Man blinded by Angel Stadium baseball sues team | Anaheim | Los Angeles Angels | Lawsuit

[The Epoch Times, June 02, 2023](Epoch Times reporter Wen Hui compiled a report) A man was hit in the face and eyes by a “memorial ball” at the Anaheim (Anaheim) ball game. team filed a lawsuit.

According to the civil complaint, 55-year-old David Mermelstein and friends attended a game at Angels Stadium last June, KTLA reported.

“Terribly, things went wrong,” the complaint reads. After the game ended with the third out in the top of the sixth inning, Gold Glove and Angels outfielder Juan Lagares Lagares “randomly tossed the ball at high speed into the stands,” hitting an unsuspecting Mermelstein in the left cheek and eye. According to the complaint, the plaintiff, sitting in the outfield stands, was eating peanuts with his head down.

Mermelstein heard the roar of the crowd and looked up to see the ball flying towards his face. He tried to block himself, but to no avail. The complaint detailed that the ball apparently crushed his eyeball and the sphere ruptured.

Mermelstein said he underwent surgery but was permanently blinded in his left eye and left disfigured. His right eye was originally suffering from severe keratitis, a degenerative vision eye disease. Therefore, he considers the left eye to be his “good eye”.

Due to his limited vision, Mermelstein had difficulty performing basic activities and faced the possibility of total blindness in the future, the lawsuit said. If the situation doesn’t improve, his left eye may have to be completely removed.

The lawsuit said it was neither reasonable nor safe to randomly throw a baseball into a crowd. Mermelstein is seeking unspecified damages.

MLB tickets come with a disclaimer stating that the team is not responsible for any injury during the game: “The ticket holder recognizes that participation in the event by the ticket holder and any accompanying persons is voluntary and may result in personal injury injury (including death), illness, and/or property damage, and agrees to abide by all MLB policies and to remain vigilant and aware of one’s surroundings.”

Mermelstein’s attorney, Rob Marcereau, called the disclaimer “fine print” that “no one reads.”

“It’s not California law,” the attorney said. “I know there’s a risk when there’s a bat, a foul or a home run, but this accident happened when the game was stopped.”

Mermelstein said the Angels have denied any responsibility for what happened during the game. ◇

Editor in charge: Fang Ping