Kentucky couple sues over injuries from drunk fans at Bengals game

[Speedyd900rr]

Kentucky couple sues over injuries from drunk fans at Bengals game

 

Posted: 8:14 PM

Last Updated: 4 hours and 33 minutes ago

 

 

By DAN SEWELL, Associated Press

CINCINNATI - A woman says two increasingly intoxicated fans at a Cincinnati Bengals game fell on her, breaking her nose and finger and causing other injuries.

 

The woman and her husband are suing the Bengals, the beer vendor and the county-owned football stadium for negligence, alleging they continued to serve alcohol to "noticeably intoxicated" fans at a 2009 NFL game.

 

Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan said Tuesday the team wouldn't comment on pending litigation. Neither would the stadium vendor, Philadelphia-based Aramark Corp., company spokeswoman said. Hamilton County officials didn't immediately return an after-hours phone call Tuesday seeking comment.

 

Rebecca Dunn and husband Curtis Dunn of Owensboro, Ky., say the two men sitting behind them were served several drinks at Paul Brown Stadium before they fell on her, breaking and gashing her nose, breaking her finger, and causing bruises, sprains and other injuries. Their lawsuit seeks unspecified monetary damages for past and future pain and suffering and medical treatment that they say has cost $20,000 so far.

 

The couple also are suing the fans, identified only as John Doe and John Doe II. The lawsuit accuses them of battery.

 

"As a direct and proximate result of their intoxication, (the two men) lost control and fell on (Rebecca Dunn), causing `catastrophic injuries" that required nose surgery and continuing orthopedic and other medical treatment. The incident also broke her $700 Oakley sunglasses and caused the couple to incur other expenses," -- they had to spend the night in a downtown hotel because the stadium garage closed after the game before they could retrieve their car, the lawsuit states.

 

The Dunns also are seeking punitive damages. A court hearing on the lawsuit, filed Nov. 29, is scheduled for next month.

 

The Bengals and other NFL teams have tried to control unruly fans through such efforts as the Bengals "Jerk" line, which fans can call during the game to report bad behavior.

 

A lawsuit is pending in New York state court against the Mets baseball team and other defendants, filed by a woman who was hospitalized with spinal injuries after a fan her attorney says was drunk landed on her in 2007.

 

The attorney, Joshua D. Kelner, said Tuesday that while the lawsuits will be decided under respective state law, teams generally have an obligation to provide crowd control and that alcohol providers may be held partially responsible for the actions of intoxicated people.

 

The Bengals scored a 23-20 comeback victory over the Steelers in the Sept. 27, 2009, game.

[TheClevelandSound]

Who cares?

[hoorta]

So sorry about those $700 Oakleys mam. Let's just call this case "The Revenge of the Rich Bitch". Sue 'em all!!!

[ballpeen]

Who cares?

 

You'd care if it was your mother, sister, or daughter.

 

I can see the NFL cracking down even more on drunken behavior at football games above and beyond what they have already done such as not selling beer after the 3rd qtr.

 

I can see it going to after the halftime kick and selling only low alcohol varieties of beer. Miller 64 as an example is only 2.5%.

 

Teams can't do much with what happens before games but I bet they urge city police to monitor public parking lots much closer and will for sure start turning more people away at the gate. If someone looks drunk, have a cop administer a sobriety test. if you can't pass, arrest them for public drunkenness.

 

It wouldn't take too many arrests in front of thousands to get the message across.

 

People shouldn't get harassed or worry about the drunk behind them falling down causing broken facial bones.

 

 

Sorry guys, I like a good tailgate as much as anyone, as several around here can attest. Unfortunately many newbie tailgaters can't seem to grasp the idea it is about fun and sharing some good times with other fans....including fans of the other team. It isn't about getting shithammered and acting like a fool.

 

If it keeps up I can see full enforcement of open container laws in public and private lots. I could see open flames of any sort within 25 feet of a parked vehicle being banned.

 

If that happens, so much for tailgating unless you like sipping soft drinks and eating a cold ham sandwich while sitting near the bumper of your car.

[BROWNandORANGE]

ballpeen, I completely agree. Have all the fun you want, but not at other peoples' expense.

[ATENEARS]

Is the Bengals "Jerk" line, a 1-900 number?

 

 

sounds gay

[Nuck81]

Small World, Owensboro Ky is my hometown...

[Kosar_For_President]

Dear Ohio,

 

Please give Cincinnati to Kentucky.

 

Sincerely,

 

The Colonel

[hoorta]

Sorry guys, I like a good tailgate as much as anyone, as several around here can attest. Unfortunately many newbie tailgaters can't seem to grasp the idea it is about fun and sharing some good times with other fans....including fans of the other team. It isn't about getting shithammered and acting like a fool.

