Spectator loses eyesight at Ryder Cup

[iacas]

28 minutes ago, RussUK said:

I have been reading a few more reports from various news outlets and info seems to be conflicting. Officials stood on the tee stated that they shouted fore a number of times yet people stood near the injured party have said otherwise.

That's not conflicting. I imagine you would have a hard time hearing shouts from 280 yards away in a crowd of thousands and thousands of people, many of whom are drunk.

[RussUK]

12 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

While I certainly feel bad for this lady, I think you are way off base @RussUK. You assume all liability when you buy a ticket to a professional golf event. People get hit, that is the sad truth. If you stand 300 yards from the tee on the right or left side of the fairway you are in the line of fire. 

What exactly do you want Brooks Koepka to do? What do you want the marshals or even the event organizers to do? There is nothing they can do. I am sure someone called "fore" but even then this lady is probably 325 yards away and might not have even been paying attention. She should have known the risks when she stepped on the course. It's unfortunate that she was injured as badly as she was, but she has to take the responsibility. I guarantee the powers behind the Ryder Cup have an iron clad release of liability clause somewhere.

Like i have said, Koepka's ball hitting her was an accident, an awful one at that. She's sueing the organisors of the event for her injury, i personally think she deserves some sort of compensation but whether or not she gets it is another question and its all down tho the powers that be.

Im sure even if they have a iron clad clause they'll likely do something as goodwill.

If anything it just shows that even fairly sedate sports like golf can be dangerous given the wrong circumstances.

 

[Eric C]

The fact is that no amount of pointing and yelling is going to result in people always paying attention when they should be, regardless of their personal responsibility to do so.  Especially when you're dealing with, as Erik pointed out, a good number of drunken idiots (my word, not his).  This isn't anyone's fault, it's just a one-in-a-million unfortunate event that has an enormous impact on an individual but should be kept within context for what it is.  An unfortunate accident.  

I feel horrible for the lady who lost her sight, and am in no way blaming her - she could have been the most attentive spectator in the world, but it only takes bad timing and losing focus for a moment for bad things to happen.

I hope that the PGA, whoever, takes care of her financially.  In this litigious society, she's going to get paid one way or the other.  Next thing you know the PGA is going to follow the NHL and put nets up all along each fairway.  That'll be fun.

[RussUK]

1 minute ago, Eric C said:

 Next thing you know the PGA is going to follow the NHL and put nets up all along each fairway.  That'll be fun.

no need, all tournaments in the future will be done on VR simulators as they will have closed most of the courses to build houses on!. At least it will boost spectator safety

[iacas]

10 minutes ago, RussUK said:

Like i have said, Koepka's ball hitting her was an accident, an awful one at that. She's sueing the organisors of the event for her injury, i personally think she deserves some sort of compensation but whether or not she gets it is another question and its all down tho the powers that be.

Why?

Because the next time, when someone breaks an ankle tripping over a TV cable, or a wrist from falling down a hill, or something else at a golf tournament, they should be able to sue and get "some sort of compensation" too?

[3jacker]

I expect that the PGA of America, Great Britain/Ireland and PGA Tour Europe/European Tour will all take measures to help this lady out.

She has every right to sue and I don't blame her.  At the same time, not much can be done about these things.  It is very unfortunate.

[NM Golf]

Am I the only cold-hearted person here that does not think it's the PGA/European Tour/Ryder Cup's responsibility to give this woman a bunch of money? She assumed the liability when she went to the event. It's an unfortunate accident, but an accident none the less. The the event did nothing wrong, nor did Koepka, why are they on the hook to write her a check?

I don't know what the laws are like in France, but in the US, she would have a hard time winning a lawsuit for her injuries.

https://www.law.du.edu/documents/sports-and-entertainment-law-journal/issues/05/05-Augustine.pdf

 

[RussUK]

2 minutes ago, iacas said:

Why?

Because the next time, when someone breaks an ankle tripping over a TV cable, or a wrist from falling down a hill, or something else at a golf tournament, they should be able to sue and get "some sort of compensation" too?

Breaking an ankle is not in the same league as permanent loss of sight in an eye, and while i can appreciate your point i think that due the severity of her injury the organisers will probably do something, like i said previously, out of goodwill.

But also in repsonse to your post yes, i think if someone did trip over a tv cable at a tournament or fell down a hill and that trip or fall was avoidable, such as a cable not being safely secured in accordance with health and safety regs then yes, compensation could be expected. Like the saying goes "Where there's blame theres a claim"

 

[rehmwa]

She doesn't deserve anything for this.  The litigious action is frivolous and awarding her anything would set a terrible precedent for the future.

I hope she has chosen good health insurance.  It stinks, one sympathizes, but no legal award is warranted.  (if the organizations choose to help out voluntarily, that's not my business.  But unfortunately, I'd advise they don't, because they don't want to set that precedent either because eventually someone would use that for a legal claim someday.  Which is also a problem of a litigious world - it also stifles honest charity and goodwill gestures.)

