Football, baseball, and basketball are some of the biggest sports in the country, and countless people attend local, high school, college, and professional sporting events in Texas every year. In small stadiums, you may be close to the action, but in large, professional sports stadiums, you may be one of thousands of people in the crowd. Still, injuries can occur in surprising ways and cause substantial damage to fans in the stands and in other locations at the stadium or arena.
If you or a loved one was injured while attending a sporting event in Texas, contact The Queenan Law Firm. Our Dallas, TX attorneys for injuries sustained at a sporting event can sue the franchise, event operators, stadium/arena owner, or other parties that might be responsible for your injuries and fight to get you the damages you need for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For a free legal consultation, contact our law offices today at (817) 476-1797.
When You Can Sue for Injuries at a Sporting Event
Sporting events have multiple potential ways someone could be injured. Especially with professional sporting events, arenas and stadiums can hold thousands of people, and crowds always draw the risk of injury. In some sports, the risk of a ball or player coming out of bounds is a potential danger, especially for people seated near the field or court (e.g., in courtside seats) or in dangerous areas (e.g., behind the batter in foul ball zones). Other injuries can occur because of dangerous conditions on the premises at the arena or stadium. If you were injured because of any negligence or accidents involving these kinds of dangers, you may be entitled to sue for the injuries you faced.
When filing a lawsuit, you must be able to prove your injuries. In cases where you are hit by a baseball or a player crashes into the crowd, there may be video evidence and hundreds of witnesses, especially at professional games. Other injuries, such as getting trampled or pushed by a crowd or slipping and falling on a wet bathroom floor, might have fewer witnesses. Still, your medical treatment can help create a record of the injuries you faced, and you and any family or friends you were with can testify as to what happened to you and what damages resulted from your injuries.
To sue, you must also be able to point to some error or mistake that was committed to cause your injury. This could mean suing the stadium for unsafe setups or lack of security, it could mean suing the franchise or players for unsafe conduct that put fans at risk, or it could mean suing other people for injuries they caused you, such as injuries from being trampled or injuries from assault and battery during the game. In some cases, you may also be able to sue a combination of these parties, such as suing the franchise and the stadium each for their part in failing to put up proper safety nets or barriers to protect from foul balls.
Issues with Suing for Sporting Event Injuries
It is vital to speak with an attorney about your case. There are many legal issues that might make it harder to sue for injuries at a sports stadium or arena, and it is vital to have an experienced attorney represent you to help protect your claim and get you the compensation you need.
Many tickets contain a legal agreement with the stadium and the teams that restrains your conduct and your ability to sue. Some tickets focus on the stadium’s ability to deny you entry or kick you out if you are unruly, but they also help protect the arena from lawsuits by saying that you enter at your own risk. These liability waivers can be overcome in many instances, especially if the injuries were caused by someone else other than the operators who provided the tickets.
Other times, the injuries you face may be something for which you possibly “assumed the risk” by attending the event. For instance, there is a chance you could be hit by a foul ball if you are seated along the baseline at a baseball game or that you could be hit by a basketball if you have courtside seats. However, that does not completely excuse dangerous players, negligent security setups, or faulty safety gear.
Lastly, you may have difficulty suing if you were partly responsible for your own injuries. A slip and fall might be the stadium operator’s fault if they failed to clear a spill or put up warning signs, but if you were extremely intoxicated and that contributed to your fall, the court may find you partly at fault. Your lawyer can help fight claims that you helped cause your own injuries and work to hold the responsible parties liable for your full damages.
Many sports leagues, arenas, teams, and individual players have well-trained legal teams that try to shut down lawsuits against them and minimize any damages they have to pay. Your case’s success relies upon having equally strong legal representation, so talk to an attorney about your case.
Call Our TExas Sporting Event Injury Lawyers for a Free Consultation
If you or a loved one was injured at a sports arena or stadium, contact our Dallas attorneys for injuries sustained at a sporting event today. Our lawyers represent victims injured at professional sporting events, minor league games, and even local and high school sporting events. You and your family may be entitled to damages for the injuries you faced and compensation to help cover medical bills and lost wages stemming from the accident. For help with your case, contact The Queenan Law Firm today at (817) 476-1797.