 

If it keeps up I can see full enforcement of open container laws in public and private lots. I could see open flames of any sort within 25 feet of a parked vehicle being banned.

 

If that happens, so much for tailgating unless you like sipping soft drinks and eating a cold ham sandwich while sitting near the bumper of your car.

 

Agreed about the falling down drunk idiots. It's related to the Muni Lot incident fer sure. Kindly just pass out in your seat, if you must.

 

But it's a growing trend- partly because the NFL insists on selling you $7 beers at the game. So realistically if you have any sense, you're going to hammer down your sixpack before the game, instead of paying $42 for it at the stadium. We could get into a philosophical discussion if you really need 6-12 beers before a game to fully enjoy it.

 

Yeah, the lady that got her nose busted is entitled to go for the gusto in compensatory damages- to each their own, but stuff like that bothers me. I got an owie, and now you owe me $100,000.

 

My advice to her would be- mam, if you can afford a $700 pair of sunglasses, next time I'd suggest buying Club Seats so you can avoid the drunk Riff-Raff.

[TheClevelandSound]

You'd care if it was your mother, sister, or daughter.

 

But it wasn't.

[ballpeen]

Agreed about the falling down drunk idiots. It's related to the Muni Lot incident fer sure. Kindly just pass out in your seat, if you must.

 

But it's a growing trend- partly because the NFL insists on selling you $7 beers at the game. So realistically if you have any sense, you're going to hammer down your sixpack before the game, instead of paying $42 for it at the stadium. We could get into a philosophical discussion if you really need 6-12 beers before a game to fully enjoy it.

 

Yeah, the lady that got her nose busted is entitled to go for the gusto in compensatory damages- to each their own, but stuff like that bothers me. I got an owie, and now you owe me $100,000.

 

My advice to her would be- mam, if you can afford a $700 pair of sunglasses, next time I'd suggest buying Club Seats so you can avoid the drunk Riff-Raff.

 

 

I fully understand tort reform is a issue that needs be addressed, but that isn't the point here. For you and I it is simply a matter of if this gal deserves something, and in the broader picture, if things are getting out of hand at stadiums.

 

 

Maybe she can afford real Oakleys....I think you can if you really wanted them, as can I if I really wanted them, but I have sat on too may sunglasses to ever pay more than maybe $17 for a pair....I buy mine at the hardware store....woodcutters safety glasses...they work great and hold up to my fat ass sitting on them from time to time....but really, that isn't the issue.

 

The issue is fan behavior....it was talked about last off season and in season by teams, and it will continue.

 

Until us sane fans start to stick up for Steelers who visit, the sanctions imposed by the team will become stiffer and stiffer.

 

 

My attitude is I am not going to let some goofball who doesn't know how to act in public ruin my gameday experience if I can help it. I am sure you will as well.

 

 

Games would suck if I couldn't have a beer, a taste of your wine, or have and share a nip of my shine.

 

 

 

Ok....I am a alcoholic....at least in the technical sense

 

[ballpeen]

But it wasn't.

 

 

 

 

That response tells me you are avoiding the issue or you don't care about a family member.

 

 

I assume you are avoiding the question.

 

[Riffer X]

I am personally disgusted by the $8 beers, it is ridiculous. Most aren't getting drunk in the game, they are getting shithammered before hand so they don't have to shell out 8 bucks a pop for a small beer the vendors call large. It has gotten completely out of hand and should be regulated as far as price increase goes.

 

The closer to game time it gets, the more folks start pounding and then carrying three or four pops until they can go no farther, than they shotgun them basically.

 

I'm telling you, if the cost of beers inside the stadium was a decent and fair cost, I bet it would cut down on the drunkenness before the game. The stadium would still make money because of increased sales, just the profit margin wouldn't be as big. It is a crying shame what it costs to drink a friggen small beer inside a football game or any sporting event.

[jrb12711]

they might be able to get the battery case from the couple themselves, but they won't get a dime from the bengals organization unless they want to avoid the PR and settle with them out of court. Although it is technically negligence for serving drunk people more alcohol, sadly it's basically impossible to prove beyond a reasonable doubt because everyone is intoxicated at a different level and act in a different manner. If it was bars across the country would be shutting down on a daily basis due to lawsuits. My bet is that they settle with them though.

 

But seriously, what does the NFL expect to happen as people said when beers are $6-8? alcohol sales are the biggest double standard in the world when it comes to sports teams. I don't blame people at all for coming in drunk, hell the price for a grown man to fill a buzz is almost the price of the ticket, especially down here in charlotte haha

[ballpeen]

I am personally disgusted by the $8 beers, it is ridiculous. Most aren't getting drunk in the game, they are getting shithammered before hand so they don't have to shell out 8 bucks a pop for a small beer the vendors call large. It has gotten completely out of hand and should be regulated as far as price increase goes.

