Why volunteers get sued
Two volunteers on a Sea Scout outing were found liable to the tune of $7 million for negligent supervision of six teenage scouts, one of whom was rendered quadriplegic in a pickup tackle football game. Powell v. Boy Scouts of America, No. 9208 05390 (Multnomah Cty. Cir. Ct. Portland, Ore. Feb. 14, 1994).
A soccer club settled a lawsuit for $340,000 in which a 10-year-old goalie was injured when a 175 lb. Homemade soccer goal fell on his face. Craig v. Canterbury Soccer Club, No. E-0495 (Fulton Cty. Super Ct. Ga., March 4, 1994).
A YMCA was found liable for its volunteer scuba instructor when a student died during an open ocean test. Leno v. YMCA, 17 Cal. App 3d 651, 95 Cal Rptr 96 (1971).
A church was found liable when one of its volunteers was found negligent in causing an accident while driving a child to the local park. Malloy v. Fong, 37 Cal 2d, 356, 232 P2d 241 (1951).