Jerome Wilkes was injured when he collided into a wall during a basketball game. He later sued the YMCA claiming the court had been wet and that padding should have been installed behind the hoop.
When the Bronx Country Supreme Court granted YMCA's dismissal request, Wilkes appealed.
The Appellate Division, First Department, was of the view Wilkes's injury was covered under an "assumption of risk" rule because the YMCA showed that colliding into a wall is an inherent part of the sport. (The Y also established that it wasn't aware of any watery condition at the time of the accident.)
The padding related claim was also rejected because Wilkes's expert couldn't identify a "specific industry standard" which mandated such protection.
So, are pads just for football?
To view a copy of the Appellate Division's decision, please use this link: Wilkes v. YMCA of Greater N.Y.