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NOODLESTYLE Star Player
Joined: 24 Apr 2005 Posts: 2977
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 1:45 pm Post subject: Staples Center lawsuit over boy's death.... |
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http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=6584260
Quote: | LOS ANGELES -- A lawsuit was filed Tuesday on behalf of the family of a 2-year-old boy who plunged to his death from a skybox after a Los Angeles Lakers game in November, alleging there are unsafe conditions at Staples Center that must be fixed.
The suit filed in Superior Court claims Anschutz Entertainment Group and L.A. Arena Co., which operates the downtown facility, haven't warned fans about the "dangerous" design of the luxury boxes. The filing, which alleges wrongful death and negligence, seeks unspecified damages and an injunction that would require the defendants to install taller barriers in front of the boxes.
"Beyond providing some measure of compensation to the grieving family, the purpose of this lawsuit is to compel Staples Center to prevent similar accidents from happening again, even if installing basic safety features reduces the maximum price it can charge for tickets," plaintiffs' attorney Scott Wellman said.
Michael Roth, vice president of communications for AEG, declined to comment because he hadn't seen the lawsuit.
Lucas Tang suffered massive head injuries when he fell from a third-level luxury box and landed on a row of seats minutes after the Lakers beat the Golden State Warriors on Nov. 20. Wellman said Lucas had just posed for a picture and was about 2½-feet away from his mother when he scampered onto a 10-inch-high ledge and dropped 30 to 50 feet.
The boy died at a hospital and an autopsy determined his death was an accident.
The suit contends "in order to obtain the highest price possible for use of the luxury boxes, the Staples Center designed and maintains the luxury boxes in a dangerous condition."
"They are trading dollars for safety," Wellman said of the defendants.
City officials have said the 19,000-seat arena is in compliance with their codes, which require guardrails to be at least 26 inches high in front of seats.
The safety barrier consists of 16-inch-high concrete topped by glass ranging in height from 10 inches in front of the seats to 26 inches near steps. That would put the total height of the barrier at 26 inches to 42 inches, depending on the location.
A week after the boy's death, a man was killed after he fell from a stadium concourse during halftime of a Chicago Bears game. An autopsy deemed his death an accident as well.
In 2009, a member of the San Diego Chargers' game-day staff died before a game against the Denver Broncos after he fell out of the press box. Wellman noted the barrier at Qualcomm Stadium was a half-foot higher than the plexiglass at Staples Center and state safety officials eventually required 42-inch guard rails there.
Staples Center is home to the NBA's Lakers and Clippers, the NHL's Los Angeles Kings and the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. |
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Crumbling Dynasty Star Player
Joined: 28 Dec 2010 Posts: 1933
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 1:50 pm Post subject: |
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Hate to say it but our season turned for the worse after this happened. We lost 4 in a row after this unfortunate tragedy and the rest his history(minus the 17-1 mirage) |
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dood23 Franchise Player
Joined: 16 Jun 2010 Posts: 12084
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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i always thought those barriers were way too low _________________ "There's only 2 dudes better than me, and I'm BOTH OF THEM." |
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K-B_2-4 Starting Rotation
Joined: 22 Sep 2010 Posts: 939 Location: Los Angeles, CA
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 2:10 pm Post subject: |
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dood23 wrote: | i always thought those barriers were way too low |
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ErnestBorgnine Star Player
Joined: 12 Oct 2010 Posts: 1845
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 2:11 pm Post subject: |
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BS!!!
Low barriers or not how the hell can these parents even think of suing!!!???
As a parent it is your ULTIMATE responsibility to keep an eye on your child.
I'm sorry but being distracted by taking a damn picture does NOT excuse you. |
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eureca Franchise Player
Joined: 18 Jan 2004 Posts: 15836
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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Crumbling Dynasty wrote: | Hate to say it but our season turned for the worse after this happened. We lost 4 in a row after this unfortunate tragedy and the rest his history(minus the 17-1 mirage) |
The LG replacement for the Chick Hearn curse? We haven't had a good old fashion curse in a while. |
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Pau Gasol's Beard Star Player
Joined: 04 Jul 2009 Posts: 1410
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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Crumbling Dynasty wrote: | Hate to say it but our season turned for the worse after this happened. We lost 4 in a row after this unfortunate tragedy and the rest his history(minus the 17-1 mirage) |
That has nothing to do with anything. Get real man. Parents are mostly to blame. Letting their kid run around unsupervised. |
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VicXLakers Franchise Player
Joined: 08 Feb 2006 Posts: 11823
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 2:22 pm Post subject: |
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dood23 wrote: | i always thought those barriers were way too low |
the parents are the final line of defense so all those with little one ALWAYS beware but if one person thinks they are too low then they are too low |
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composite Star Player
Joined: 31 May 2005 Posts: 3043
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 2:54 pm Post subject: |
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We've been thru this a 1000x. It's impossible to track a kid every second. |
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rebirth Star Player
Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 3970 Location: Garden Grove
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 2:58 pm Post subject: |
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ErnestBorgnine wrote: | BS!!!
