Dodgers found negligent in Bryan Stow beating; jury awards roughly $18 million
The Los Angeles Dodgers were found to be partially negligent in the brutal beating of San Francisco Giants fan Bryan Stow, a Los Angeles Superior Court jury announced Wednesday, awarding roughly $18 million in damages to Stow and his family.
Former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt, also named in Stow's lawsuit, was found to not be personally negligent in the beating. The jury ruled the Dodgers' responsibility in the incident was 25 percent. The L.A. Times breaks down how that works financially:
Based on the verdict, the Dodgers will have to pay about $13.9 million, said team attorney Dana Fox.
The team is on the hook to shoulder all of his past and future medical expenses and lost earnings, but 25% of the sum jurors found Stow should receive for his pain and suffering. Sanchez and Norwood each will be responsible for 37.5% of that sum.
Fox said the team had not yet decided whether to appeal, saying they would “wait and consider the options.”
Stow suffered permanent brain damage when two men beat him on Opening Day 2011 outside a Giants-Dodgers game at Dodger Stadium. The two Dodgers fans, Louie Sanchez and Marvin Norwood, are in jail for the beating. The jury ruled Sanchez and Norwood were each 37.5 percent responsible for Stow's beating.
Defense attorneys argued that Stow was also responsible for his beating because he was intoxicated, but the jury dismissed that claim, putting the blame on the Dodgers, Sanchez and Norwood. It was alleged by Stow's attorneys that the Dodgers didn't provide adequate security and lighting in their parking lot during the game in question. Defense attorneys countered by saying there was more security that night than normal.
Stow's lawsuit asked for $36 million to pay for the round-the-clock medical care he'll need for the rest of his life, as well as lost wages and pain and suffering. Stow is also a father of two, so some of what he's awarded figures to help his family. Former Giants slugger Barry Bonds has already vowed to pay for Stow's children to attend college.
To the current Dodgers, $13.9 million isn't an awful lot of money. Their payroll in 2014 is $229 million.
The decision came as a relief to the Stow family. Ann Stow, Bryan's mother, told KTLA-TV:
“Oh my God, I’m beyond happy.”
That might be because the Stow family wasn't sure if it would get anything in this case. As recently as last week, the jury in the case said it was deadlocked.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
- - - - - - -
Mike Oz is an editor for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at mikeozstew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @MikeOz
