The father of Jonah Zerblas, a teenage football player in Lake Minneola, Florida has sued a school district and individual defendants over the compressed skull fracture Zerblas suffered on March 28, 2019 during a 7-on-7 football game at Mount Dora High School between Lake Minneola and Mount Dora.
The incident occurred, according to witnesses, when Zerblas lost his footing and fell headlong into an opposing player’s knee. The teenager, who is a 5-foot-9, 140-pound freshman defensive back, lost consciousness immediately. Then paramedics arrived on the scene and he was eventually airlifted to Orlando Regional Medical Center, where doctors performed surgery to treat the fracture and relieve a blood clot.
In his lawsuit, the father claimed negligence and named the Lake County School Board, Lake County Schools Athletic Director Don Hogan, and Lake Minneola football coach Walter Banks as defendants.
The father — who claims his son suffers from pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, permanent and significant scarring, mental anguish, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, expense of hospitalization, medical and nursing care and treatment, loss of earning, loss of the ability to earn money and aggravation of (a) previously existing condition — is seeking “in excess of ($30,001) plus interest and cost” and a trial by jury.
The plaintiff claims he and his son will “be obligated to expend substantial sums of money for his medical care and treatment, including various types of medical treatment and mental health therapy.”
Jonah Zerblas was not wearing protective headgear at the time of his injury, which was not required, but available.
The lawsuit contends the defendants acted negligently by not requiring student-athletes to wear protective headgear. They “knew, or should have known, said conduct would result in dangerous conditions to the student-athletes, including the plaintiff,” according to the lawsuit.
Some states, such as Texas, require the use of protective headgear in 7-on-7 high school football leagues.
The Lake County School District is likely to argue that since it does not sanction or sponsor 7-on-7 football leagues, there is no written policy covering the leagues or the use of protective headgear by student-athletes, absolving it of negligence.
