From tee-ball to college ball, baseball related injuries to players, umpires, and spectators will forever be an issue. Parents of younger players and older players themselves have the right to sue different ballparks or different leagues after sport related injuries. With the wide variety of injuries that can possibly take place at a baseball game, ballparks and leagues must do everything they can to keep their facilities and teams safe. This paper will introduce assumption of risk in general, as well as in sport and how assumption of risk is important in the game of baseball. Also, this paper will cover the old and new bat regulations that have just recently changed the high school and college game. And finally, this paper will include real cases from around the country regarding liability with spectators at baseball games, as well as liability with players, umpires, and coaches.
People generally take risks on an everyday basis. People drive cars to and from work everyday when they know that there is the chance that they can get into a deadly car accident. We encounter many risks and just choose whether or not those risks are worth taking. We need to drive to work so we can make money to get through life; the risk of driving there is outweighed by the need for money. According to Segar Law's article on assumption of risk, assumption of risk is a legal theory that means a person knew a situation could be dangerous but voluntarily entered the situation anyway, knowing the risks (Law, 2012). Law states that assumption of risk is a very fact-specific issue. For example, people are usually aware of the hazards their own home presents. When a guest comes to a person's home and they are not warned of hazards, they do not assume the same risk the homeowner does and the homeowner can be liable for any injuries these hazards may have caused to the guest (Law, 2012). There are a huge number of lawsuits that occur everyday as a result of issues with assumption of risk.
