On a June afternoon in 2022, Jordan Stroud, a sophomore at Lower Richland High School, collapsed during football practice after temperatures soared above 92 degrees. He was rushed to the hospital and spent nearly two months recovering from severe heat‑stroke injuries.
A Verdict That Spotlights Heat‑Safety Failures
A Richland County jury has awarded Stroud $4.8 million, concluding that Richland School District One acted with gross negligence by failing to enforce adequate heat‑safety protocols, including the use of Wet Bulb Globe Temperature readings and a proper acclimatization plan.
Attorney Chase Keibler, who represented Stroud, told the court that heat‑related illnesses are entirely preventable when schools adopt simple measures such as scheduled water breaks, shade structures and cold‑water immersion tubs. He emphasized that football players are eleven times more likely to suffer heat collapse than athletes in most other sports.
The verdict comes as South Carolina high schools gear up for the upcoming fall football season, prompting renewed calls from parents, medical experts and advocacy groups for stricter enforcement of heat‑safety standards across the state.
While the district has denied any wrongdoing, asserting that any injury resulted from the athlete’s own actions, the case underscores a growing legal scrutiny of school‑sponsored sports safety. It also highlights the role of the South Carolina High School League, which governs high‑school athletics and could see its policies revisited in light of the ruling.