The parents of a Gainesville High School senior who died after being hit in the head with a baseball bat during a team practice are suing the school’s leaders and sports staff, alleging negligence.
David and Yasmira Medina want at least $722,208 in damages after the death of their 17-year-old son , Jeremy Medina, who was pronounced brain-dead after the November incident inside a school batting cage . The honors student was a pitcher and catcher on the school’s baseball team.
The Medinas, who filed their lawsuit Tuesday in the Hall County Superior Court, claim that no adults or school employees were supervising the team’s mandatory Nov. 20, 2023 practice when their son was in the school’s batting cage facility with at least nine teammates.
“Tragically, during the practice, one of Jeremy’s teammates swung a bat and hit Jeremy in the head,” the complaint states. “It took over three minutes for any adult to arrive and over seven minutes for CPR to be started.”
No baseball practice was supposed to occur before the official start of the season on Jan. 15, the Medinas said. They said the high school approved the “illegal” November practice, which was scheduled and operated by its baseball coaching staff.
The Gainesville City School System said the passing of Jeremy Medina was a tragic accident and that it does not comment on pending litigation. It said that no employees have been disciplined, suspended or fired in relation to the incident, which was investigated by the Gainesville Police Department.
Chloe Dallaire, the Medinas’ attorney, said the couple tried to settle their case before suing school staff, but the school system did not accept their demand. She said the value of Jeremy Medina’s life coupled with the pain and suffering he endured is worth substantially more than $722,208, which reflects only his medical bills.
“Jeremy’s death was completely preventable,” Dallaire told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “He would still be with us today if the school district’s employees had just followed their own rules. Our goal is not only to bring about justice for Jeremy, but to help prevent this type of tragedy from happening to anyone else’s child.”
In their complaint, the Medinas said an athletic trainer employed by the school performed CPR on their son. They said she was unable to access the school’s automated external defibrillator because she did not have a key for it.
Emergency services were called about seven minutes after Jeremy Medina was struck by the bat, per the lawsuit. He was eventually transported to Northeast Georgia Medical Center, where he was diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage, fractured skull and other head injuries.
Jeremy Medina remained in the hospital until he was pronounced dead on Dec. 11, according to the complaint.
The Medinas said their son had no underlying health issues which contributed to his death. They claim school staff failed to operate athletic activities in accordance with standards imposed by the Georgia High School Association and the Gainesville City School System.
The school’s principal, assistant principal, head baseball coach and director of baseball operations are named as defendants in the case, as are the athletic director, assistant athletic director, two assistant baseball coaches and the athletic trainer who performed CPR on Jeremy Medina.
The high school established a scholarship in Jeremy Medina’s name following his death. It will be awarded each May to a student who embodies his hard work, character, athleticism and academic excellence.
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