Mom Sues for Son's Brain Injury
Posted on Aug 9, 2009 3:34pm PDT
In East St. Louis, Illinois, a mother is filing a lawsuit against a high school coach and her son's school district. The mother, Shanai McLorn, claims that her son suffered a stroke during a football game which led to him developing
serious brain injuries. She believes that her son complained to his coach about head pain and headaches during the game, but his complaints were ignored. McLorn alleges that her son's complaints were indicative of a concussion.
McLorn also alleges that Coach Darren Sunkett had a win-at-all-costs mindset and that this mentality caused him to ignore her son's complaints. She claims that Sunkett endangered his players and acted recklessly by conducting contact drills without appropriate protection, which led to one athlete breaking his neck. In the lawsuit, McLorn says that Sunkett would pressure his players and also say things like "quit playing like a little (expletive) and get out there." Because of his toughness with the players, McLorn says that serious injuries often went unreported.
At this time, McLorn is seeking $200,000 for the injuries her son has incurred. She is also requesting at least $50,000 for each of the four counts listed in her petition. The lawsuit states that her son sustained a broken collar bone in July 2008 while he tackled another teammate without wearing appropriate protective gear. Approximately 3 months later, McLorn's son suffered seizures and strokes while sitting on the sidelines at a game. During that time, a blood vessel burst in his brain, which led to serious brain damage.
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