Foul Ball Lawsuit Against Pittsburgh Pirates to Move Forward

August 16, 2016

  • August 16, 2016 at 1:35 pm
    Chick N. Liddel says:
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    On behalf of poultry everywhere, I resent the blame for this lady’s injuries being placed solely on fowl balls.

    Seems to me she could have watched the game from her roost, er, home.

  • August 16, 2016 at 1:41 pm
    Jack Kanauph says:
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    What other precautions should have been taken? They have a screen up. It was a freak timing accident.

    • August 16, 2016 at 2:04 pm
      Agent says:
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      Correct Jack. Next, injured fans will be able to sue when a foul ball hits them while they are on their cell and not even watching the game. If you watch games and the camera pans into the stands, it seems every other fan is on their cell and not even watching the game. Why buy a ticket?

      • August 16, 2016 at 5:56 pm
        UW says:
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        How many games have you been to this year, Agent? I’ve been to about 15 and there are very few people who are sitting on their phones for anything more than a minute or two, much less most of the game. I’m starting to doubt your opinions are based on reality.

        • August 17, 2016 at 9:40 am
          Agent says:
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          I am starting to doubt that you ever pay attention to any game shown. By the way, I view over 100 games a year. I don’t have to physically be in the park to see all those cells out since they show fans just about every inning of each game. Many don’t look up for minutes at a time.

          • August 18, 2016 at 12:20 am
            UW says:
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            So your knowledge on this comes from watching zero games where your can actually see any particular fans for more than 10 seconds at a time.

    • August 16, 2016 at 5:53 pm
      UW says:
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      The screen could stop the ball from hitting people, that would be one step.

    • August 16, 2016 at 6:04 pm
      Ken says:
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      As someone pointed out, the screen gives just enough, a matter of an inch or two, when hit by a ball. I’m sure this is where her lawyers are going. A wire screen could probably be made to not move at all when hit by a ball. A thin mesh screen gives a little. Yeah Pirates and MLB may have a problem….

  • August 16, 2016 at 1:47 pm
    Rosenblatt says:
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    I’m with you Jack. In addition to all the signs warning of balls flying in the stands, the announcements throughout the game, the disclaimer on the back of the ticket, and the protective netting, what more could be done?

    I’m really interested to understand why “Her attorneys had said her case wasn’t subject to a state law that states teams and stadiums aren’t liable for injuries as long as reasonable precautions were taken.”

  • August 16, 2016 at 3:02 pm
    Scott Barnes says:
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    Is this the lady who was standing and talking with someone with her back toward the field that got hit while she was facing the wrong direction, not paying attention to the game? I believe if this is the same case, if she was in her seat, paying attention, this would have never happened so isn’t the responsibility for her injury her own fault?

    • August 16, 2016 at 3:28 pm
      Jack Kanauph says:
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      I believe this is the one where she was returning to her seat behind home plate when the batter fouled the pitch straight back and it hit her in the temple area. The ball hit the protection screen, but the screen had some loose play in it and the ball connected with her head. If she wasn’t so close to the screen it would not have been able to reach her.

      • August 16, 2016 at 6:02 pm
        InsGuy says:
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        So if the screen doesn’t work properly, how is that a reasonable precaution?

        • August 17, 2016 at 9:56 am
          Jack Kanauph says:
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          The screen stopped the ball, but she was standing too close to the screen as she was returning to her seat. Honestly, she should have waited to return to her seat until there was break, such as the end of the inning or the end of the batter’s at bat. Those are prime seats behind the plate and she was obstructing the view of many fans by returning to her seat at that time.

          • August 18, 2016 at 12:22 am
            UW says:
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            She should have, but she was escorted by an usher, an employee of the stadium.

  • August 16, 2016 at 7:47 pm
    Agency says:
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    For pete sakes, 35k per entity is her claim, get out while you are ahead and cut the check. I am not one who likes people fudging their claim to take advantage of an unfortunate situation, but being hit and the head and your maximum liability is 35k?

    • August 17, 2016 at 9:57 am
      Jack Kanauph says:
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      I think the bigger issue is setting a precedent for liability that goes against the policies and postings.

  • August 16, 2016 at 8:52 pm
    GpapaSmash says:
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    It is a 50/50 risk for the fan who sits in an area where fowl balls are hit and the ownership of the pirates and parks. I give her medical bills and free tickets for a year….if that isnt enough she can go root for the Phillies!!!!

    • August 17, 2016 at 9:35 am
      Agent says:
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      I am afraid the Phillies don’t provide much to root for and their fans let them know about every failure.

  • August 17, 2016 at 9:28 am
    Joe Law says:
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    Fans should be safe at a baseball game when they sit behind the netting. I don’t blame the fan. I would cry foul too, but $35k should be enough. Not $35k from each defendant.

  • August 17, 2016 at 2:37 pm
    vox sanitus says:
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    Leave it to lawyers to try and spoil the fun of the national pastime. If you don’t want to get hit by a foul ball or broken bat, then stay the heck home, you worthless whiners. I detest the screen they put up in back of the dugout at my home park this season, where I have same-seat tickets. It interferes with my eyes being able to follow the pitch. I can’t tell a slider from a sinker any more. It stinks. I have nothing but disdain for the jerks who wrought this.

    • August 17, 2016 at 2:59 pm
      Agent says:
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      Careful vox, you will be labeled as an insulter and maybe a racist by the politically correct crowd.

  • August 17, 2016 at 3:31 pm
    Scott Barnes says:
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    Life isn’t without risks. One could justify staying at home to avoid a potential car accident, robbery, kidnapping or being hit with a foul ball. Why is it when bad stuff happens, everyone’s first thought is…..its my payday! The Pirates and many other ball parks have provided adequate protection (other than the Cubs bullpen….but that is another story). I think the judge should throw this out because the person in question didn’t wait between innings and it is due to her relative position to the net in the middle of an inning that created the issue.

    • August 18, 2016 at 12:46 pm
      SWFL Agent says:
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      If she is behind the screen and was hurt then that is not “adequate protection”.

      • August 19, 2016 at 2:27 pm
        Scott Barnes says:
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        Let me try this another way. If a tiger is in a cage you are protected unless you put your face up against the bars. I realize that you must be part of the lawsuit crowd that required zoos to put up a second barrier because people weren’t smart enough not to put their faces between the bars. Maybe ballparks should install catheters and intravenous feeding lines to keep the Johnny jump ups in their seats for three hours to keep them from getting up to eat or pee since the average person can’t seem to go to a game without multiple trips to the bathroom and food trough. Guess the catheter and feeding tube would provide the “additional” protection that some people need to protect themselves.

    • August 18, 2016 at 6:00 pm
      Agent says:
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      Some of the older parks have the bullpen down the lines and the stands jut out quite a bit. Screaming line drive fouls are a problem and no wonder someone gets hit on occasion, especially the fans on their cells. They never see it coming.

  • August 18, 2016 at 7:16 pm
    Furrie Princess says:
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    As my local team announcers say, bring your glove, get a ball.. If you are going to sit in an area of the park where line drives and foul balls are likely to be hit, be aware, be prepared and bring your glove. Do not turn your back during play. One even says it isn’t a good ballpark if a foul ball won’t reach the upper deck.



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