Publication Source: Cardiovascular Business
Medical malpractice lawsuits focused on the heart health of young athletes are quite rare. However, researchers noted in JACC: Advances, these cases often result in significant settlements when they do occur.[1]
“Sports cardiology has emerged as a critical field for the diagnosis and management of athletes with cardiovascular disease (CVD),” wrote first author Bradley Petek, MD, director of sports cardiology with Oregon Health & Science University, and colleagues. “With the increasing prevalence of athletes with CVD participating in competitive sports and the substantial financial resources invested in athletes within elite-level sporting leagues, concerns about the medicolegal risks of providing care to this population have grown.”
Petek et al. used multiple resources to track medical malpractice/negligence lawsuits in the United States that have involved young competitive athletes. Settlements and awards were adjusted for inflation.
Overall, from 1978 to 2024, 35 different cases occurred in 18 different states. The average age of the athlete at the heart of the claim was 18.9 years old, and the ages ranged from 12 to 34 years old. Just 3% of athletes were women.
While collegiate athletes were involved in 34% of claims, high school athletes were involved in 31%. The other claims were evenly split between middle school athletes, competitive club athletes and professional athletes. The researchers noted that the most common allegation behind these lawsuits was a negligent emergency medical response, followed by a failure to diagnosed CVD.
Nearly half—46%—of all lawsuits ended with a favorable outcome for the defendant or a case dismissal. A favorable plaintiff outcome or settlements occurred in another 29% of cases, and the result of the remaining cases were undisclosed. When adjusting for inflation, the favorable plaintiff outcomes ranged from approximately $893,000 to approximately $29.7 million.
“These findings highlight the need to support ongoing efforts to improve the emergency medical response through enhanced education on sudden cardiac arrest recognition, implementation of emergency action plans, CPR training, and distribution of AEDs within close proximity to all sporting venues and practice facilities,” the authors wrote.
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