Volunteer coaching assistant brought action against local soccer association, seeking damages for injuries incurred when he jumped and grabbed the metal crossbar of an unanchored soccer goal, causing the goal to tip over and land on his face. After a jury trial at which jury found that coach’s own negligence had contributed to his injuries, the Circuit Court, Howard County, entered judgment in favor of association. Coach appealed. Before briefing and argument in the Court of Special Appeals, coach petitioned for writ of certiorari.
The Court of Appeals held that it would decline to abrogate common law principle of contributory negligence in favor of some form of comparative negligence. Thus, coach was not entitled to recover for his injuries since jury found that coach’s own negligence had contributed to his injuries. Failure of numerous bills in general assembly that would have abolished or modified the contributory negligence standard was a clear indication of legislative policy to retain the standard.