Legal Acountability

[GarthB]

Dave Hensley, I believe it was, a few years back did an exhaustive search nationally for any case in which the final outcome included a sporting official being held liable for an injury sustained during a sporting event.

Despite all the hand-wringing, dire-warnings and old umpire's tales, he could find none. In subsequent years, he has asked for anyone with knowledge of such a case to cite specifics of it so it could be substantiated. No takers.

In Spokane, two umpires and our association were initially named in a lawsuit filed for an injury sustained by an adult men's league participant when he was spiked by a sliding runner. The umpires and association were named because the suit alleged that the game was getting rough prior to the injury and the umpires could have and should have "brought it under control" earlier. Had they done so, the suit further alleged, the injury would not have occurred.

After two years of lawyers exchanging letters, the umpires and the association were dropped from the suit.