Liability Can Be Complicated

A St. Louis jury awarded former NFL running back Reggie Bush 12.5 million dollars due to an injury he suffered just off the field in 2015. Bush was a running back for the San Francisco 49ers when the injury occurred in the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. The injury occurred when Bush was forced from the playing area during a punt return and fell awkwardly on a concrete ring surrounding the field. The ring had already been implicated in dozens of other injuries over the years.

Though the case is significantly higher profile than most injury claims, the particulars have much in common with scenarios in many personal injury cases. Determining who is liable for what can be difficult, and can require a plaintiff to file suit against many entities. Determining who to file against is often the first step in obtaining justice.

In this case, Bush filed suits against multiple agencies, including:

• The public agency considered legal owners of the dome
• The public agency in charge of operation of the dome
• The St. Louis Rams football team

Ultimately, judges dismissed the cases against every entity but the Rams, ruling that the football team had control of the premises on game days. Determining control and other aspects of liability can be extremely difficult. In this case, two years elapsed between the filing of the lawsuits and the judgment.

If you or someone you love has suffered an injury on another’s property, you can quickly discover how complicated it can be to determine who is legally at fault. Owners and landlords have different legal requirements regarding insuring the safety of guests. Please, consult with an experienced attorney regarding your case.