Midlands high school football player’s death at practice settles for $640,000

A Lexington County lawsuit over the alleged wrongful death of a River Bluff High School student who died after a summer 2016 football practice has resulted in a financial settlement of $640,000 to his parents.

The settlement amount in the death of Lewis Simpkins, 14, who had hoped to play college football at Clemson University, was announced Friday morning during a Lexington virtual court hearing presided over by State Judge Walton McLeod Jr.

Defendants in the case were Lexington County School District One and the S.C. High School League. In the settlement, the defendants did not admit fault in Lewis’ death. The school district will pay $590,000 and the High School League will pay $50,000.

In arriving at the settlement through a mediator, the teenager’s parents, Willie and Shonda Simpkins, waived their right to a jury trial and relinquished all future claims in the matter.

In the lawsuit, filed in June 2018, Simpkins’ parents alleged Lewis collapsed on Aug. 10, 2016, during a two-hour and 15-minute practice where coaches punished the team with a series of sprints and strenuous exercises in heat that approached triple digits. He had to be carried off the field and a short time later died in a local hospital. His father was at the practice. The Simpkins also alleged school officials and the High School League were negligent in circumstances surrounding the death.

The lawsuit alleged that the practice was hard because the players were being penalized for a poor performance in a scrimmage the previous day. Former players claimed it was the hardest practice they had ever had, according to the lawsuit.

An autopsy showed that Lewis’ death was related to “external environmental factors,” such as heat and humidity, that “likely ... contributed to his death,” the lawsuit said.

In answers to the lawsuit, the school district and High School League argued that Lewis’ death was the result of a pre-existing heart condition that caused his death rather than any summer heat and humidity.

What was not disputed was that Lewis was a popular 6-foot-2, 270-pound defensive tackle who had dreams of playing football at Clemson. He was a musician, a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and had started his sophomore year at River Bluff. Lewis was just two weeks shy of turning 15 and was in his first season with the varsity football team when he died.

At the hearing, Judge McLeod expressed his condolences to the family and called the agreement “a final and global settlement for all parties.”

Attorneys’ fees in the matter were $256,000, plus an additional $13,000 for the attorneys who represented Simpkins’ parents, Bobby Jones of Greenville and Jeff Murphy of Tampa, Florida.

Also present virtually were attorneys Michael Montgomery for the S.C. High School League and David Duff for the Lexington County School District One.

Jones said the family is pleased that the lawsuit was settled without the need for a trial, adding, “We are relieved that the family can put this lawsuit behind them and focus on projects that will ensure Lewis’ legacy.”

“While Lewis’ death was tragic, we are hopeful that some good will come out of this. Lewis’ memory will never die and we certainly hope that lawsuits like this one will help make football safer and remind us that we should all do everything we can to protect our student-athletes,” Murphy said.

This story was originally published November 20, 2020 at 1:47 PM.