Going to watch a football game in Razorback Stadium is always an exhilarating experience, even if your team isn’t on the winning side. Indeed, going to any sporting event can be a wonderful way to spend time with family and friends. However, what happens if you are injured while you are at a stadium or other sports venues? Who can you file a suit against, and can you recover for your injuries and damages? While accidents at sporting events may seem rare, to the contrary, there are weekly reports of fans and spectators being injured while cheering on their favorite team.
Sporting Events in Fayetteville
Fayetteville hosts many sporting events as a city which draw in hundreds of spectators and visitors including local road races, volleyball events, and basketball games the city center is always buzzing with sports activities to do. In addition, the University of Arkansas calls Fayetteville home. Every year Razorback Stadium and the University host thousands of alumni at football, basketball, and baseball games. Razorback Stadium, in particular, brings in thousands of spectators from all over the country and has a seating capacity of nearly 80,000. However, while going to a sports event can be a wonderful weekend event, there have been well-documented reports of injuries at these large venues. While it did not happen at a Razorbacks event, a recent accident at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia highlights some of the risks that go with attending a large sporting event.
It was the second straight game where a fan was injured by a foul ball. The first foul ball struck a young girl in the face, and the second happened in almost the same spot a few days later. While there were no major injuries in either of these events they highlight that accidents happen and often there are difficult hurdles to overcome if a person is injured at a sporting event and wants to recover for their injuries.
To begin, a legal principle known as “assumption of the risk” often is used by large stadiums to avoid paying those who are injured at games and sporting events. This principle allows stadiums to avoid liability because as an attendee of a sporting event, such as a baseball game, you understand that there is a risk that a ball could fly through the air and that it could possibly hit you. Many sporting event tickets will have a statement to this effect on the back of the ticket. By purchasing the ticket and then attending the game, you have signified that you are willing and assume the risk that there may be an accident such as the one that happened in Philadelphia.
However, stadiums and large sporting venues are not completely immune from liability, and they can still be deemed negligent in certain instances. If the stadium is aware that there is an area that is not protected and reasonably should be protected by a net, or the already in place netting is adequate or torn, then this may be the basis for a personal injury case against a stadium. In the Philadelphia baseball mishap, the shortstop called for more netting after the first foul ball flew into the crowd, perhaps suggesting that the netting in that area should be extended. However, this is not the only type of accident that can happen at a sporting venue, other conditions that are present in a sports venue may lead to liability based on negligence. If there are unreasonably unsafe conditions on the premises that the stadium owners and operators are aware of but do not take adequate measures to repair or protect attendees from these conditions. In some cases you may need to contact a Fayetteville AR personal injury lawyer for assistance.
Common Reasons for Injuries at Sporting Events
While it is not always common that a baseball or hockey puck will soar through the air and cause an injury, there have been many reports of these injuries over the years. However, far more common are the following conditions that lead to accidents and injuries:
• Slippery floors, sidewalks, walkways, and stairs
• Inadequate lighting in stairwells and hallways
• Broken stairs, handrails, walkways, sidewalks or pavement
• Fights or altercations resulting from lack of adequate security
Pedestrian or car accident injuries resulting from poor or inadequate crowd and traffic control
While going to a sporting event is a great way to spend your free time, you don’t want to be injured when you are at them. Stadiums and sporting venues have a responsibility to provide a safe environment for their patrons, and when they break this responsibility, it can result in you being injured.
Injured at a Sporting Event and Need a Fayetteville, Arkansas Personal Injury Lawyer?
If you are injured during a sporting event or at a sporting venue call our team of personal injury attorneys at The Law Practice of Ken Kieklak. We bring over twenty years of experience and knowledge to those who have been injured and help them recover from their injuries.