Who is responsible for personal injuries in athletic events?

A minor child fights in the amateur ranks of extreme cage fighting. He was involved in a fight that was more extreme than usual and was severely injured.  Is there a case that can be brought against the other fighter or promoter?  

In Texas, participants that are injured in sporting events are generally not able to recover for injuries sustained.  This is particularly true if the injury is caused by one of the participants.  Generally there is an assumed risk that comes with engaging in extreme sports, or any sports for that matter.  However, this does not mean that rules are not applicable to the sport, and there may potentially be liability imposed on the promoter.  In Texas, there are laws that govern this type of event and establish some basic guidelines. 

A promoter shall: (1)  assure that all contestants scheduled to participate are licensed before the event; (2)  provide that an ambulance, serviced by at least  two emergency medical technicians, is present on the premises where  the event is held; (3)  provide for a physical examination of each contestant; and (4)  comply with all commission rules.  Also, a person licensed to practice medicine in the state must register as a ringside physician, for each promoted event, a referee must be present in the ring during a match; and exercise general supervision of the match.

In addition, most of these fights have contracts that are signed by the amateur fighters.  I strongly recommend that you read it and see what the promoter’s responsibilities were.  It is important to consult a personal injury attorney relating to the particular facts of a situation.  In this situation, there is possibly some liability on the behalf of the promoter if there was a violation of the law.