Collecting Compensation For Injuries At Minnesota Sporting Events

Athletes put their body on the line every time they step on the field for practice or a game, and it’s not uncommon for the training staff to be hard at work during the course of an event tending to injuries. Fans, on the other hand, never expect to be injured when attending a professional sporting event, but the fact of the matter is that injuries happen at almost all major sporting events. Even though the venue may attempt to reduce their liability by telling spectators that they assume all risks when they purchase a ticket, this phrasing certainly doesn’t absolve them from liability for any and all actions that occur to spectators. In today’s blog, we explore how fans can earn injury compensation if they are injured while watching a sporting event in Minnesota.

Factors That Influence Your Injury Award

Your rights as a spectator can sometimes get blurred as the venue or the event promoter attempts to limit their liability by informing fans of the inherent risks they assume by purchasing a ticket to the event. A common example of this is how a ticket or signage at a Minnesota Twins game will warn spectators about the possibility of flying balls. Foul balls or home run balls can come at a person at incredibly fast speeds, and they can cause injuries to you or those around you.

In many instances, a person who was injured by a foul ball at a baseball game would not be eligible to collect injury compensation, but again it’s not a completely black and white issue, even if the venue would like it to be. The venue can claim that the spectator knowingly assumes all risks, but that doesn’t absolve them from their duty to protect patrons from injury. Like any Minnesota business, they owe their customers a duty of protection, and if they fail to uphold this duty, they can be taken to court. A standard foul ball injury may prove difficult to earn compensation, but if you can prove that other influenceable factors contributed to your injuries, you may have a case. In the above example, some factors you might point to in hopes of earning compensation would include:

A lack of safety netting in specific areas where flying baseball could be anticipated.
Equipment failure or malfunction (hole in safety netting, poor lighting, etc.)
A failure by medical staff to provide prompt care for your injuries.

Of course, these are just a few factors that could be analyzed for a very niche type of injury at a stadium. There are many other ways that you can be injured while at a sporting event, so the factors that are being analyzed for fault or negligence will be dependent on the specific type of injury you suffer. Other factors that may be reviewed depending on how the injury occurred include:

A failure to clean up slipping or tripping hazards in a timely manner.
Unsafe or ill-maintained stairwells, elevators, walkways, stairs, escalators, etc.
Whether or not alcohol was involved and if an individual was overserved.
Inadequate stadium security.

It’s important to remember that the venue doesn’t have final say in whether or not you are eligible to collect injury compensation. They may try to tell you that you assumed the risk when you entered the grounds, but if their actions or negligence contributed to your injuries, they can be held liable. Let a skilled injury lawyer review the facts of your case, build a strong argument and help you collect the compensation you deserve if you are injured at a sporting event in Minnesota. To learn more about your compensation options, or to talk with a lawyer and see if you potentially have a valid claim, pick up the phone and call Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm today at (952) 230-2700.