Edited October 2, 2018 by rehmwa

[RussUK]

4 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

Am I the only cold-hearted person here that does not think it's the PGA/European Tour/Ryder Cup's responsibility to give this woman a bunch of money? She assumed the liability when she went to the event. It's an unfortunate accident, but an accident none the less. The the event did nothing wrong, nor did Koepka, why are they on the hook to write her a check?

I don't know what the laws are like in France, but in the US, she would have a hard time winning a lawsuit for her injuries.

https://www.law.du.edu/documents/sports-and-entertainment-law-journal/issues/05/05-Augustine.pdf

 

I think you are just being a realist. I'm just the sort of person that hates seeing other hurt and having their lives affected. I would make a crap lawyer. Im just a big o'l softy!

[Eric C]

So that we're clear, I completely agree that the responsibility starts and ends with the lady that got hit with the ball.  As unfortunate as it is, them's should be the breaks.  That said, as a realist and having worked in the legal industry for 25 years, she'll get paid and paid well. Not the way it we'd like it to be, just the way it is.

[rehmwa]

2 minutes ago, RussUK said:

I think you are just being a realist. I'm just the sort of person that hates seeing other hurt and having their lives affected. I would make a crap lawyer. Im just a big o'l softy!

certainly there will be an opportunity to contribute personally and as an individual to the (likely) GoFundMe page that'll go up almost instantly I assume

3 minutes ago, Eric C said:

So that we're clear, I completely agree that the responsibility starts and ends with the lady that got hit with the ball.  As unfortunate as it is, them's should be the breaks.  That said, as a realist and having worked in the legal industry for 25 years, she'll get paid and paid well. Not the way it we'd like it to be, just the way it is.

Well, it's easy to be sympathetic with other people's money - that's for sure

[TN94z]

16 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

Am I the only cold-hearted person here that does not think it's the PGA/European Tour/Ryder Cup's responsibility to give this woman a bunch of money? She assumed the liability when she went to the event. It's an unfortunate accident, but an accident none the less. The the event did nothing wrong, nor did Koepka, why are they on the hook to write her a check?

I don't know what the laws are like in France, but in the US, she would have a hard time winning a lawsuit for her injuries.

https://www.law.du.edu/documents/sports-and-entertainment-law-journal/issues/05/05-Augustine.pdf

 

No. It was an unfortunate accident in which the lady assumed liability as you say. I think paying the woman money would just open the flood gates to future issues and may even drag up lawsuits from past issues.

[Patch]

My guess is what ever the laws in France are, that covers accidental injuries will prevail. 

[RussUK]

Just now, Patch said:

My guess is what ever the laws in France are, that covers accidental injuries will prevail. 

As always, you're the voice of reason

[nevets88]

Googled "fan loses sight hit baseball -koepka" out of curiosity and got this, a baseball fan was blinded in one eye as well, but by foul ball while sitting along first base line. 

Quote

The team and Major League Baseball were sued last fall over the injury, but both organizations petitioned the court to drop them from the lawsuit. This week, Cook County Judge John Callahan Jr. sided with the Cubs, saying the injured man and his legal team had failed to adequately show the team acted recklessly, according to an attorney for the fan.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-cubs-lawsuit-20180307-story.html#

When someone is punching out of the woods and I see those people lined up so close to intended trajectory, that scares me.

[CaseyD]

She will sue and she will win. It will all come down to what did the organizers do to help prevent this?  Not that it’s right or fair but that’s the reality. It would be the same as having a mine field and telling someone if you step on one it’s your fault. Were there signs out saying balls could land here?  Were there signs out showing how to cover up if you hear someone yell fore?  I do safety for a living and that’s what this will come down to. There’s a good chance this could change the viewing at future tourneys. You will see areas with signs, you may even see areas roped off that don’t allow spectators to stand in any more, ie common landing areas in driver distance. Someone will do a study on ball speed and areas with certain clubs could become no go zones.  A waiver on the back of a ticket or “common sense” isn’t gonna work on this. What did you do to prevent this is what will be asked. Someone brought up the TV cables, any where that is “pedestrian traffic” will have the yellow cable bridges with a sign that says watch your step. There are no similar signs out lining the fairways, that will soon change 

[Chris223]

I was at the Travelers Championship this year when Russell Henleys errant 2nd shot on a par 5 on the front 9 started coming our way on sunday.  I was near the green and he was in the fairway well back, I could just see him hit and when I saw the flight path of the ball I knew it was coming for us lol, so I told my friends I was with to watch out and I also heard the marshall right near us yell “incoming guys everyone heads up!”.  So if there were nearby marshalls along the fairway lines as there usually are I would hope they were yelling.  As it was said you can’t really hear the player yell it with all the other noise from the crowd and whatnot.  When Henley came walking towards his ball the first words out of his mouth were “is everyone ok did I hit anybody?????” And we assurred him nobody was hit.  I can’t imagine what an awful feeling it would be as a player to hit someone and I’m sure Koepka feels terrible and will feel worse when he finds this out.  I feel terrible for this fan.  But we also must keep in mind that while spectators get hit an incident like this is extremely rare and one of the hazards of attending pro sporting events.