Phila. Flyers fan sues over injuries caused by intoxicated patron

A Philadelphia Flyers season ticket holder claims in a recently filed lawsuit that he

sustained severe arm and wrist fractures that required surgery after a drunken stadium patron fell into the plaintiff while both were attending a hockey game.

Robert C. Greco, Jr., and his wife, Colleen Greco, of Egg Harbor Township, N.J., claim in their lawsuit that Robert had to undergo surgery that included the placement of metal hardware to fix his fractures following an April 30, 2011, incident at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

Robert was the victim of a drunken patron who fell from the aisle of where the plaintiff’s seat was located, forcibly striking the plaintiff on his right arm and wrist, the lawsuit states.

“This unruly and visibly intoxicated male patron caused plaintiff severe and permanent personal injuries …,” the complaint reads.

The defendants in the lawsuit – Spectrum Arena Limited Partnership, Aramark Corp., Aramark Sports and Entertainment Group LLC, Comcast Spectator L.P., and the Philadelphia Flyers organization – are accused of over-serving the intoxicated man who ended up falling into the plaintiff.

The lawsuit also alleges that the facility has inadequate handrails that aided in the man falling into and injuring the plaintiff.

The complaint accuses the various defendants of negligence, carelessness and recklessness for failing to exercise reasonable care to protect the plaintiff, failing to have adequate handrails in the aisles, allowing an aisle to remain in a dangerous condition, failing to have properly trained and qualified event staff, and violating provisions of the BOCA National Building Code, the Pennsylvania Code and the Philadelphia Building Code.

The suit also accuses the defendants of violating Pennsylvania’s Dram Shop Act, which has to do with businesses that over-serve visibly intoxicated customers.

The plaintiffs seek judgment in excess of $50,000, plus attorney’s fees, costs and expenditures, statutory interest and other legal relief.

A jury trial has been demanded.

The lawsuit was filed Sept. 25 in state court in Philadelphia by Yardley, Pa. attorneys Jeffrey A. Krawitz and Michael C. Ksiazek.

 

The case ID number is 120902939.