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If you were the widow with children, would you have a right to sue?

Recently, a Colorado Rockies minor league coach died after being struck in the head by a line drive as he stood in the first-base coach's box during a game in North Little Rock, Ark. While we understand this to be an accident, I was just curious to poll the commnities' ideas...does this 'accident' justify his widow to 'sue' someone (Individual who threw the ball? Team? Coach Union?) Do you think they will compensate her for the loss of the husband and father? The general finance he contributed to the home and the welfare of his children and their futures?

We have become a world of sue-happy people and there are times when it is totally necessary. In viewing this as an "accident", do you think the dog-lawyers will busrt out of the pound to persue this woman to sue someone for her loss?

Warning: There is no malace or intent in this question. No accusation is being made, no offense intended towards any individual, group or other consortium. Serious responses with thought.

18 Answers

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  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    of course people are going to want to sue, that's what american do, it seems, but you're right, it was an accident, by taking part in a sport such as baseball, you assume that there is reasonable risk that somethink like a ball to the head can happen. there really is no legal grounds for a law suit, it's just a sad, tragic accident.

    Source(s): i'm a paralegal
  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    We certainly have become a sue-happy nation, and we're worse off as a country for it.

    I would say, in this case, the only people she should sue against would be the insurance company, if and only if they don't pay her what is due.

    It was a tragic accident, so there shouldn't be any suit against the player that hit the ball, the team, or the stadium. No one intentionally tried to hit the coach. It just happened. I'm sure they all feel horrible enough as it is.

    But in today's society, she probably could sue every person that was in the stands and win...

  • Annie
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    Legally, she could sue..the team, the league, even the individual who threw the ball. Should she? No. There is inherent risk in the game of baseball and is something all players know and agree to exspose themselves to when they sign to play. If this had been a spectator, sitting on the side lines..different story. But in my eyes, the widow suing in this situation would be similar to a military widow suing the US if her husband was killed in action or a fire fighter's widow suing the person who's house was burning down when her husband died fighting the fire.

  • Madre
    Lv 5
    1 decade ago

    If he was hired to do the job, then I'd have to say suing the minor league itself, or it's insurers, could be the only recourse. Even accidents can have a measure of liability, and there's some legal term used that refers to the percentage of fault for both parties involved. Of course that would depend on the circumstances, and it's probably a long shot. The family will be compesated financially for their loss if he was employed during his life, as the Social Security Administration will issue a monthly check to the widow for herself and each of her children.

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  • 1 decade ago

    Unfortunately in this country, you can be sued for an accident. I'm sure there are lawyers knocking down this poor woman's door right now offering their services. I promise you that there will be a lawsuit and the team will end up paying a lot of money for what was a terrible accident.

  • 1 decade ago

    honestly they will only say that the wife should have simply not talent the time to enroll in the team. there are liabilities in situations like that. anything has risks. also they will investigate her mental state of mind. honestly the only thing she could really do is sue for pain ad suffering. there-in she could only be compensated through some sort of side place. the team had nothing to do with that nor the organization. as well as of she simply asked for the help of the community it should not have to come to any sort of law suit.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    Of course, someone's getting sued. It's our society. Even if the widow doesn't want to go after anyone, some lawyer's going to convince her it's for the good of the family.

    Terrible thing to happen. But that doesn't mean a team should shell out milllions for a mistake.

  • 1 decade ago

    In my opinion, no. This is what life insurance and workman's comp are for... to provide for the survivors of the victim of a tragic accident.

    Even baseball *fans* reliquish their right to sue if hit by balls or bats in the park. It's printed right on the ticket.

    Getting beaned was a reasonable risk he took by accepting employment as a baseball coach.

  • 1 decade ago

    We are a sue happy country and in my opinion that is a major problem, people don't take responsibility for their own actions anymore. He was doing something he loved, and it was a freak accident. The operative world being accident.

  • Anonymous
    1 decade ago

    No. Accidents are accidents. The team probably will pitch in to help the family out though. There was possibly some life insurance in his contract.

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