[Other Sport] Would you sue over Ryder Cup-style accident?

[dejavuatbtn]

It is a cr3dit to golf and g9lfers that there aren’t more incidents like this. You always see people crowding players hitting out of the rough - they should be glad it’s not me taking the swing. Rally driving and cycling - anyone spectating runs the risk of seroius injury.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

The two claims I've mentioned were firstly when me and the family were in Fontainebleau, a trip we'd done numerous times when the nipper was small as it's a great place for families with young kids and I got to go bouldering in the greatest place in the world for it.

I'd always taken out an extra policy for about £30 that covered me for the climbing but never expected to have to use it. As it was, a freak accident and a destroyed heel later, the insurance saved me about £4k in medical costs etc.

The second one was more simple and possible to happen to anyone as a year or two later, having recovered from the injury, we booked a beach holiday in a lovely hotel in Tenerife. Three days before we were due to travel, my wife took our son swimming. She took off his shirt to reveal him covered in chicken pox...... He was fine, barely itched, we couldn't fly. Claimed the full cost of the holiday back, about £3k, on the free insurance from the bank.

Anything can happen. Who wouldn't have travel insurance when it's either dirt cheap or included in a product you already have?

Fair enough. I must admit I hadn’t really considered much of this. It’s just me and the wife and my health insurance covers me for any mishaps including sports, even abroad, and I’d not really thought about missing holidays through illness.

Hope the heel is okay, I winced just reading that.

 

[LlcoolJ]

Fair enough. I must admit I hadn’t really considered much of this. It’s just me and the wife and my health insurance covers me for any mishaps including sports, even abroad, and I’d not really thought about missing holidays through illness.

Hope the heel is okay, I winced just reading that.

Cheers. Luckily, the surgeon I had at the Northern General in Sheffield was one of the best in the country at the time (probably still is). They called it a "devastating injury" but he did an amazing job.

Rebuilt my heel in a five hour operation involving a metal plate and around 15 screws. Years later, it still hurts every day but it's a small price to pay as I can walk/didn't lose my foot both of which were possibilities at the time.

The French hospital was a nightmare btw. God bless the NHS.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Doubt she'll need to sue - they'll settle before it gets to that point and as @HKFC says almost certainly covered by insurance. All very unfortunate

Might make a lot of casual/regular golfers consider whether they're taking a risk though - can get £5m of PL cover for about £25 a year.

I pay for an annual policy (£20ish) believe my club also has cover but why take the risk, rarely hear Fore shouted with any volume!

Was nearly hit last month and asked why he didn’t shout? “I didn’t think anyone was there” FFS


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[Brian Parsons]

I got hit fair and square between the shoulder blades on the second hole at my old club. When challenged why he didn't shout fore his reply was " I didn't think it would reach you " FFS. I might add it literally knocked the wind out of me and bloody hurt as well.

I pay for an annual policy (£20ish) believe my club also has cover but why take the risk, rarely hear Fore shouted with any volume!

Was nearly hit last month and asked why he didn’t shout? “I didn’t think anyone was there” FFS


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[portlock seagull]

I don’t think there is necessarily any negligence on the part of the organisers, but I’d still be seeking compensation in her shoes. It’s a life changing injury and ther is enough money (and risk) involved in the event, that I’d expect the organisers to have pretty comprehensive insurance in place.

Precisely. Golf lost whatever integrity it may have had a long time ago; and is awash with money. Like football, whilst it can afford to pay millions for bang average performances then it can more than afford a one off payment for this poor women.

 

[Brian Parsons]

My interest and love of golf started as a boy caddie at the West Sussex golf club in the late '50's. I maybe a bit thick but I don't understand your comment about golf losing its integrity? And where that fits in concerning the injury and liability.

Precisely. Golf lost whatever integrity it may have had a long time ago; and is awash with money. Like football, whilst it can afford to pay millions for bang average performances then it can more than afford a one off payment for this poor women.

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[Cheshire Cat]

Sue them 'till their wallets bleed.

 

[Bad Ash]

I got hit fair and square between the shoulder blades on the second hole at my old club. When challenged why he didn't shout fore his reply was " I didn't think it would reach you " FFS. I might add it literally knocked the wind out of me and bloody hurt as well.

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As someone who has played about 2 full rounds, what should you do if you hear a shout of fore? In your example I could see myself turning towards the direction the shout came from (to see what was going on, and who they were shouting at), which could have resulted in a ball in the face, which is probably much nastier than one in the back?!

 

[dazzer6666]

My interest and love of golf started as a boy caddie at the West Sussex golf club in the late '50's. I maybe a bit thick but I don't understand your comment about golf losing its integrity? And where that fits in concerning the injury and liability.

