When you attend a sporting event, the last thing on your mind is the risk of injury. Unfortunately, injuries sustained at sporting events affect dozens of people every year, with injuries occurring as a result of everything from foul balls to rowdy fans to facility defects.
If you have been injured while attending a professional sporting event, you may be able to file a claim against the at-fault party. However, it’s important that you understand a few key elements first, which may affect your ability to recover damages. If you have questions or want answers specifically related to your case, don’t hesitate to contact the Ventura County personal injury law firm of the Quirk Law Firm, LLP.
Assumption of Risk & Waivers
When you attend a pro sporting event, you are assuming a certain level of risk. For example, if you attend a baseball game, a fly ball that is hit into the stand isn’t common, but it does happen. When you attend that game, you are knowingly choosing to go to the game despite the fact that the risk – which you should also know about – exists. As such, if you are harmed in an accident during an activity that you could have foreseen and yet choose to partake in regardless, the defense may argue that you assumed risk, and therefore the defendant cannot be held liable.
In fact, in some cases, a waiver of liability may even be printed on your ticket (you should always look at your tickets before attending a game). This waiver may state that you are waiving all rights to file a lawsuit for injuries that are incurred during the event.
Premises Liability – A Whole Different Ballgame
While you may be assuming the risk of being hit by a foul ball when attending a baseball game, you may not have any idea that the escalator at the game you’re attending is defective, and that it will result in your fall accident that leads to serious injuries. When a part of the premises that you’re on is not maintained to a reasonably safe standard and a hazard or defect exists that the property owner should have remedied, and when this hazard causes an injury, you may be able to file a negligence-based premises liability claim against the owner of the property.
What About Injuries from Rowdy Fans?
If a rowdy fan assaults you, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim against that party depending upon the circumstances. If you participated in or encourage the assault, you may be found partially negligent for your injuries, and your damages will be reduced as such.
How We Can Help
At the Quirk Law Firm, LLC, Ventura personal injury attorney Trevor Quirk and team care about you. If you are injured at a professional sporting event, we will thoroughly review your claim to determine whether or not you have a case and how much your claim may be worth. Contact us today for a free case review.
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Ventura, California 93003
Phone: 805-650-7778