in the head by a baseball bat, causing a laceration and bleeding. Quintero was taken to a local hospital where tests were conducted, but no other serious head or brain injuries were found. Read the rest of this entry
About Michael PinesMichael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.
According to details from an article in the Charlotte Globe Gazette, an 18-year-old boy wants to deliver a message to possibly prevent his peers from making the same mistake he made that left him with a brain injury: Buckle up!
Isaiah Krull helped get a new law passed — going into effect on July 1st — that will require anyone in riding in the back seat under the age of 18 to wear a seat belt to prevent brain injuries in car accidents. This extends the current law which requires seat belts or restraints for those in the back seat under age 11. Read the rest of this entry
About Michael PinesMichael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who specializes in car accident injury. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes on how insurance companies work and how they decided to pay injured people. Now that he works against insurance companies, Michael's inside knowledge has resulted in significant benefits to his clients injured in car accidents.
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