Courts Hear About Spectator Injuries

 Posted on January 11, 2018 in Personal Injury

Every year millions of fans across the country flock to baseball games to watch their favorite team and players. Most of those fans long for the chance to take home a foul ball or broken bat as a souvenir. However, what is a fan’s recourse if they are injured by a ball that is thrown or hit into the stands or a piece of bat that splinters and flies into the seats?

Some Believe More Netting Is the Answer

Incidents that occurred at Major League Baseball games during the 2017 season that resulted in fans suffering injuries from foul balls, called attention to the inherent danger of attending live sporting events, as well as steps team and venue owners could take to better protect those in attendance.

• A man attending a Cubs game in Chicago was blinded when he was hit by a foul ball.
• In New York, a young girl was seriously injured when she was hit by a batted ball.

In both incidents, the fans were sitting in areas unprotected by netting that is hung behind the home plate area as a measure to keep batted balls from flying into the stands at a high rate of speed. However, the nets only extend so far, and some fans have filed lawsuits to, in part, force teams to extend the nets. So far the courts have not sided with fans who had similar experiences:

• In 2009, an Indiana woman suffered permanent blindness in one eye when she was struck by a foul ball while attending a minor league baseball game in Gary, Indiana. Her lawsuit claiming negligence was dismissed by the Indiana Supreme Court in 2014.
• Two baseball fans in California, one who was hit by a ball and another who stated she has dodged foul balls a number of times, filed a class action suit in 2015 against Major League Baseball. A judge dismissed the suit, and late last year the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals denied a request to reinstate the case.

These past rulings have led many experts to cast doubt on the success of future filings, including the one filed by the Cubs fan who was hurt in 2017.

Talk to a Knowledgeable Bloomingdale Personal Injury Attorney

Regardless of the location at which your injury occurs, it is important to seek immediate medical attention. If you suspect negligence of some sort contributed to your injury the smart move is to contact an experienced and knowledgeable Bloomingdale personal injury attorney. The Law Offices of David W. Clark, P.C. uses thoroughly vetted resources to conduct a meticulous review of your case. To learn whether you are entitled to some level of relief or compensation for your injuries, please call 630-665-5678 today and set up a free consultation to discuss your case with a licensed legal professional.

Sources:

https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/09/21/new-york-yankees-netting-ballpark-injury

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-lawsuits-injuries-ballparks-20171010-story.html

http://www.sfgate.com/sports/article/Court-refuses-to-reinstate-netting-lawsuit-12417562.php