Pickleball has been the fastest-rising sport in the country for several years now. The combination of tennis, ping-pong and badminton drew 8.9 million players in 2023. California is the state with the most number of pickleball courts amounting to 3,589.

As the sport surged to greater heights, so did pickleball injuries like strains, sprains and fractures. There were 366,000 outpatient incidents and 66,750 emergency cases in 2023. Medical costs of pickleball injuries reportedly reached over $350 million.

Instances when you can't file a lawsuit

It's important to differentiate personal injury from sports injury and injury due to personal negligence. Common sports injuries don't count because they are part of the risks of playing pickleball. The same goes for injuries caused by personal negligent acts like using the wrong gear, hitting with faulty strokes and diving for an impossible shot.

You also can't blame a property owner if you slip on pickleball balls. It's every player's responsibility to check for stray balls on the court before resuming play.

Grounds to sue for getting injured

If you get injured at a pickleball club because of some negligence of the property owner, you can sue for personal injury within two years since the accident. If you don't sense the injury right away, you can sue within one year from the date of discovery.

A club owner fails to fulfill their duty of care if any of the following happens:

• Slippery floor: Slips and falls on wet surfaces on the courts, locker rooms, lounge rooms and reception areas
• Uneven courts and floors: Mishaps due to bumps or breaks on court surfaces and floor areas
• Debris on courts and premises: Accidents because of leaves, twigs, trash and other obstructions except for stray balls

You can sue for injuries even if you weren't playing on court. You just have to prove the property owner's negligence in maintaining the courts and club amenities. This happened in pickleball's sister sport, tennis, when a player sued after slipping in a U.S. Open trainers' room.

Being safe while keeping fit

Staying fit is a lifelong pursuit, but it's not without its risks. Everyone occasionally comes up with a sports injury. But if you're taken out of the game because of the sports club's negligence, you may be able to pursue compensation.

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