Frivolous lawsuit or not?

[Pflugerville Ag]

Parents are suing the bat mfg for making the bat and Little League Baseball for allowing it after their son suffered brain damage after being hit by a line drive while pitching.

I've got to say that the bat company and Little League Baseball have zero fault in this. Parents know the risks involved with their kids playing sports. I feel bad for the family for this happening, but the bat had nothing do with this IMO. Any metal bat would have had the same effect. What is so special about this one? Why not go ahead and sue the glove manufactuer b/c it didn't catch the ball? Go ahead sue the kid that hit the ball too.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/05/family_sues_little_league_bat.html

[polish]

keep your head in the game.

People got hurt in the old days before metal bats, they will continue to get hurt especially if you don't pay attention.

Hope the kid gets better if possible

[legelegel]

Do Metal Bats Pose A Greater Risk?
Experts Say They Pose Extra Danger; Manufacturers Say They Are Safe.

Metal baseball bats were first produced in the 1970s, as an economical alternative to traditional wooden bats, which needed to be replaced every time one broke. But as The Early Show's Dr. Emily Senay reports, today's metal bats, often made with high-tech alloys, go a step beyond their aluminum ancestors.

Some say the new bats can smash line drives so hard that players in the field are at extra risk.

But hard-hit balls may be health hazards to players in the field, especially young pitchers who are too close to the batter to react quickly enough to protect themselves.

No one can be certain if the metal bats the hitters used were responsible. Statistics on exactly what the risks are vary, though many experts believe metal bats are more likely to lead to injury.

"You're looking at a 10 to 15 percent difference in speed being able to be generated from a metal bat to a wood bat," says Dr. Nicholas.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission says between 1991 and 2001, 17 people died in the U.S. from being hit by batted balls. That involves all kinds of bats. more (http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/27/earlyshow/main1840638.shtml)

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/07/27/earlyshow/main1840638.shtml

[aggie1997]

This is ridiculous. You can erase the pain of an accident with a lawsuit. People need to understand there is a risk with everything you do. If you don't want the risk, then don't participate in the activity.

[zrf2002]

He suffered commotio cordis, a rare condition cause by bunt impact to the chest during the millisecond between heartbeats, and went into cardiac arrest.

i heard about this on the radio yesterday... he was hit by the ball in btwn heart beats, which according to the station is 1:1 mill chance of that happening... it doesnt matter if kids are using metal or wood bats. if you get hit in btwn beats of your heart, this is going to happen not matter what....

[KCAggie]

I don't agree with the lawsuit, but I have always believed that little league should use wooden bats only. A 12 year old doesn't need to use a graphite bat that shoots the ball out like a bazooka when half the kids on the team can't catch the ball. These kids want to model themselves after the pros, stick to the wood.

[aggie1997]

Let me start out by saying I don't know this to be a fact because I haven't done the research. However, yesterday on the radio they were talking about this case and someone made the comment that the approved aluminum bats that are used today are basically equivalent to a wooden bat. I find that hard to believe, but want to throw that out there and see what everyone else thinks.

[zrf2002]

the aluminum bats made now do have to meet certain specs which give them performance close to wood bats, but not totally.... i dont know how close, but they are much closer than 5-10 years ago.

[whitelightnin_23]

I can see this argument holding more water in College Baseball...but not little league...

[Chi Ag]

I think we have two parents that are terribly angry and wanting to lash out...I feel horrible for their son (and them), but I still wonder how they would have felt if their son hit the ball that injured some other couple's son??? Would they seek litigation as a remedy then?:cool:

[Dustin00whoop]

On a side note....did anyone see Megan Gibson break that chic's bat a few weeks ago? How the hell do you break an aluminum bat with a softball?

[Conan]

This is ridiculous. You can erase the pain of an accident with a lawsuit. People need to understand there is a risk with everything you do. If you don't want the risk, then don't participate in the activity.

How can it help ease the pain when the lawsuit isn't justified (assuming there isn't more to it)?

Everthing has a risk. These things happen. :rep:

[big monitor]

the squeaky wheel gets oiled. the lawsuit doesn't surprise me at all, after all we deal with pansy a$$ liberals all day long who biATch about everything and feel that a lawsuit will solve everything.

[Superaggie79]

did you read the comments that said it wasn't a little league sanctioned game yet their suing them ?

[Mezentius]

Not a fan of lawsuits like this in general. Life takes unfortunate turns. I'm fat, I haven't sued Storms yet.


In terms of metal bats, they can and are more dangerous. Ever swung one of those high end bats playing softball? Barely swing and it goes over the fence.

metal bats are simply more affordable but they need to dial back the performance of them. I'm honestly surprised we haven't seen more injuries in the college game (especially on the hard turf fields around).