Fingers Lost in Schoolyard Game | DuPage County Injury Lawyer

 Posted on March 08, 2013 in Personal Injury

Games are an integral part of learning, team-building and healthy competition for teens. Whether teens are always physically active or just during random team games at school functions, it is a great way to be healthy and have fun. Unfortunately, a simple team-building game going on for years at a California high school ended badly for two teens.

Spirit Week happens across the nation at high schools promoting school spirit and community. At South El Month High school on the outskirts of Los Angeles, California, teens were playing a game of tug-of-war. According to Superintendent Nick J. Salerno, the game was played for years with no incidents. Wrapping their hands and fingers to get a better grasp of the rope, Edith Rodriguez and Pablo Ocegueda, suddenly felt the rope snap and several of their fingers were severed. Both students, athletes used to competition in soccer and football, had to get surgery to reattach their fingers at the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center – Ocegueda who lost four fingers and Rodriguez who lost four fingers and her thumb on her right hand.

Though extremely rare, injuries occur in games such as tug-of-war. They are never expected but are something to be aware of; students, teachers and administrators need to be cautious about what activities they allow on their watch and care. If your child has participated in such an activity and injury occurs, contact an injury attorney who will know how to make sure emotional and medical expenses are paid for fairly in the DuPage County area.

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