Low barriers or not how the hell can these parents even think of suing!!!???
As a parent it is your ULTIMATE responsibility to keep an eye on your child.
I'm sorry but being distracted by taking a damn picture does NOT excuse you. |
Agreed. If the parents had been watching their son then this would not have happened. I am pretty sure that those barriers up are up to code and in compliance with county and state ordinance.
Hate to say it but the blame falls soley on the parents in this one. they have no one to blame but themselves. _________________ “What is 17,505”
“Rest at the end not at the middle” |
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dood23 Franchise Player
Joined: 16 Jun 2010 Posts: 12084
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 3:14 pm Post subject: |
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if a 2 year old was able to climb over then that (bleep) ain't safe. blame the parents if you want but it should never be that easy for something like this to happen. if i tripped on a leg walking out then even i could easily go flying over.
just err on the side of caution. _________________ "There's only 2 dudes better than me, and I'm BOTH OF THEM." |
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Rsxtreme415 Franchise Player
Joined: 10 Apr 2009 Posts: 11800 Location: San Francisco, California
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999 Franchise Player
Joined: 19 Oct 2006 Posts: 20267
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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rebirth wrote: | ErnestBorgnine wrote: | BS!!!
Low barriers or not how the hell can these parents even think of suing!!!???
As a parent it is your ULTIMATE responsibility to keep an eye on your child.
I'm sorry but being distracted by taking a damn picture does NOT excuse you. |
Agreed. If the parents had been watching their son then this would not have happened. I am pretty sure that those barriers up are up to code and in compliance with county and state ordinance.
Hate to say it but the blame falls soley on the parents in this one. they have no one to blame but themselves. |
im a single father of a 2 year old and I agree with this.... In a public area you cannot leave your child to take a picture... you have some set of eyes watching him |
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RealOne Franchise Player
Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 15000 Location: Retired Moniker
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 3:21 pm Post subject: |
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Crumbling Dynasty wrote: | Hate to say it but our season turned for the worse after this happened. We lost 4 in a row after this unfortunate tragedy and the rest his history(minus the 17-1 mirage) |
Yeah my co-workers kept going on for the better part of the season about some subconscious vibe affecting the team/venue after that incident, I dismissed it especially after the team went 17-1. But these are things that don't make a lot of sense along the way to a stumble in the playoffs. |
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rebirth Star Player
Joined: 26 Apr 2005 Posts: 3970 Location: Garden Grove
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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Rsxtreme415 wrote: | composite wrote: | We've been thru this a 1000x. It's impossible to track a kid every second. |
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Every second yes.. but its take much more than a second for a kid to climb and fall over that barrier. When my kid was 2 years old and we were out in public i kept track of him 100% of the time. The staples center is not some backyard playground. As a parent you have to realize the enviroment in which you let your kid wander without your supervision. At two years old there are very few enviroments that warrant that lack of supervision even for a second! My heart goes out to this family and I sympathize for their loss, but that does not excuse them from their neglagence in this matter.
BTW if the barriers are up to code with county and state ordinance, then any lawsuit should be directed at the city/county/state. _________________ “What is 17,505”
“Rest at the end not at the middle” |
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brutella Star Player
Joined: 05 Jul 2006 Posts: 2827 Location: OC
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 3:23 pm Post subject: |
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Yeah, the rails are definitely too low. |
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RealOne Franchise Player
Joined: 10 Jun 2009 Posts: 15000 Location: Retired Moniker
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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eureca wrote: | Crumbling Dynasty wrote: | Hate to say it but our season turned for the worse after this happened. We lost 4 in a row after this unfortunate tragedy and the rest his history(minus the 17-1 mirage) |
We haven't had a good old fashion curse in a while. |
Sure why not, it's how these things start and get compounded along the way.
Years from now, people will probably say after the incident -- Pau the MVP candidate turned into a shell of himself, Shannon turned back into a Bobcat w/ his IQ, Sasha got jettisoned (curse of Sasha anyone?), Matt Barnes injured his knee, Kobe severely injured his foot/ankle vs. NO, eBanks got injured, Caracter lost his way, Lakers go 17-1 and Bynum gets suspended then go .500 the rest of the way. Derek Fisher becomes unclutch w/ last minute bonehead moves. Phil Jackson leaves. Unlucky coach to play of the role of Tim Floyd comes in and a disaster ensues. |
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hoopsfan75 Sixth Man
Joined: 15 Jan 2011 Posts: 82
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 3:37 pm Post subject: |
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K-B_2-4 wrote: | dood23 wrote: | i always thought those barriers were way too low |
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I don't even feel safe jumping up to cheer. In the back of my mind, tripping over that rail always a thought. |
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12 Star Player
Joined: 03 Sep 2010 Posts: 8617
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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Horsecrap lawsuit.. I hope a judge throws this stupid case out... and I hope AEG files a countersuit against the dumb ass parents for thier "NEGLIGENT" behavior...
