Little League lawsuit equals Major League money

A New Jersey woman was sitting a picnic table near a fenced-in bullpen when an errant ball struck her. An 11-year-old catcher was warming up a pitcher at the time and missed the pitcher when he threw the ball back.

Now the woman is seeking more than $150,000 in damages to cover medical costs and she also wants an undisclosed amount for her pain and suffering. And to top it all off her husband also wants to recover damages for the loss of "services, society and consortium" of his wife. They claim the throw was intentional and reckless.

Only in our litigious society would a woman sitting near a bullpen at a little league hold an 11-year-old kid responsible for her own lack of negligence. Everyone knows you have to always look out at a little league game because the kids playing are learning the game and have not yet refined their skills. Bats go flying. Throws are off target. It is just part of the game. It is the responsibility of the fans to be on the lookout for flying objects.

“I just think that it's disgusting that you have people suing an 11-year-old kid for overthrowing his pitcher in the bullpen,” said Anthony Pagano, the lawyer for defendants. “It's horrible this can actually happen and get this far. Ultimately, hopefully, justice will prevail.”

Hopefully justice will prevail but at what cost? The boy and his family are all alone in fighting this ridiculous lawsuit and are having to pay to defend themselves. One bright spot of the story is that the boy is still playing baseball. At least the irresponsible actions of a woman and her husband who refuse to accept responsibility for themselves is not stopping this young man from playing the sport he loves.