The little league baseball team that captured the nation's attention and had its star pitcher Mo'ne Davis featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated faces a personal injury suit filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas by a New Jersey couple who says that an errant throw caused severe damage to a 73-year-old man.
Anand and Sujata Kumar, of Cherry Hill, N.J., seeks damages in excess of $50,000 against the Taney Youth Baseball Association, claiming the team negligently failed to supervise its players while they practiced.
According to the claim, the Kumars were attending their grandson's baseball game on May 18, 2013, at the Taney baseball field on Reed Street in Philadelphia. While watching the game, a baseball struck Anand's right eye. The complaint says that Kumar experienced immediate bleeding and blurry vision before getting rushed to Pennsylvania Hospital.
The claim says the injury happened because two boys played a game of toss and catch outside the playing area fence and close to the stands, with a negligent lack of supervision to prevent the players from playing in the restricted area. According to the complaint, plenty of team representatives had full knowledge that the boys were throwing the baseball dangerously close to the spectators, yet they did nothing to correct the situation until it was too late.
Kumar's injuries include a corneal abrasion, swollen retina, deformed pupil, muscle damage around the lens, impaired vision and a general shock to his system, the suit says. The incident has left Kumar with a severe and permanent cosmetic disfigurement and great mental anguish, while his medical expenses continue to increase as he seeks treatment, it claims. Kumar's wife, Sujata, has also sued for loss of consortium with her husband.
The Taney Dragons made headlines and evening news over the summer as they captured the city's attention during the Little League World Series, riding the talent of ace pitcher Mo'ne Davis, who became the first girl to pitch a shutout game in the postseason tournament.
The plaintiffs are represented by Evan Aidman in Narberth, Pa.
The case ID is 141102303.
N.J. couple sues Taney baseball team for misthrown ball; Phenom Mo'ne Davis was ace pitcher for team
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