 

The closer to game time it gets, the more folks start pounding and then carrying three or four pops until they can go no farther, than they shotgun them basically.

 

I'm telling you, if the cost of beers inside the stadium was a decent and fair cost, I bet it would cut down on the drunkenness before the game. The stadium would still make money because of increased sales, just the profit margin wouldn't be as big. It is a crying shame what it costs to drink a friggen small beer inside a football game or any sporting event.

 

 

 

I disagree.

 

 

 

While on leave just before discharge, I went to a Indians game where beers were a nickel, and there was a riot,

 

[Riffer X]

I disagree.

 

 

 

While on leave just before discharge, I went to a Indians game where beers were a nickel, and there was a riot,

 

LoL, that's not what I meant Peens, but you knew that.

[TheClevelandSound]

That response tells me you are avoiding the issue or you don't care about a family member.

 

 

I assume you are avoiding the question.

 

Yeah just lazy. Leaving this thread now.

[hoorta]

I am personally disgusted by the $8 beers, it is ridiculous. Most aren't getting drunk in the game, they are getting shithammered before hand so they don't have to shell out 8 bucks a pop for a small beer the vendors call large. It has gotten completely out of hand and should be regulated as far as price increase goes.

 

The closer to game time it gets, the more folks start pounding and then carrying three or four pops until they can go no farther, than they shotgun them basically.

 

I'm telling you, if the cost of beers inside the stadium was a decent and fair cost, I bet it would cut down on the drunkenness before the game. The stadium would still make money because of increased sales, just the profit margin wouldn't be as big. It is a crying shame what it costs to drink a friggen small beer inside a football game or any sporting event.

 

Well Riff, you're totally telling it like it is- but real world, I don't know if dropping the price of beers to $4 would make that much a difference in fan buying practices. You get it down to corner bar prices of $2 and it might- BUT IMHO there's no way in hell the owners (who in most part own all the concession gravy) are going to take that much of a hit to the gravy train. Doing so I wouldn't be surprised it would cost them a million a game in booze revenue. I'm sure their ultraslick accountants know exactly what the threshold is where further jacking up the prices will result in a net drop in revenue. Like if they upped the price of beer to $20 a can, they wouldn't be selling very much, would they?

 

I suppose to appease 'Peen, they should institute some sort of "stagger in" rule. If you can't walk in under your own power (that's not counting ADA rules) you don't get in. Have to get me a wheelchair.

 

[ballpeen]

I disagree.

 

 

 

While on leave just before discharge, I went to a Indians game where beers were a nickel, and there was a riot,

 

 

I must have been drinking more than nickel beer last night because I don't remember typing that last night, though i do remember typing that is another thread maybe 2 years ago.

 

 

Strange.

 

[miktoxic]

it's the idiots that can't hold their liquor that gives the rest of us drunks bad names. if i'm feelin that 'toasty' the last place i would want to be is at a stadium where every move you make is being scrutinized (i guess in this case it wouldn't have been a bad idea) and you can't even smoke anymore. we usually leave at halftime (ny football) and head right for our local dive bar via public transportation .

 

i say the military should start up the draft again so these guys can learn how to drink like real professionals. then send them to germany to get a real kick in the ass with their beer. (yes i was a newbie and got a bootfull of beer in my face on my first night out there............good shit! ).

[kshutchins]

I will repost this..............

 

At the 1999 inaugural at CBS, a couple drunken boobs were sitting behind me, KS, Eric and Doug. Every two minutes they were leaving their seats to pee and get more beer. At one point they knocked their beer over and it rolled down the back of Kathy's seats.

 

She got up, turned back, looked them square in the eye and told them she didn't care to bathe in their beer and if they spilled another drop she would personally shove the beer where the sun doesn't shine. They tried to apologize but before the one guy could utter a complete sentence, KAthy got in his face and repeated her warning, making sure they verbally acknowledged her complaint.

 

I don't think the poor bastards let their seats until week 7 on the season.

 

 

lolol. I'd forgotten about that.

[shepwrite]

There are wildly diverse flavors of drunk. I love to drink plenty of beer at games, but you can only get it so fast and they cut it off after the third quarter. Best I can do is a fun buzz.

 

BUT... I don't drink before the games, partially because my amigos are usually my sons. When I do go with a friend, we tend to get to the game earlier and get in a few more beers, but we're adult males and that's not gonna make us do crazy shit or anything.

 

The problem children are basically blind drunk when they walk in the gates. They have that lost look already.