December 2006 saw a settlement reached between a 17-year-old gymnast and the gym she practiced gymnastics at. She was injured at the facility and suffered paralysis in 2005.
Details of the case were sealed to the public. “This is a natural occurrence when one or more of the parties involved are a minor,” a New York Spinal Injury Attorney reported. Also attributed to the closed files, the parents and the girl’s attorney decided not to comment to the press at the time of the arraignment.
The Circuit Judge presiding over the case put his stamp of approval on the agreement.
The settlement with the Sun coast Gymnastics Academy could provide the necessary funding the injured girl’s parents needed to pursue newer treatments for their daughter. Doctors in Manhattan and Long Island have seen these injuries lead to Paraplegia much of the time.
The seasoned gymnast had been practicing gymnastics at the Sun coast Gymnastics Academy since the age of 4. By 16, she was a high level competing gymnast specializing in the floor exercise, balance beam, vault, and uneven bars.
On the day of the injury, though, her skill level was pushed beyond what she was capable of. Her legal team alleged that an employee of the academy asked the girl to perform a difficult new maneuver “beyond her skill level.” She was to attempt a front flip off a trampoline into a cushioned pit. But she never got out of the trampoline. She injured her neck and bruised her spinal cord, leaving her paralyzed.
The gym argued that the girl’s incident was simply a freak accident that happened during a routine maneuver.
The girl had to be flown to a nearby hospital where she was immediately placed in intensive care. Eventually, she returned home to continue her schooling and to undergo daily therapy, “Some days are good, some are bad.”
The community rallied to raise money for the injured teen. The gym owners were involved in the fundraising. A NYC Spinal Injury Attorney reported that the family more than likely found it easy to spend all the fundraised money as caring for a child with the needs common to spinal injuries aren’t cheap. Expenses pile up quickly.
A New York City Spinal Injury Attorney can help alleviate the stress of an already stressful time by handling all aspects of your legal case for you. Set up a consultation as soon as possible.
The Office of Stephen Bilkis and Associates can offer you support and guidance as well as a free consultation when you contact us at 1-800-NY-NY-LAW. We have offices in N York City, including Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan, Staten Island and The Bronx and in Nassau County, Suffolk County and Westchester County.