Baseball may be considered America’s favorite pastime, but football is America’s most dominating and watched sport. In 2015, 26 of the top 27 programs were professional football games, with only the first Republican primary debate interrupting football’s dominance with an appearance at number 13. Perhaps it is the spectacle of complicated plays or the physicality of the athletes, but whatever the reasons, the NFL draws in tens of millions of viewers every weekend. Football is known for its aggressive plays, and despite safety equipment and precautions, injuries do arise. Each and every player assumes the risk of injury when they walk onto the field that they may tear a ligament, get a concussion, or break a bone. In fact, violence is inherent to the sport. There are rules of play, however, and overly aggressive behavior is unacceptable even on a football field.
Former Raider’s linebacker Bill Romanowski is an example of such unacceptable behavior. During a practice drill, Romanowski got into an argument with his teammate, tight end Marcus Williams. Romanowski was reportedly angered that Williams had held onto him during a block and started to shove and shout at Williams on the sideline after the play was over. According to Espn.com, Romanowski stepped toward Williams and grabbed his face mask. Williams grabbed back before quickly letting go. But Romanowski continued pushing on Williams’s helmet—so violently that his head jerked back. As Williams’s helmet flew off and his head recoiled forward, Romanowski’s right fist smashed into his face. Williams fell to the ground unconscious, his left eye socket shattered and with a chipped tooth.
As a result of the punch, Williams was unable to return to football as his face healed and he faced a difficult time as well regarding returning to the field after that as his head trauma may make him a high-risk player for concussions. To recover for his medical bills, pain and suffering, and lost income, Williams filed a personal injury lawsuit against Romanowksi. After a one week trail, a local jury found in Williams’s favor and awarded him $340,000 in lost wages, $40,000 in medical expenses, and $75,000 in other damages.
When a person intentionally hits or injures another, they may be held financially accountable for the harm they cause. Have you been injured by another person? If so, you may be entitled to substantial compensation for your physical injuries. To explore your options further, please contact one of our expert personal injury lawyers, 24/7, at 617-787-3700, or email us at info@gilhoylaw.com for your free and private consultation. Your needs are our top priority!
