School District U-46 hit with lawsuit over alleged injury at softball tryouts

The mother of a high school girl is suing a suburban school district, claiming its negligence led to her daughter's injury at tryouts for the softball team.

Tina O'Conner, as parent of her minor daughter, filed a complaint Nov. 7 in Cook County Circuit Court against School District U-46, a municipal corporation based in Elgin.

According to the complaint, O'Conner's daughter was at softball tryouts at Streamwood High School on Feb. 27, 2013, when the coach instructed her to strike a ball on a tee to demonstrate her batting technique. While doing so, the suit states O'Conner's daughter was hit in the back of the head with the bat, causing injuries.

O'Conner alleges that the school system did not take proper safety precautions during the tryouts. For instance, she says, it should have required the minors to wear batting helmets.

O'Conner is seeking damages in excess of $50,000, plus court costs, and is represented by Susan E. Loggans & Associates P.C. in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court case number: 2014L011579.

This is a report on a civil lawsuit filed at Cook County Circuit Court. The details in this report come from an original complaint filed by a plaintiff. Please note that a complaint represents an accusation by a private individual, not the government. It is not an indication of guilt and it represents only one side of the story.