Baseball Stadium Wrongful Death Sparks Change

Take me out to the ball game, take me out to the crowd, just don’t let me fall out of the stadium… Many people are gearing up for spring baseball with the excitement of watching everyone from the major leagues to t-ball. While you’re out watching the Bee’s of Salt Lake City, keep in mind that it can be a dangerous environment, even one that may require a conversation with a lawyer afterwards. 

When baseball gained momentum in the 1920’s, there was a building code put in place that the rails must be 26 inches. Since that time, not much has changed in regulations, which has unfortunately led to some serious wrongful death cases. 

The most publicized wrongful death case, that the people of Salt Lake City still remember, was that of Shannon Stone. He was out at a Texas Rangers game with his 6-year-old son when the accident happened. Stone was calling for all-star player, Josh Hamilton to throw him a ball. When Hamilton complied, Stone reached for the ball and toppled over the 30.5-inch railing and fell 20 feet to a concrete landing. Though he left the stadium awake and aware, he went into cardiac arrest and died on the way to the hospital, leaving his wife to make the call to the family lawyer. 

Following the wrongful death case, the Texas Rangers stadium was revamped and the rails were extended to 46 inches. Many stadiums are following suit, such as the Salt Lake City Bees. In addition to that, there is something called a limited duty rule that requires stadium owners to provide protected areas for the most dangerous sections of the stand. This is why there is a net in front of home plate. But should stadiums be taking more action?

In an effort to make the risks clear, at the advice of the team lawyer, stadiums will have legal disclaimers printed on the back of their tickets. This assumption of risk doctrine reminds fans that they must pay attention and look out for their own safety and not hold the stadium responsible for injury. The ticket isn’t enough to prevent wrongful death. 

As a reminder, stay safe and stay aware this baseball season. While watching the greatest ball players in Salt Lake City, don’t let the fun get the best of you. Keep your eyes on the ball to avoid being hit, if you’re drinking stay responsible, stay at a safe distance behind the rails and don’t forget you have a lawyer for a reason. Play ball!

Kenadee Hatch is a legal writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Robert J Debry. Follow on Twitter.