I am a safety professional, and have to agree that people accept inherent risk in some activities – even children. There is a level of “safe” that can be obtained that everyone is happy with. As long as the fans understand they are accepting the risk when they buy their tickets (and they do understand) the current level of “safe” is acceptable. It’s sad she got beaned, but there is no liability here.
Wouldn’t the world be a better place (although we’d have fewer things to complain about – or sue about) if there were more shared or assumed liability laws?
I’m shocked, in all the years baseball, hockey, etc have been played, there haven’t been more injuries of spectators – then again, maybe there have been but we haven’t been as litigious as we are today.
Uhm, they forgot to sue the puck manufacturer, hockey stick manufacturer and the goal post manufacturer. Lots of money being missed. A tragic accident to be sure, but it is not unexpected that hockey pucks may be hit higher than the glass.
This is truly idiotic. How deep an intellect is needed to foresee that when one sits that close to the ice that something like this may happen?
I sure hope that this girl is not really brain damaged and will be able to fend for herself, as relying upon her parents as a source of good sense does not seem to be a viable option.
While I feel sad for the accident that happened to this lady, it happens. What’s even sadder is that people now sue because of events like this. I’ve been to my share of hockey games, and I’d bet $100 this lady wasn’t even looking during the warmups.
I’ve seen a guy get beaned by a ricoched puck in the end seats, during a game. He didn’t sue.
Frankly, the worst sports injury I’ve seen to a fan was at a baseball game, where a woman was walking away from home plate and got hit by a foul ball she did not see coming.
Hold on a minute… this one is in a gray area. Yes, “hockey fans” know that pucks fly. But not everyone that goes to such events is a “hockey fan” — that’s for sure.
And watching a single puck is one thing… but tracking 20 can’t be done even by the players. Warm ups ARE more dangerous to the fans, at many sports.
What if the injured person was a 10 year old kid? Do you expect him to track them all? And his Dad might not be attending the game… he might be there with his youth sports team, with no one “covering” him at that moment. Now do you feel the same way? Careful how you want the law to be adjusted for every condition!
The “fishbowl” idea really isn’t that far-fetched. Come on now… the best baseball seats around home plate have a screen, and it doesn’t kill us to look through it. The hockey goal area has a net, and people pay a lot extra for those seats. It’s pretty darned easy to raise that glass another 6 feet, or even hang a light netting dome over the whole rink. Use a light material that the fans can see through — that top netting won’t have to deal with 100mph pucks like the current side glass does.
We CAN protect the fans in these cases… we just choose not to spend the money to raise the glass, add a net, or extend more fence. It wouldn’t occur to anyone to take the hockey glass down, or remove the screen behind home plate! These are perfectly sensible safety devices… today. So knowing that there is some issue with folks getting hurt, rather than passing legislation to protect the owners of the stadium, perhaps pass one instead that increases the safety, in degrees, for the future.
I played baseball when there was no such thing as a batting helmet. Should we return to those times?… I don’t think so. Let’s just embrace some progress of safety, without either side screaming how stupid the other side is, shall we?
The point is, this is an unfortunate incident, but it doesn’t give someone the right to sue. It’s not unfair for a venue to expect spectators to use ‘reasonable care’ when attending a sporting event, even if it’s a 10 year old kid. My money says, they probably took care of this woman’s injuries to a point (which is what they should do), but that did not satisfy her, so she sued. I don’t buy her story of ‘not being able to work a regular shift anymore’. It’s plausible, but all too convenient given that she sued.
“I never saw it coming toward me. I felt like I was shot in the head.”
______________
Actually getting shot in the head might be a little worse lady. What an exaggeration. Makes me wonder waht else she is exaggerating about. Like those fake brain injries? PLayers get hit 10 times harder with pucks and dont miss a game.
Makes no difference if its a kid. Kids dont know how to cross the road either, but if they dart out in fron of a car, the driver is not liable.
Lastly, the nets do obscure your vision. And people actually pay more for tickets ABOVE THE GLASS.
Sitting below is cool, but the glass DOES obscure your view.
Since the 1800’s just a few people have EVER been killed by a puck. Once again the brain injury from a 2 inch gash is unlikely.
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I am a safety professional, and have to agree that people accept inherent risk in some activities – even children. There is a level of “safe” that can be obtained that everyone is happy with. As long as the fans understand they are accepting the risk when they buy their tickets (and they do understand) the current level of “safe” is acceptable. It’s sad she got beaned, but there is no liability here.
