Metal Bat Lawsuit Filed by Parents of 14-Year Old Injured in Little League Game

Earlier this week, the parents of a 14-year old New Jersey boy filed a lawsuit against Hillerich & Bardsby (manufacturer of Louisville Slugger metal and wood bats), the Sports Authority retail chain, and the New Jersey State Little League, to recover damages for the brain injury suffered by their son after he was struck in the chest by a line drive hit by a metal bat in a Little League game and went into cardiac arrest (causing him to stop breathing and suffer oxygen loss).

The suit alleges that all three defendants were aware of the dangers posed by metal bats, which experts agree propel balls significantly faster and farther than wood bats. As a result, critics say, younger players are not left with enough time to react to balls hit at them by metal bats.

Little Leagues generally prefer metal bats because they tend to last longer. As a result, the debate has essentially become one of safety versus cost.

So far only New York City and North Dakota have banned metal bats from youth and school sports, and states such as Massachusetts and Pennsylvania voted against the ban. New Jersey is researching a possible ban, according to The Associated Press.

News of the lawsuit was also picked up by the Torts Prof Blog.

About the Author

Tom D'Amore is the founder of D'Amore Law Group and a trial attorney with over 30 years of experience representing injured people and their families across the West Coast, securing more than $325 million in recoveries. He handles cases involving car accidents, trucking accidents, construction injuries, medical malpractice, and sexual abuse. Licensed in Oregon, Washington, and California, Tom is the only NBTA board-certified truck accident attorney in Oregon. He is a national Board of Governors member, past Executive Committee member, and past Budget and Audit Chair of the American Association for Justice, as well as past President of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association and an Eagle member of the Washington State Association for Justice.