Stadiums are indoor and outdoor structures used for public events such as concerts, conventions, and sporting events. What Duties Does a Stadium Owner Have? A stadium owner must exercise reasonable care to see that the stadium and the outside of the stadium are reasonably safe. The owner must warn visitors of hidden dangers and provide safe seating. An owner must guard against dangers if he has reason to believe they will happen. If he does not, he is negligent. Some possible injuries that may occur at stadium include: - Injuries from slipping and falling on the floor.
- Injuries from defective seats.
- Injuries from horseplay of patrons.
- Injuries from thrown objects.
- Injuries from pushing and crowding.
- Injuries from collapsing bleachers.
What Might Show Negligence by the Stadium? To be negligent, the stadium owner must know, or should have known, about the thing that caused the injury, or the thing must be inherently dangerous. Some common factors that suggest negligence include: - The owner does not have enough ushers, attendants, supervisors, or personnel to supervise the stadium.
- The owner does not inspect and maintain the stadium.
- The owner arranges the stadium in a dangerous way by putting things in strange places.
Does the Event Matter?There are different standards of care imposed on the stadium owner depending on the event. For example, a baseball stadium has to protect spectators behind home plate with a protective screen, but not at other places. In a hockey arena, the owner must take steps to protect all spectators from flying pucks. In contrast, a concert at a stadium may not require preventive actions.
What Limits on Liability are There? The negligence of the owner must cause the injury and not some other unforeseen event. For example, a panic in a theater is not foreseeable, so the owner is not liable for injuries suffered during a panic. Also, the owner is only responsible for unreasonable risks. That means that the owner does not have to fix every possible dangerous condition. If the condition is so obvious that everyone should know to avoid it, then there is no liability. Furthermore, if the defect did not exist long enough for the owner to possibly discover it, there is no liability. Contributory negligence and assumption of risk may also limit recovery. Should I Contact a Lawyer if I Have Been Injured at a Stadium?If you have been hurt or injured during a visit to a stadium and want to assess the viability of your claim, the advice of a personal injury lawyer can be extremely helpful. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you investigate your injury and recover damages. |
