KC Chiefs reach agreement with family of Ariel Young

The Kansas City Chiefs have reached an agreement with the family of Ariel Young, the 9-year-old severely injured when former assistant coach Britt Reid hit their vehicle the Thursday before the Super Bowl.

Following the collision, Reid was taken to the hospital for surgery on a groin injury and was found to have a blood alcohol content higher than the legal limit. Young was air lifted to the hospital and spent 11 days in a coma.

Reid has since been charged criminally and is in the midst of his criminal proceedings. We wondered if we would see anything on behalf of the Chiefs and now we have it. If you recall, there are two “types” of cases: criminal and civil. The civil side allows for recovery of money while criminal punishes. Often, parties will reach agreements to compensate an injured person before a lawsuit has even been filed.

The Chiefs have reached an agreement with the family of Ariel Young.

That appears to be the case here:

According to the Kansas City Star, the Chiefs will provide ongoing world-class medical care for Ariel and will provide for her financially in the future. What was most encouraging from the Star is learning that Ariel has made significant progress in her recovery. She was able to attend school this fall.

This agreement is a good development for all parties as it avoids the expenses of litigation. Litigation is very expensive and time consuming so reaching this agreement ensures the family is able to cover her medical expenses now and guarantees she is provided for in the future. There is also no gamble on a jury. There is no certainty that the Chiefs would have been found liable at a jury trial, so this is a good outcome.

The agreement between the two means that there will likely not be a civil case filed against the Chiefs. Even if there is, this agreement and any negotiations between the Chiefs and her family will not be admissible at any trial.

At the end of the day, we are glad Young is being provided for and that the Chiefs stepped up and did the right thing to make sure this young girl is cared for.