Can I Make a Claim For An Injury On The Golf Course in Oklahoma?
Golf is a popular sport in Oklahoma, with 196 golf courses across the state: 91 public, 66 municipal, and 39 private courses. While golf is intended to be a relaxing and safe activity, accidents and injuries can happen.
According to Chris Hammons an experienced personal injury attorney in Oklahoma City, if you suffer an injury due to negligence or unsafe conditions at a golf course in Oklahoma, you may be able to make a personal injury claim and receive compensation for your damages.
Types of Golf Course Injuries
Several common types of golf-related injuries may lead to legal claims in Oklahoma:
- Struck by a golf club – 23.4% of ER admissions occur when someone is hit by a golf club.
- Struck by a golf ball – Being hit by an errant golf ball struck by another player is one of the most frequent golf injuries, with 16% of golfing ER visits caused by golf ball injuries. This can lead to anything from bruises to broken bones or even concussions or eye injuries if the ball strikes the head.
- Slip and fall accidents – Slipping on wet grass, tripping on uneven paths or steps, or falling due to unseen hazards can cause sprains, fractures, traumatic brain injuries, and other serious harm.
- Golf cart accidents – Reckless driving or faulty golf carts can cause collisions leading to injuries – 15,000 injuries every year are caused by golf carts. Golf cart rollovers due to steep slopes or sharp turns also frequently lead to severe or even fatal injuries.
- Defective golf equipment – Golf clubs, balls, carts, or other equipment that is poorly designed or damaged can cause injuries during normal use.
- Unsafe course conditions – Poor maintenance such as overgrown grass or bushes, debris left on the course, unrepaired steps or paths, or other hazards can contribute to accidents. 10.4% of injuries on golf courses are caused by slip and falls, with older people more at risk.
- Injuries during lessons/clinics – Inexperienced golfers practicing their swing may inadvertently strike and injure an instructor or other participant.
Understanding Your Risk of Golf Course Injuries in Oklahoma
Thus, for your personal injury lawyer to seek compensation on your behalf the golf course or other responsible party must be proven to have been negligent or had inadequate measures in maintaining safety. Possible grounds for liability include:
- Inability to effectively create suitable cart paths, steps, slopes, water hazards, etc.
- Permitting incompetent designed golf cart to be on the compound
- Lack of adequate training and supervision of such employees as instructors or cart drivers
- Lack of or inadequate undertakings of inspection and maintenance tasks to the course.
- Lack of rules to be followed or lack of enforcing rules on safe play
The amount of compensation you can recover will depend whether your was a minor one or a severe one, the medical treatment you will need, loss wages, and pain suffering, etc. In a case filed in the year 2019, a child in New York suffered permanent damage to his arm after being attacked by a golf cart costing $1.075 million in settlement.
Pursuing a Personal Injury Claim For A Golf Course Injury in Oklahoma
The rule of thumb in Oklahoma is that you should file your personal injury case not more than 2 years from the date of injury. Most of the time it is recommended to seek the services of a reputable Oklahoma personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. An attorney assists in gathering information regarding negligence, evaluating the extent of your injuries and losses and h/ seeking settlement and trial information.
A significant number of golf course injury claims does not proceed to trial and are solved by negotiation. Nevertheless, your attorney may advise you to sue in order to demonstrate your ‘credibility’, as a way of negotiating in the litigation process. With seamless evidence collection ad the assistance of a professional witness, full responsibility of the golf course and fair compensation restitution is possible.