What If I’m Injured at an Arizona Diamondbacks Game?
May 30, 2018

Going to an Arizona Diamondbacks game can be fun for the whole family. What many fans don’t realize, however, is that professional sporting events are dangerous. Foul balls flying into the stands, players letting go of bats, stadium slip and fall accidents, severe sunburn, dehydration, and food poisoning are all risks that fans can face when they go see the D-backs play in person. Here’s what to do if “take me out to the ballgame” becomes “take me to the hospital” in Arizona.

Learn Your Legal Rights After an Injury in Chase Field

When you purchase a baseball game ticket, you may or may not notice the fine print on the back. This fine print is a waiver that you automatically agree to when you purchase the ticket and go to the game. The fine print on most game tickets say something along the lines of, “We are not liable for any accidents or injuries that occur while at Chase Field.” It is a disclaimer that stadiums and sports organizations use to try avoid lawsuits from fans who suffer injuries at games.

Thanks to the ticket waivers, if an injury occurs during the “normal course of play,” fans likely do not have the right to file lawsuits. This is because fans agree to certain assumptions of risk related to baseball games, such as foul balls flying into the stands. However, if the stadium or another party should have done something to prevent the injuries, the fan may have grounds for a claim. For example, a fan might assume a risk of a foul ball, but he or she does not assume the risk that the stadium’s protective netting has a hole in it that will let the ball through.

Fans may have the right to seek recovery for injuries during an Arizona Diamondbacks game if Chase Field was in some way negligent, and if this negligence caused or contributed to the injuries. Examples of acts of negligence that could expose a sports field to liability include poorly maintained bleachers, stands that are dangerously close to the field, lack of proper safety netting, incompetent field staff members, slip and fall hazards, and negligent security.

Strengthen Your Personal Injury Case

Act to make your personal injury case as strong as possible, if you believe you have grounds to file a lawsuit after an injury at a D-backs game. Things you do as a victim can make or break the outcome of your case. For instance, telling an authority at the field about your incident can help establish your credibility and the facts of the case later. Take the following steps to make your claim as strong as possible:

1. Tell someone. Notify a staff member at Chase Field of you or your loved one’s injuries. Explain what happened and describe the injuries. Request an ambulance if necessary. Remember the name of the person you spoke to and how he/she reacted.
2. Get medical attention. Delaying medical care after a sporting event injury could worsen your prognosis and make it harder to prove that the injuries occurred while you were watching the baseball game. Go to the doctor immediately after suffering your accident.
3. Call a lawyer. Contact a Phoenix personal injury attorney after suffering a broken bone, concussion, spine injury, or other harm at a Diamondbacks game. A lawyer can investigate your case, help you explore your rights, and represent your claim against Chase Field, a sports organization, and/or other parties.

You may be able to recover the costs of your medical bills, pain and suffering, lost wages, and property damage after an incident during an Arizona Diamondbacks game. Even if another fan assaulted you, the stadium could be liable for lack of proper security or over serving alcoholic beverages at games. Always contact a lawyer after a sporting event injury to learn your rights.