Shotgun Discharge Injuries 10 People Inside Illinois Gun Club

A 69 year old man loaded his shotgun with what he thought was a “snap cap” to protect the firing pin then pointed the gun at the ground, pulled the trigger, and sent buckshot ricocheting around the St. Charles Sportsmen’s Club in Blackberry, Illinois.  Unfortunately, he had mistakenly put a live shotgun shell in the gun, which resulted in 10 people being injured, 3 of which were treated for non-life threatening injuries at a local hospital. 

Just another example of why gun club liability insurance is needed to protect members, directors, officers, and of course the club itself against liability.

Source: Insurance Journal, June 7, 2013

Study Reveals Few Concussions Occur During Practice In Youth Tackle Football

In a prior blog on concussion rule changes, we stated that the new Pop Warner Football concussion rule to limit contact in practice would have a limited effect as only 28% of all youth football concussions occur in practice according to American Youth Football (AYF) injury statistics.

Now, a new study by University Of Pittsburgh and UPMC, and funded by NFL, has drawn a similar but more compelling conclusion. The study found that youth tackle football players aged 8-12 were at a low risk of suffering a concussion in practice.  (.024 incidences per 1000 expousres) but that the risk was 26 times higher in games (6.16 incidences per 1000 exposures).

According to Anthony Kontos, Ph.D., associate professor or Department of Orthopedic Surgery at UPMC, “This finding suggests that reducing contact-practice exposures in youth football, which some leagues have done recently, will likely have little effect on reducing concussion risk, as few concussions actually occur in practice. Instead of reducing contact-practice time, youth football leagues should focus on awareness and education about concussions.”  

Many experts agree that practice time should focus on proper tackling techniques and instruction such as shoulder contact instead of head contact.

These recommendations are exactly what American Youth Football has been preaching. Don’t have a knee jerk reaction because of the media frenzy on the concussion issue by hastily making safety rule decisions that are not backed by science. Instead, wait on the important results from the ongoing scientific studies, and in the meantime, focus on coach education on recognizing the signs and symptoms of concussions, concussed player removal and medical treatment policy, and return to play protocol. In addition, concentrate on proper tackling technique.

AYF has included concussion awareness training in its coach certification program and is involved in an alliance with SOTL, Legends Of The Game, and NFLPA in the implementation of the new “Tackle Sure” training program for coaches that is expected to be released this summer. The development of this new tackling training video is in response to concerns over some of the techniques that are being taught in other popular training videos.

Here are some more interesting statistics from the University of Pittsburgh study:

The incidence rate of concussions in practice and games combined is three times higher in the 11-12 age category as compared to 8-10 age category.  Just like what AYF injury studies have revealed, there is a direct correlation between age and injuries in youth tackle football, as the older athletes are stronger, faster, and more coordinated and hit with harder force. See our prior blog on the issue of age only vs age/weight categories.

In addition, 95% of concussions occur to the “skill” positions of quarterback, running back, and linebacker.

Source: Study: Kids Get Fewer Concussions In Practices Than In Games; Football Coach Daily; June 6, 2013

Frances Sadler Named To All-State Soccer Teams

We are very proud of Frances for being named to the following all-state high school soccer teams:

South Carolina Independent Schools Association (SCISA) 

High School Sports Report (HSSR)

Frances just graduated from the 10^th grade and plays forward for Hammond School. She also plays for SC United 96 Girls Palmetto II team which won the state championship in its division.

Frances Sadler         

Assault in Salt Lake: The importance of officiating insurance

 Salt Lake assault
Ricardo Portillo loved soccer, to play it, to ref it. He worked in La Liga Continental de Futbol, a recreational league formed to give Hispanic children in the suburbs of Salt Lake City an opportunity to play soccer together and bond over a shared passion.  On May 4^th Portillo passed away a week after having sustained a serious brain injury as the result of an in-game punch to the head. His assailant? A 17-year-old unhappy with a call.

 Officiating insurance 
Did you know only 22 states have passed legislation protecting sports officials from assault? The National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) reports that about once a week, an incident of physical abuse against an official is reported. Given the increasingly violent environment plaguing our current sports scene, it has become more important than ever for our athletic officials associations to purchase Accident Insurance along with General Liability.

Governing bodies and coverage options

Most officiating organizations recognize the safety risks imposed on their officials and offer officiating insurance as a benefit of their membership dues.  Examples of coverage are as follows:

• Medical Expenses (Accident) – limits of $25,000 to $250,000 are available
• General Liability – limits of $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 available
• Cost if purchased for the entire association is as low as $8.45 per official

For program details and instant quotes, please visit our page for Amateur Sports Insurance Program for Teams/Leagues.