Wouldn’t the world be a better place (although we’d have fewer things to complain about – or sue about) if there were more shared or assumed liability laws?
I’m shocked, in all the years baseball, hockey, etc have been played, there haven’t been more injuries of spectators – then again, maybe there have been but we haven’t been as litigious as we are today.
We’re just more litigous.
People, there are hard things flying around. You may get hit. It will hurt if you do. You are at risk. If you don’t like it, watch the game on t.v.
It sucks for her, but she’s the one that volunteered to go. I hope they uphold the dismissal.
Uhm, they forgot to sue the puck manufacturer, hockey stick manufacturer and the goal post manufacturer. Lots of money being missed. A tragic accident to be sure, but it is not unexpected that hockey pucks may be hit higher than the glass.
Why not just cage them in like they do in wrestling. Or, play the games in a fishbowl of plexiglass!
This is truly idiotic. How deep an intellect is needed to foresee that when one sits that close to the ice that something like this may happen?
I sure hope that this girl is not really brain damaged and will be able to fend for herself, as relying upon her parents as a source of good sense does not seem to be a viable option.
While I feel sad for the accident that happened to this lady, it happens. What’s even sadder is that people now sue because of events like this. I’ve been to my share of hockey games, and I’d bet $100 this lady wasn’t even looking during the warmups.
I’ve seen a guy get beaned by a ricoched puck in the end seats, during a game. He didn’t sue.
Frankly, the worst sports injury I’ve seen to a fan was at a baseball game, where a woman was walking away from home plate and got hit by a foul ball she did not see coming.
Hold on a minute… this one is in a gray area. Yes, “hockey fans” know that pucks fly. But not everyone that goes to such events is a “hockey fan” — that’s for sure.
And watching a single puck is one thing… but tracking 20 can’t be done even by the players. Warm ups ARE more dangerous to the fans, at many sports.
What if the injured person was a 10 year old kid? Do you expect him to track them all? And his Dad might not be attending the game… he might be there with his youth sports team, with no one “covering” him at that moment. Now do you feel the same way? Careful how you want the law to be adjusted for every condition!
The “fishbowl” idea really isn’t that far-fetched. Come on now… the best baseball seats around home plate have a screen, and it doesn’t kill us to look through it. The hockey goal area has a net, and people pay a lot extra for those seats. It’s pretty darned easy to raise that glass another 6 feet, or even hang a light netting dome over the whole rink. Use a light material that the fans can see through — that top netting won’t have to deal with 100mph pucks like the current side glass does.
We CAN protect the fans in these cases… we just choose not to spend the money to raise the glass, add a net, or extend more fence. It wouldn’t occur to anyone to take the hockey glass down, or remove the screen behind home plate! These are perfectly sensible safety devices… today. So knowing that there is some issue with folks getting hurt, rather than passing legislation to protect the owners of the stadium, perhaps pass one instead that increases the safety, in degrees, for the future.
I played baseball when there was no such thing as a batting helmet. Should we return to those times?… I don’t think so. Let’s just embrace some progress of safety, without either side screaming how stupid the other side is, shall we?
Umpire,
The point is, this is an unfortunate incident, but it doesn’t give someone the right to sue. It’s not unfair for a venue to expect spectators to use ‘reasonable care’ when attending a sporting event, even if it’s a 10 year old kid. My money says, they probably took care of this woman’s injuries to a point (which is what they should do), but that did not satisfy her, so she sued. I don’t buy her story of ‘not being able to work a regular shift anymore’. It’s plausible, but all too convenient given that she sued.
“I never saw it coming toward me. I felt like I was shot in the head.”
______________
Actually getting shot in the head might be a little worse lady. What an exaggeration. Makes me wonder waht else she is exaggerating about. Like those fake brain injries? PLayers get hit 10 times harder with pucks and dont miss a game.
Makes no difference if its a kid. Kids dont know how to cross the road either, but if they dart out in fron of a car, the driver is not liable.
Lastly, the nets do obscure your vision. And people actually pay more for tickets ABOVE THE GLASS.
Sitting below is cool, but the glass DOES obscure your view.
Since the 1800’s just a few people have EVER been killed by a puck. Once again the brain injury from a 2 inch gash is unlikely.
This is sad.