Lawsuits

Liability Insurance

Taekwondo has fewer serious injuries than other sports such as basketball, softball, and soccer but there is always the possibility of injury and its accompanying exposure to liability for the school or an instructor Therefore, the first step in protecting your school and its instructors is to have adequate liability insurance. The policy must cover the types of activities the school participates in and it must have adequate coverage. The policy must also cover the school during away events, such as tournaments and camps. If the policy requires students wear safety equipment during activities, such as protective sparring equipment, then the school must have strict rules that require the use of the equipment when required, with no deviation.

Even if the school has insurance that pays for a lawyer and any settlement or judgment that results from a claim, any claim will still cost the school more money because it will cause and increase in insurance premiums. The school may suffer even more damage by a lawsuit, even if it wins, as a result of the school's damaged reputation.

Claims against martial arts instructors and schools occur everywhere in the country, but few gain the attention of the media. Few claims reach the appellate level and get reported in legal periodicals. Most are either settled or concluded at the trial level without an appeal. So do not assume that just because you have not heard about the lawsuits that they do not occur.