Medicolegal aspects of athletic head injury.

This article reviews the legal aspects of head injuries resulting from a variety of athletic activities, focusing primarily on head and brain injuries resulting from the playing of football, boxing, horseback riding, winter sports (hockey and skiing), and soccer. Part 1 give a general overview of the occurrence of head injuries in athletics and the potential for litigation. Part 2 reviews the history of and increase in sports injury litigation, as well as resulting changes in the law. In Part 3, the current status of athletic head injury litigation, the parties involved, types of claims brought, and viable defenses are discussed. Finally, Part 4 reviews different ways to reduce athletic head injury litigation through better equipment design and adequate warning and instructions for users and coaches.