Unfortunately, there are many ways that you could be injured in a premises liability accident at a stadium while watching a sporting event. You could suffer serious injuries, such as broken bones, a traumatic brain injury, or a back or spinal injury that may require expensive medical treatments and time off work for months or longer while you are recovering.
You may be entitled to compensation for your injuries from the arena’s owner. It is important to understand the types of accidents that typically entitle victims to damages and the steps you need to take to protect your rights.
Types of Stadium Premises Liability Accidents
The fact that you injured yourself at a ballpark does not automatically mean that you can receive damages from the owner. You need to prove that the stadium’s owner was negligent, such as failing to maintain the property or remove a hazardous condition within a reasonable amount of time.
Common Types of Accidents Caused by Negligence
- Physical assault by a guest or employee
- Slips and falls due to defective flooring, spills of liquids and foods, and cracks and potholes in parking lots
- Trips on uneven flooring or debris in aisles, steps, or other areas of the stadium
- Food poisoning
- Lack of railings or defective railings
- Stairway accidents
- Being hit by sports equipment, such as a bat, baseball, or hockey puck
Five Steps to Take to Protect Your Rights
You need to take immediate steps to protect your right to compensation. Five first steps that will help build a winning case include:
- File an accident report. You should file an accident report right after you are injured. This puts the owner on notice of your accident and claim.
- Take pictures. Use your cellphone camera to take pictures of the scene of your accident and your injuries.
- Obtain contact information. Get the contact information for the owner, their insurance company, and any witnesses who saw how your premises liability accident occurred.
- Get prompt medical care. Even if you don’t believe you were hurt, obtain prompt medical care within 72 hours of your accident. This will help you prove how you were injured and avoid disputes with the insurance company.
- Hire an attorney. You should retain a premises liability lawyer as soon as possible after you are injured at the stadium. They will collect the evidence you need to win your case and fight with the insurance company so that you receive all the compensation you are entitled to under Virginia law.
Were you or a loved one injured in a stadium premises liability accident? Use our online contact form or call our Norfolk office at 877-960-3441 to schedule a free case evaluation with our experienced premises liability lawyers to learn about your rights and how we can assist you.
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