which brings me to my main point... how the hell are you gonna file a lawsuit on the basis of NEGLIGENCE??!!! are they kidding? Its so freaking dumb... lets put it this way.. Staples was opened in 2000... and there have been 10 seasons up till now... in those 10 seasons... there were AT LEAST 950 games played... staples seats over 19000 people... so in theory there have been over 18 MILLION people in attendance that have NEVER had an accident this stupid... all of the sudden some dumb ass people leave their kid to die and the arena has to pay for it.... its a stupid stupid lawsuit.. and I hope that kids ghost haunts them for the rest of thier miserable lives!!! |
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abella134 Starting Rotation
Joined: 10 Jul 2010 Posts: 721
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 4:12 pm Post subject: |
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The state should sue the parents for negligence!!!! |
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Manu Star Player
Joined: 18 Jul 2003 Posts: 3603
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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It's easy, you don't take a picture near the ledge with your kid. Whenever I've taken my nephew to a Lakers game (when he was 4 and on) he's either holding my hand or sitting next to me. If there's a ledge and we're in the upper section, I'm closer to the ledge.
My sister actually had an accident at a theme park whe she was 3 years old. She fell between the bleechers at a show and got hurt. Did my parents try to sue the theme park? No, they were upset at themselves for letting her out of their sight. (The theme park then put backing behind the bleechers to make sure that'd not happen again).
Accidents happen and they are tragic. But to assign blame to someone else is just shifting guilt. |
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zurich78 Star Player
Joined: 09 Jul 2010 Posts: 2661
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 4:13 pm Post subject: |
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RyderzDelight wrote: | Horsecrap lawsuit.. I hope a judge throws this stupid case out... and I hope AEG files a countersuit against the dumb ass parents for thier "NEGLIGENT" behavior...
which brings me to my main point... how the hell are you gonna file a lawsuit on the basis of NEGLIGENCE??!!! are they kidding? Its so freaking dumb... lets put it this way.. Staples was opened in 2000... and there have been 10 seasons up till now... in those 10 seasons... there were AT LEAST 950 games played... staples seats over 19000 people... so in theory there have been over 18 MILLION people in attendance that have NEVER had an accident this stupid... all of the sudden some dumb ass people leave their kid to die and the arena has to pay for it.... its a stupid stupid lawsuit.. and I hope that kids ghost haunts them for the rest of thier miserable lives!!! |
Sounds like you're saying the parents got what they deserved. Sick. |
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12 Star Player
Joined: 03 Sep 2010 Posts: 8617
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 4:16 pm Post subject: |
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zurich78 wrote: | RyderzDelight wrote: | Horsecrap lawsuit.. I hope a judge throws this stupid case out... and I hope AEG files a countersuit against the dumb ass parents for thier "NEGLIGENT" behavior...
which brings me to my main point... how the hell are you gonna file a lawsuit on the basis of NEGLIGENCE??!!! are they kidding? Its so freaking dumb... lets put it this way.. Staples was opened in 2000... and there have been 10 seasons up till now... in those 10 seasons... there were AT LEAST 950 games played... staples seats over 19000 people... so in theory there have been over 18 MILLION people in attendance that have NEVER had an accident this stupid... all of the sudden some dumb ass people leave their kid to die and the arena has to pay for it.... its a stupid stupid lawsuit.. and I hope that kids ghost haunts them for the rest of thier miserable lives!!! |
Sounds like you're saying the parents got what they deserved. Sick. |
The parents are effing stupid.. so yes, they did get what they deserved!! However, its horrible that they got what they deserved off of a childs life. An innocent child that has no common sense to begin with.. it sucks that it happened that way.. but to answer your post... yes, the parents deserve miserable lives!! And I dont understand why Im "sick" to state the obvious.. |
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zurich78 Star Player
Joined: 09 Jul 2010 Posts: 2661
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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RyderzDelight wrote: | The parents are effing stupid.. so yes, they did get what they deserved!! |
I hope you don't represent the average Laker fan. Do you think you do? |
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12 Star Player
Joined: 03 Sep 2010 Posts: 8617
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2011 4:34 pm Post subject: |
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zurich78 wrote: | RyderzDelight wrote: | The parents are effing stupid.. so yes, they did get what they deserved!! |
I hope you don't represent the average Laker fan. Do you think you do? |
Taking things out of context is an incredible tool for feeble minded people... Im glad you figured out how to do that. Now go and read the whole post again and try to figure out what I was saying.. if its too difficult for you to comprehend, let me know.. I'll break it down for you.. As for representing fans, I dont represent anything but my sole opinion... |
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