So please, to all our respected officials, ensure your protection with officiating insurance each and every time you step onto the field.

Sources:

1 – Referees are working in an increasingly violent field

2 – Utah soccer referee punched by player dies police say

Sports And Recreation Participants And Feral Dog Attacks

Many of our sports and recreation clients often find themselves in areas where there is potential for feral dog attacks. With your safety in mind, we have compiled a list of our top tips to help you protect yourself in the event of an attack.

Pack mentality

Here in America, we sure do love our pets! So much so that 39% of our households own at least one dog and 75% of those dogs are spayed or neutered. And while we know that most of you are responsible pet owners there is still a growing number of feral dogs roaming our rural lands and urban centers.  The past decade of economic instability has forced many shelters to turn away pets whose owners can no longer afford to care for them. In Detroit the solution some dog owners have found is to allow their animals to roam the streets as a means of supplementing their diets. The “packing up” of these dogs has proved such a danger to postal carriers that consideration has been given to the refusal of mail service in neighborhoods with proven records of feral dog attacks.

Rural areas have proven to fare no better in the fight against wild dogs. The pack mentality is such that it has allowed these animals to team up and kill livestock to the tune of some 37 million dollars annually. While some farmers have banded together in an attempt to eradicate these feral dog packs, there is no sign of the problem going away. 

Thinking about going out for a run? Protect yourself with these tips

NEVER

• Make eye contact – it is viewed as a challenge.
• Stand directly in front of a feral dog – it is considered the attack position and serves only to increase their aggression.  It is better to stand off to one side instead.
• Run – animals are acutely perceptive of our body language; the projection of fear sends the impression that you are weak, i.e. prey.
• Turn your back – always make sure to keep the dog to your side.

Carry repellant and/or a weapon (baseball bat, large stick, knife, etc) when walking – not only will this serve as protection, but it can also be used to distract the animal should an attack occur.

Remain calm and stay in command of the situation – hold your position; waving your arms around and shouting isn’t a guaranteed method of intimidation, in fact it’s an invitation for the dog to bite you if it is feeling threatened.

Find higher ground – whether it’s a tree or a dumpster, get out of their reach.

If you can’t get away or distract the dog with an object and the dog attacks, gouge an eye – a blow to the throat works as well.

Another strategy is to curl up into a ball on your stomach and use your hands to cradle your neck – protect your most vulnerable areas and try to remain still, it may help to end the attack.

Source – How to Survive a Feral Dog Attack

California Moves to Close Loophole on Workers Compensation Abuse from Pro Athletes

California is home to a bevy of professional sports organizations.  Whether you’re watching the Warriors in the NBA playoffs, or cheering on the 49ers as they tackle another divisional title, Californians are proud supporters of their players and teams.  But did you know that athletes not based in the state of California are eligible to file workers comp claims should they suffer an injury while participating in a sporting event in the state?  Milliman Inc., a Seattle-based actuarial and consulting firm that insurers may be on the hook for more than $1.5 billion in potential Workers Compensation claims filed by out-of-state athletes.  Assembly Bill 1309 seeks to amend California labor code in an attempt to off-set these losses, saving California tax payers money.

California “Cumulative Trauma” Workers Comp. Provision for Professional Athletes
In its current iteration, California labor code provides that any injury defined as “cumulative” or occurring as repetitive mental and physical trauma with the combined effect of disability or the need for medical treatment may be covered by the state’s Workers Compensation provision.  It does not require that professional athletes covered by the law be employed by a California based organization.  Rather, the exposure to injury needs only to occur while in-state for the claimant to receive benefits. 

The California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA) pays for insolvent insurers and is funded by assessments on California employers.  The Milliman report alleges that CIGA has processed 1,700 workers comp claims from players residing out-of-state prompting speculation that guarantee fund assessments paid out by Californian employers will soon be on the rise.           

Out-of-State Athlete Abuse      
The statute of limitations to file a workers comp claim does not begin until an employee has been informed of their right to file and is valid for one year.  Retired players suffering neurological and cognitive disorders as a result of their professional affiliations are the most likely to benefit from this loophole.  Milliman Inc. estimates that athletes having played professionally in California within the last 30 years could reach $1.57 billion with $825 million coming from retired players who have not yet filed claims; 78% of these claims are likely to come from out-of-state, or approximately $1.23 billion.

AB 1309
Assembly Bill 1309 would ban professional athletes and their dependents from receiving California Workers Comp benefits if the athlete was hired by an organization outside of the state.  This includes minor/major league baseball, basketball, football, hockey and soccer.

Source:  California Looks To Stem Pro Athletes’ Comp Claims; Sheena Harrison; Business Insurance: April 22, 2013