When it comes to injuries at stadiums and sports facilities, there are
often two types of accidents that cause injuries to fans: slip and falls
and getting struck by a ball or puck. However, are stadium owners and
staff liable for these type of injuries? While proving the negligent actions
of these parties can be difficult, it is still possible in specific circumstances.
Slip & Fall Injuries at a Stadium or Sports Complex
If someone drops a beverage on the floor, and you slip a few minutes later,
the stadium owner would not be considered negligent. Just because you
slipped and fell doesn’t mean that the stadium owner was negligent.
Additionally, simply because the floor was slippery doesn’t mean
that it was caused by negligent actions.
In order to prove that the stadium owner was negligent, you need to show
that the owner was aware or should’ve reasonably known that the
floor was unreasonably slippery, and failed to take the proper steps to
repair the issue. So, for example, if the stadium owner has reasonable
notice that the bathroom floors are continual slippery, failed to do something
about it, and that slippery floor resulted in a fan’s injury, the
owner can be held liable for the accident.
Being Struck by a Ball or Puck
Another common occurrence at baseball and hockey games is fans getting
hit by a ball or puck. Due to the high velocity in which these objects
were traveling, these types of injuries can be quite severe.
So can you sue the stadium owner if you are struck by a ball, puck, or
any object? It depends on the circumstances.
If you are at a sports event and turn over your ticket, you will see a
few paragraphs of legalese in extremely small print. This is the stadium
owner’s disclaimer of legal responsibility for any injuries which
might occur to fans at the game, such as getting hit by objects and even players.
While these disclaimers are considered valid, there are a few exceptions.
Owners still have the responsibility to act reasonably to minimize the
risk of injury to fans, such as having netting behind home plate to protect
against foul balls. If you were sitting behind home plate and a foul ball
went through a hole in the netting, you could argue that the owner failed
to properly maintain the netting. If you get struck by a foul ball while
sitting between home plate and first base, you might be able to argue
that the netting was not wide enough.
For more information,
contact our
Midland personal injury attorney at
Dean Law Firm today.