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According to a recent Washington Post story, a 60-year-old baseball fan fell to his death recently as frightened spectators watching the game observed helplessly. The man who was killed had held season tickets for 23 years and was watching the game from the upper deck when he reportedly stood up to yell as a Yankee’s player came up to bat. He tumbled 40 feet, landing headfirst onto a walkway in between sections of seating. 

His tragic death was not the first to occur in the same stadium.  In 2013, a 30-year-old fan died after a fall from a railing into a parking lot in an incident that was ruled a suicide (although his family insists it was an accident).  In 2008, a 25-year-old fell several levels down before striking a steel railing and concrete. When his death was investigated, authorities cited alcohol as a contributing factor. 

Baseball fans are not the only spectators at risk of injuries, and injuries and fatalities have happened at stadiums around the country.  Falls are just one of many causes of injuries to sport fans, with risks also presented by balls, bats and even players going into stands. 

Stadiums need to be designed with the goal of protecting patron safety and when they aren’t, a Ft. Myers personal injury attorney like Randall Spivey can help the victims of injuries or the surviving family members of those who were killed.

Sports Fans Deserve Safe Stadiums

The Washington Post article also told of numerous other tragic stories of sports fans dying at baseball games, football games and other sports events. In some cases, the sports teams did not even stop the game after a death.

When fatalities and injuries happen, it is important to determine the cause. Many drink at sporting events, so alcohol could be a factor. However, even if patrons are intoxicated, this does not absolve stadiums of the responsibility to maintain a safe environment.

An intoxicated sports fan who is hurt because the stadium does not have netting to protect him from being hit with a ball is likely not at fault for his own injuries. Likewise, stadiums need to have safe seating, appropriate railings, aisles free of debris and other reasonable safety measures in place to prevent accidents. 

If a fan is intoxicated when injured but the stadium did not live up to its basic responsibilities to provide a reasonably safe space, the stadium could still be held fully or partially responsible under comparative fault rules.  Sober fans are also able to pursue claims for compensation if a stadium has uncorrected hazards and/or does not warn patrons about risks in the stadium environment.

Sports fans need to be aware of the dangers they face when going to games. They should also be aware of the fact that fans are injured or killed every year in accidents that could be prevented.  A personal injury attorney in Ft. Myers can help when something goes wrong.

Let an attorney evaluate your case if you or someone you love was hurt at a stadium. We can help you determine if you are entitled to monetary compensation for injuries and losses. Call the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. today.