Determining liability with golf course injuries

Most people go to golf courses for an afternoon of relaxation and fun. No one expects to go to a course only to leave in an ambulance, but it happens every year. In fact, an article in Golf Digest states that over 40,000 people go to emergency rooms every year as a result of injuries sustained on a golf course. 

As with any other personal injury case, the main factor an attorney will look into is liability. This ultimately comes down to what the injury was. The most common injuries on golf courses include flying clubheads and fast-moving golf balls. 

Who is liable?

In many cases, the owner of the golf course is liable to an extent. However, it mostly comes down to what exactly happened. For example, if a person suffers an injury because he or she was hit in the head by a golf ball from another player, then that player may be liable. Even in this instance, the owner may be liable because the course did not take the proper precautions to separate the players far enough. 

Sometimes, people are hurt on golf courses due to carts. They can break down unexpectedly, and in this case, the golf cart manufacturer may be liable if there was some kind of defect in the development of the vehicle. 

What should people do after a golf course injury?

The most important thing is to seek medical attention. A golfer may feel fine after getting hit in the head with a ball, but there may be underlying damage that requires attention. Anyone hurt should always go to a hospital for a full medical exam to be safe. Additionally, the injured person should acquire the contact information of any witnesses. Someone in the party should also inform course management of the injury. This allows the course to inform its insurance agency of the situation, so things start moving forward with the case.