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Not sure there are many sports where integrity is higher than golf - at all levels of the game.

 

[Brian Parsons]

I should have said I heard a ball land behind me, it hit me on the bounce. Most of the pace is lost on first bounce but I take your point.

As someone who has played about 2 full rounds, what should you do if you hear a shout of fore? In your example I could see myself turning towards the direction the shout came from (to see what was going on, and who they were shouting at), which could have resulted in a ball in the face, which is probably much nastier than one in the back?!

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[dazzer6666]

As someone who has played about 2 full rounds, what should you do if you hear a shout of fore? In your example I could see myself turning towards the direction the shout came from (to see what was going on, and who they were shouting at), which could have resulted in a ball in the face, which is probably much nastier than one in the back?!

Simply cower, turning away from the direction of the shout and cover your head with your hands. You won’t always know exactly where it’s coming from (unless you’re a regular on the same course and tend to know where people are likely to slice or hook a shot from) and won’t have time to look........

Spectating is a bit different....you should be watching, but even then it’s often difficult to see the ball (particularly as the pros hit it so far). Marshalls should really be calling wayward shots too.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Simply cower, turning away from the direction of the shout and cover your head with your hands. You won’t always know exactly where it’s coming from (unless you’re a regular on the same course and tend to know where people are likely to slice or hook a shot from) and won’t have time to look........

Spectating is a bit different....you should be watching, but even then it’s often difficult to see the ball (particularly as the pros hit it so far). Marshalls should really be calling wayward shots too.

You say that, but you can’t be watching everywhere. There are a lot of spots where you could be stood on a course, where you could potentially be struck from players on more than just one hole.

 

[Buffalo Seagull]

It's been an accident waiting to happen for years.
Much like rally fans standing on the outside of fast bends, spectators hope that the professionals are competent enough to not mess up.

I don't understand how fans can be seated anywhere as in this random pic pulled off the internet a minute ago.
What speed does a professional's tee shot ball travel at?

View attachment 101023

Judging by the way most of the people on the right of the picture are seated, I'd say there is a green off to the right, which the people in the stand on the left would also have a good view of.

 

[um bongo molongo]

I’m convinced this will happen in cricket soon with the number of sixes that rain down on the crowd in 20/20s. Could be even nastier.

 

[sydney]

I don’t think there is necessarily any negligence on the part of the organisers, but I’d still be seeking compensation in her shoes. It’s a life changing injury and ther is enough money (and risk) involved in the event, that I’d expect the organisers to have pretty comprehensive insurance in place.

100 % this , a very unfortunate accident but the organisers will have public indemnity/injury cover and in such a high profile incident the insurers could do themselves a big favour by paying her the industry rate for loss of an eye which i believe is $1.2 euro's.....without her having to sue.

must say i often see how the crowd encroaches on the path of the ball at these massive tournaments and think it's only a matter of time till someone cops one full in the face ..........oh and you can expect marshalling to be a lot more strict on course now , particularly in the nanny states,

 

[GT49er]

I’m convinced this will happen in cricket soon with the number of sixes that rain down on the crowd in 20/20s. Could be even nastier.

It could. I remember Matt Prior sending the ball into and over the stands in a twenty20 at Gloucester a few years ago. I'd taken my daughters along - they enjoyed it, but were much more interested in the picnic and chattering -wouldn't have seen a ball heading their way (though I guess Dad would have done a desperate life-saving dive!) and balls that landed in the bar area were greeted with laughter and delight...........but a cricket ball can be (and sometimes is) fatal.
I guess the organisers of sporting events probably take out an insurance policy to cover such eventualities, which should cover this sort of accident. Sueing? On what grounds? It's nobody's fault. She chose to take the risk of standing there.
On the other hand, if it was me, and the ambulance chasing lawyers were offering to get me a couple of hundred grand, I'd probably go for it!

 

[driddles]

There was an incident several years ago at a hockey game. If memory serves me correctly it was a child killed by a puck that went into the stands. I think the argument was that you expect a puck to enter the stands at a hockey game and that negligence would be if a stick went into the stands and injured someone.

Golf is the same to me - I expect a golf ball to come into the gallery.

 

[Brightonfan1983]

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[Mo Gosfield]

I’m convinced this will happen in cricket soon with the number of sixes that rain down on the crowd in 20/20s. Could be even nastier.

Brings back memories of an incident at Hove in the 50's, when Sussex player Don Smith was hitting six after six into the pavillion. As each one clattered into the elderly members, scattering papers, glasses and gin and tonics in all directions, one wag shouted out...." For God's sake stop this senseless massacre "