Consistently ranked TOP TEN in ONTARIO
by Canadian Lawyer MagazineRequest A Consultation
Request A Consultation
Our skilled personal injury legal team and accident benefits specialists are here to help you. Please fill out the consultation form and one of our team members will connect with you for a free consultation.
Rowan’s Law: Protecting Children following Sports Concussions
In May of 2013, 17 year-old Rowan Stringer died after suffering multiple concussions while playing rugby for her high school team in Ottawa. Sadly, a lack of knowledge surrounding treatment and protocols for concussions (especially repeat concussions) may have contributed to her death. The coroner’s investigation which followed resulted in a total of 49 recommendations to prevent similar tragedies from occurring ever again.
The first recommendation from the coroner’s investigation was that Ontario enact legislation to recognize the importance of education and protocols surrounding concussions suffered by young people while playing sports.
On March 6, 2018, “Rowan’s Law” was enacted by the Ontario Legislature. Rowan’s Law imposes various requirements on sports organizations regarding concussion education and procedures for removing children from participation following head injuries. Rowan’s Law requires that children review and understand a concussion awareness resource before they participate in sports. In other words, Rowan’s Law seeks to increase awareness surrounding concussion among those for whom it matters most: children in sports. Rowan’s Law also imposes on sports organizations a requirement to establish protocols for both “removal from sport” and “return to sport” for athletes who are suspected of having sustained a concussion.
Rowan’s Law should bring greater awareness to the significance of concussion injuries in sports, and avoid “second impact” injuries, like the one that killed Rowan Stringer. Ontario is finally moving in the right direction when it comes to spreading the word about concussions.
Oatley Vigmond is Ontario’s Personal Injury Law Firm. If you or someone you know has suffered a concussion or brain injury, we may be able to help.
Popular Tags
Adam R. Little
As a partner at Oatley Vigmond, Adam believes that achieving exceptional results in personal injury claims requires creativity, dedication, perseverance and hard work. He strives to apply those...
Read Bio Read Articles-
‘The Law and You’ Spotlight Articles November 30, 2022
-
Oatley Vigmond Named ‘Law Firm of the Year’ for Personal Injury Litigation by Best Lawyers in Canada ™ September 26, 2022
-
Introducing Oatley Vigmond’s Next Generation of Personal Injury Lawyers July 26, 2022
-
Canadian Lawyer Magazine Reveals 2022 Top Personal Injury Boutiques June 1, 2022
-
Ontario Bar Association Announces Jim Vigmond as Recipient of 2022 OBA Award of Excellence in Insurance Law March 4, 2022