The widow of a man who was killed at Progressive Field, the home of the Cleveland Indians, has settled her wrongful death suit with the baseball club. The woman had filed the suit after her husband was killed when he was struck by an inflatable slide. He died nine days after the accident, according to courtroom documents.
Although the Indians have decided not to release the amount of the settlement in the case, the judge has ordered the company that set up the slide to pay the woman more than $3 million. That default judgment was issued in mid-October when representatives from the entertainment company failed to show at an appointed court date
Court documents show that the man was killed after a 2010 incident at the baseball stadium. The slide, which had been set up for a kids’ activity, fell on the 54-year-old victim, causing him to suffer from a broken back. The man died more than a week later after developing a pulmonary embolism related to the injury.
Attorneys in the case say that the slide fell over because the installation company did not properly secure it to the ground. That negligence caused the slide to collapse when several children gathered on one corner of the apparatus. The group was cited by state investigators for negligent practices.
Representatives from the Indians say that all of the responsibility for the accident lies with the group that set up the slide, as they are refusing to acknowledge fault in connection with the incident. Still, the organization’s leaders thought that the quick resolution of the case would be best, considering the personal tragedy the woman endured, which led them to a settlement option.
The slide manufacturer also settled with the woman. That firm was accused of failing to place appropriate warning labels on the apparatus, which could have prevented the man’s fatal injuries.
The company that set up the slide is currently pursuing legal action against their insurer, which has refused to pay for the incident.
Source: The Plain Dealer, “Cleveland Indians settle wrongful-death lawsuit stemming from collapsed inflatable slide,” Peter Krouse, Oct. 24, 2012.