When you go to a ball game, there’s always a disclaimer on the ticket warning fans that baseballs can fly into the stands…and there’s a risk that one might hit you. In New Jersey, 57-year-old Deborah Barbella didn’t seem to get that memo…or doesn’t care about it…because she’s suing Major League Baseball, along with the city of Williamsport and the Williamsport Crosscutters, who are a collegiate summer team affiliated with the MLB Draft.
In the suit, Barbella admits she was talking with a friend when a foul ball careened off a railing and hit her in the head, causing “a concussion, a nasal fracture, an orbital floor fracture, and vision problems requiring surgery.” She’s seeking damages “exceeding $50K,” and alleges “negligence, and failing to keep the stadium safe, make necessary repairs, and alerting spectators to hazardous conditions.” According to Barbella’s lawyers, Major League Baseball required all minor league teams to install protective netting, but that installation had been put off.
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