Happy opening day! Baseball, and any sporting event or concert held at a stadium or arena, can be a great way to unwind and spend time with your friends and family. America’s favorite pastime can quickly turn from good fun to tragic when you suffer an injury because of negligence on behalf of the owner or operator of the stadium, arena, or sports field. When a stadium fails to maintain a safe environment, be it a loose railing or a cracked step, it could lead you to fall and experience very serious injuries.
Owners and operators of sporting venues and events are well aware of the risk of injury that can happen to spectators. In order to avoid liability, the tickets to those events often contain warnings advising you that the facility or owners will not be responsible if you are injured while attending the event. This waiver is based on assumption of risk. It is difficult to hold a stadium owner liable for injuries incurred as a result of this waiver but there are exceptions.
If the owners of the building, stadium, sports complex or arena didn’t take adequate precautions to protect you, the fan, they may be liable for injuries you sustained as a result of their negligence.
That liability may cover injuries such as:
- Slip and fall injuries caused by unsafe conditions that were known to the owners or operators
- Injuries sustained because of violent crimes committed on the premises due to a lack of security
- Improper lighting
- Food poisoning
- Falls from elevated heights
- Loose or missing guardrails on balconies
- Faulty railings
- Poor crowd control
- Parking lot injuries
- Pedestrian accidents
If the the stadium owner or operator is found to be negligent, you may be able to receive compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, disability and disfigurement, and loss of normal life.
Dram Shop Act
If alcohol is sold on the premises, the stadium owner or operator may be subject to some liability for injuries caused by intoxicated people under the dram shop act.
Generally, “dram shops,” or establishments that sell alcohol, are liable when they have violated a law or regulation in the state where the liquor was served. The most common dram shop violations are selling alcohol to an obviously intoxicated person or selling alcohol to a minor. Other violations to this law include:
- Selling alcohol without a license to do so
- Selling alcohol after hours
How a Lawyer Can Help
If you were injured by slipping and falling at a sports stadium or arena, were the victim of a violent crime such as an assault, or were injured by an intoxicated person who was sold alcohol at the stadium call the Pisanchyn Law Firm’s premise liability injury attorneys now for a free consultation and case review.
Please, call toll free at 1-800-444-5309 for your free consultation. We have offices in Scranton, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and Harrisburg and will travel to you.
