Atlanta Hawks forward Chandler Parsons was involved in a serious DUI motor vehicle accident. The accident occurred on January 15, 2020, outside of Atlanta. Parsons was seriously injured in the tragic accident. As a result, his NBA career is now in jeopardy. Parsons was leaving practice that afternoon at around 2:00 in the afternoon when his car was struck by the drunk driver. The Hawks released the following tweet announcing the accident and subsequent injuries.
An @emoryhealthcare injury report:
Chandler Parsons was involved in car accident today. After a medical evaluation at the Emory Sports Medicine Complex, he was diagnosed with a concussion & whiplash. He will enter the NBA’s concussion protocol.
More: https://t.co/ZYst4Puvs1 pic.twitter.com/G2tBPgUqLQ
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) January 16, 2020
On Monday, the extent of Parsons’ injuries was revealed as the Hawks updated the injury report and it was announced Parson had retained the legal firm Morgan & Morgan following the accident.
https://twitter.com/ATLHawks/status/1219322320487141379
https://twitter.com/forthepeople/status/1219303560455819269
Chris Haynes from Yahoo Sports released the statement from the law firm that outlined the further details of the accident and the potential career-ending injuries Parsons suffered as a result. It was noted Parsons suffered “multiple severe and permanent injuries including a traumatic brain injury, disc herniation, and a torn labrum”.
The statement also further detailed the consequences of these injuries that could possibly end Parsons’ professional basketball career and described Parsons “in peak physical condition at the time of the wreck”.
https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/1219304256072585216
The accident happened after Parsons left the team practice that afternoon around 2:00 p.m. and was driving in Brookhaven, a suburb of Atlanta when the drunk driver made a left turn into traffic at a busy intersection. This caused a three-car accident, one of which was driven by Parsons. The impaired driver was knocked unconscious in the accident and Parsons was advised on the scene he had suffered back and neck injuries but refused transport to the hospital via ambulance.
According to the statement, the accident was witnessed by a police officer who noted on the police report “a 7-up bottle with alcohol on the driver’s seats and the heavy order of alcohol in the car and on the driver”. Upon regaining consciousness the driver admitted to drinking and was cited for failure to yield while turning left and driving under the influence. Parsons and the other driver involved were not cited or found to have any fault or contribution to the accident.
In Parsons’ basketball history he played for the University of Florida before the Houston Rockets drafted him as the 38th overall pick in the 2011 Draft. He spent three seasons there. Parsons was also with the Dallas Mavericks for two seasons and the Memphis Grizzlies for three seasons before being traded to the Hawks over the summer. Parsons had played five games in the current season before the accident occurred.
As of right now, Parsons’ future as a professional basketball player is in serious jeopardy following this tragic accident and, while his recovery is what is most important, there will be legal matters to settle as a result of this accident. If it is determined the accident is career-ending, Parsons’ legal team will then have the monumental task of placing monetary worth on what his future may have had in store for him. Even though the driver admitted guilt and there was a law enforcement officer as a witness, the fact that Parsons was not cited or found at fault will be a key factor in pursuing the offender and any insurance policies Parsons or the Hawks’ may have. It will be of utmost importance that Parsons played no role in this accident.
Unfortunately, Parsons now joins thousands of people countrywide that are innocent victims of other’s poor choices to drink and drive. That is the only role he had and now it is his role to heal and recover from this tragedy.