New Approach to Sports Injury Liability

The Indiana Supreme Court has given the state a new approach for determining liability in sports injury cases. Whereas liability in such cases had previously focused on the conduct of the plaintiffs, in Pfenning v. Lineman the court ruled that it is the actions of the defendant that are paramount.

More specifically, the Court stated: “We hold that, in negligence claims against a participant in a sports activity, if the conduct of such participant is within the range of ordinary behavior of participants in the sport, the conduct is reasonable as a matter of law and does not constitute a breach of duty.”

Sports Injury Liability

The ramifications are significant. First, the ruling has removed “primary assumption of risk” from the equation, shifting the focus from the risks assumed by the injured plaintiff to the reasonableness of the defendant’s conduct. This change eliminates all discussion concerning legal duty and puts the focus on whether the defendant committed any acts of negligence through their participation in the sporting activity.

Changing the analysis from a duty question to a negligence question may also open the door for claims against sporting facilities or equipment manufactures that previously were protected from claims by the primary assumption of risk doctrine. It will take time to sort out how much change the ruling actually brings to this area of law.

Ruling Results in Liability Shift

In sum, Pfenning v. Lineman does serve to clear up a confusing and increasingly untenable series of cases governing sports injury cases. Shifting the focus to the defendant to determine if the conduct falls within the range of ordinary behavior of participants in the sport makes the legal analysis much cleaner. It also opens up the ability to argue the circumstances surrounding the injury and the conduct of the defendant.

Additionally, it prevents property owners and equipment manufacturers from latching on to arguments in which they claim no duty or responsibility, thus shielding them from liability. It will be interesting to see how this ruling applies to future cases.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney Today

If you or a loved one have been injured as a result of someone else’s negligence while participating in a sport, you are urged to contact the Indianapolis Personal Injury Attorneys of Wilson Kehoe Winingham. The lawyers at WKW can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call 317.920.6400 or fill out an online contact form for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

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