Tragic Accident or Negligence? Woman Dies After Being Hit by Rugby Ball on the Back of Her Head

somerset - A 69-year-old woman tragically passed away after a rugby ball incident at a rugby match. The circumstances surrounding her death are under investigation.

In 2020, 69-year-old Jennifer Selwood went to watch her grandson's rugby match and suffered a fatal incident when hit by a rugby ball on the back of her head at the Taunton Rugby Football Club in Somerset, UK. She was taken to the hospital with a brain hemorrhage and sadly passed away two weeks later. An examination revealed underlying health conditions like diabetes and aplastic anemia, a blood disorder that increases the risk of severe bleeding in trauma cases.

Despite the medical findings, a British court is investigating the possible liability for Selwood's death. Eyewitnesses testified that Selwood was standing with her husband on a gravel path between two fields at the time of the incident, where the sidelines were slippery. A ball from a neighboring team's warm-up hit her head, leading to her collapse and subsequent complaints of neck pain before losing consciousness.

The coroner deemed Selwood's death an accident due to inadequate supervision and safety precautions for spectators. However, the rugby club chairman disagreed, stating that rugby balls are not inherently life-threatening and accidents can happen even with precautions in place.

Following the incident, the rugby club implemented safety measures such as extending the time between youth games to prevent overlapping matches and relocating warm-ups away from game fields to enhance spectator safety.

The court is yet to determine any culpability in Selwood's tragic death.