NASHUA, N.H. — A man who was paralyzed while playing football in high school is suing his former coaches and the school district.
The former Nashua High School North student claims the school and coaches failed to demonstrate safe and proper tackling skills, which led to his injury during a pre-season practice.
Cooper Doucette broke his neck during a practice on Aug. 14, 2010, leaving him quadriplegic. He was 15 at the time and was playing on the school's JV football team.
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"Something like this just changes your entire life," said Doucette's attorney, Larry Vogelman.
In the lawsuit he says the coaches failed to find out if cooper was physically able to tackle, and that "...there had been no instruction by defendants or any other coaches about the risk of serious injury if tackling was done without keeping your head up."
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The school district's attorney said that the coaches have decades of experience and that Doucette's injury was a freak accident.
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"There's no question they have an obligation to teach the students and they do teach the students safe tackling techniques," said Cullen.
Doucette is now 21 and graduated from Nashua High School North in 2013.
"It's not just football. It's part of the education of a 15-year-old. The school has an obligation to minimize the risk and their most important obligation is to make sure the students under their care are safe," said Vogelman.