• 29
  • June
    2011

The avoidable death of a toddler after a fall from a skybox at an L.A. Lakers game last year has resulted in a wrongful death claim by the family. The two-year-old boy suffered severe head trauma after tumbling from the third-level luxury box, and died soon afterwards in a nearby hospital.

The family is seeking an injunction to require the arena to increase the height of the barriers from a mere 26 inches, as well as damages for the tragic loss of their child's life. The highest skyboxes at Staples Center sit directly above the lower two levels, and the distance to the hard steps and seats below is as much as 50 feet.

California law allows personal injury victims and wrongful death survivors to file premises liability claims against property owners for important reasons. Risks of serious injury or other harm must be minimized in supermarkets, apartment buildings, parking ramps and other spaces that cater to visitors, customers and other invitees. Private property and public accommodations must be well-maintained, and proper safety measures must be in place.

The significant medical expenses that can result from a slip and fall or other premises liability injury are one example of the compensation available to plaintiffs. Lost income and property damages are also owed if a business, land management company or other responsible party fails in its duty to protect and is found negligent.

For families that suffer the ultimate loss, wrongful death and survivorship actions provide a lifeline to meaningful justice.