Skip to main content

Charleston Business

McLeod Law Group Wins $5.8 Million Jury Verdict

May 22, 2018 09:09AM ● By Kathleen Maris

On Friday, May 18, McLeod Law Group won a jury verdict on behalf of Brett Baker-Goines against First Baptist School. The jury returned its verdict at 4:30 pm.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability in the United States. Concussions are a form of TBI that leave the brain vulnerable to further, permanent injury if the brain is not allowed to heal. In recent years, states have passed laws to protect student athletes.

Baker-Goines was a student athlete who suffered a sports-related concussion while playing basketball for First Baptist School. Following the initial concussion, Baker-Goines was treated at MUSC for complaints of headaches, dizziness, and cognitive issues. When he returned to school following the concussion, First Baptist put him through their return-to-play protocol.

The lawsuit stemmed from a personal injury claim brought by Baker-Goines who alleged First Baptist School rushed him through the South Carolina Independent School Association (SCISA) concussion protocol. Baker-Goines was returned to play and suffered a second concussion within 5 weeks of being diagnosed at MUSC with a sports-related concussion. The lawsuit alleged that because he was rushed through the concussion protocol and was returned to play before his brain had healed, the second concussion resulted in a permanent traumatic brain injury that has delayed his educational, social, and emotional development.

In response to the verdict, lead trial attorney, W. Mullins McLeod, Jr., stated: “Safety is not an accident. Injuries like Brett’s don’t happen if the return-to-play protocol rules are as important as the playbook.”

After the verdict was reached, Baker-Goines stated, “This was a five year battle that ended with the truth.”