ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — WFTV crews will be in court Friday as the family of a University of Central Florida football player finds out how much money it could be awarded if it wins a wrongful death lawsuit against the university.
An Orange County judge could cap damages at $200,000, or he could allow the family to seek millions of dollars. The judge's ruling is expected Friday afternoon.
Ereck Plancher was a 19-year-old freshman wide receiver when he collapsed and died on a UCF practice field with head coach George O'Leary and his staff supervising the workout.
A medical exam revealed that Plancher had the sickle cell trait, a potentially deadly disease that the parents say they were never told about. Now the family is suing UCF's athletic association for wrongful death.
However, lawyers for the association say their client is a State Agency, and if a judge agrees damages would be capped at $200,000.
Lawyers for the Plancher family say the association acts independently of the school and there should be no cap on how much money they can recover.
Either way, the association's lawyers plan to argue later that a waiver Plancher signed releases the school from any responsibility.
"We're asking the court to uphold and enforce a valid and binding agreement that's clear on its face and that Ereck signed the very first day he showed up to school. That's really what it comes down to," said an attorney representing the university.
The hearing is scheduled to begin at 1:30pm Friday. WFTV will have a full report on Eyewitness News at 5:00pm.