Staff writer
Former Marion High School athlete Casey Nelson is asking USD 408 and two MHS coaches for $500,000 in monetary damages.
Court documents were filed July 21 by Nelson’s attorneys, Derek S. Casey and Travis J. Burk of Patterson, Gott & Burk, LC of Wichita.
Nelson filed a lawsuit in April against the school district and coaches Grant Thierolf and Jerry Smith.
In the lawsuit, Nelson claims that the school district and coaches committed “wrongful acts” that led to Nelson sustaining serious injuries in an April 2006 accident.
The lawsuit indicated that the school district and coaches “failed to provide mats or padding to cover concrete surfaces on the Marion High School pole vault pit for practice on April 3, 2006.”
The document claimed that a 21-foot square pad was provided in the pit area but no padding was provided in an area of concrete on the south end of the landing pit.
On April 3, Nelson attempted a practice vault and dropped approximately 12 feet on the pole vault landing area, striking his head on concrete, the document stated.
Nelson was taken by air ambulance to a Wichita hospital where he recovered.
The document stated that the force of the impact caused traumatic brain injury to Nelson with consequential cognitive deficits, physical disabilities, headaches, emotional imbalances, and seizures.
A jury trial was demanded in the lawsuit.
No further court or trial date has been set at this time.