Latest news with #TimothyRoeckel
Fox News
26-05-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Rockies fan files lawsuit against MLB team, claims to have suffered injuries due to club's lackluster output
The Colorado Rockies dropped the final game of a three-game series against the New York Yankees at Coors Field on Sunday. The Rockies have now lost eight of their last 10 games. Colorado's 9-44 record represents the worst win-loss record in the MLB. Furthermore, the Rockies' start to the 2025 season is historically bad. The team had already secured the worst 50-game start in modern major league history. While many Rockies fans are likely disappointed by the team's rough season, one supporter has decided to take legal action. The fan, identified as Timothy Roeckel, claims to have sustained serious injuries while attending a game at the Rockies' home ballpark in July 2023. CBS News Colorado reported that Roeckel said he was struck in the face by a foul ball. He was inside a Coors Field "luxury box" at the time. At least one of Roeckel's eyes and his face suffered "catastrophic and permanent injuries," the lawsuit stated. He claimed a stadium design flaw contributed to him being unable to see the foul ball as it was coming in his direction. Roeckel highlighted some architectural elements which he claimed played a role in the alleged design issues. More specifically, an overhang allegedly creates a limited view as it relates to objects that are moving from the field and towards the stands. The lawsuit also pointed to Coors Field's netting, asserting that the protective material did not adequately extend throughout the ballpark. However, those were not the only grievances the fan had. The lawsuit also took issue with the Rockies' "longstanding poor performance on the field [has] contributed to a game-day environment in which spectators, particularly those in luxury suites, are less engaged with the action on the field." The Rockies have not celebrated a winning season since 2018. Last year, the Chicago White Sox's 121 losses set the MLB record. The Rockies remain on pace to break that undesirable record. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
CBS News
21-05-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Colorado Rockies fan files lawsuit after getting hit in the face by a foul ball at Coors Field
A Colorado Rockies fan has filed a lawsuit after he said he was struck in the face by a foul ball during a game at Coors Field in 2023. Timothy Roeckel said he was hit in the face by a foul ball while sitting in "a luxury box" on July 16, 2023. According to court documents, Roeckel was "an invited guest to the Mountain West Series of Lockton Companies, LLC's private suite at the stadium and did not personally purchase a ticket for the event." Coors Field CBS He claims that the baseball struck him "directly in the right eye and face, causing catastrophic and permanent injuries" and claims that it was not possible for him to see the foul ball from his seat in the box. Roeckel is claiming that the Rockies' "longstanding poor performance on the field have contributed to a game-day environment in which spectators, particularly those in luxury suites, are less engaged with the action on the field." He also claims that the Rockies failed to ensure proper safety measures by failing to "extend or enhance netting" for foul balls, "designing open luxury boxes that obstruct the view of the playing field" and "encouraging non-spectating behavior such as dining and socialization within luxury boxes and throughout the stadium."
The Independent
21-05-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Colorado Rockies fan sues team after foul ball struck his eye - and blames team's poor play for not paying attention
A fan is suing the Colorado Rockies, claiming a foul ball injury in a luxury suite was caused by negligence and a distracted fan environment fueled by the team's poor performance. Timothy Roeckel was hit in the face and right eye by a foul ball while attending a July 2023 Rockies game as a guest in a Coors Field luxury box, according to a lawsuit filed Monday in Denver District Court. Roeckel allegedly could not see the foul ball due to structural obstructions in the suite, including the ceiling and the overhang of nearby bleacher seats. He said he suffered "catastrophic and permanent injuries" to his face and right eye due to the incident. Though Colorado law typically shields stadiums from liability when foul balls injure fans, Roeckel's attorneys argue the Rockies were negligent in maintaining a safe environment, making the case an exception. The lawsuit claims the team ignored warnings from engineers about foul ball risks and failed to extend protective netting to luxury suites. It also accuses the team of encouraging fan distraction through amenities like mounted televisions and by promoting dining and socializing over watching the game. 'It was not physically possible for (Roeckel) to see the foul ball from the seat in question,' his attorneys wrote, according to the Denver Post. During that season finished with a record of 59-103, one of the worst in baseball. The team is even worse this year with an 8-40 record. Roeckel's legal team says the design and marketing of the suites prioritize hospitality and off-field experiences, creating a culture in which fans, especially in premium seating, are less engaged with the game. In the suit, the lawyers link the Rockies' poor on-field performance to the injury, claiming that lackluster gameplay has led to a less attentive fan base. 'Defendant's longstanding poor performance on the field has contributed to a game-day environment in which spectators, particularly those in luxury suites, are less engaged with the action,' the lawsuit reads. Roeckel seeks a jury trial and unspecified financial damages.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Rockies sued for negligence after foul ball hits man's eye while in a luxury box
DENVER (KDVR) — Timothy Roeckel was planning to enjoy an afternoon at Coors Field on July 16, 2023, but is now suing the Colorado Rockies after a foul ball allegedly hit him in the eye. The game was between the Colorado Rockies and the New York Yankees, and the foul ball was hit in the bottom of the first inning. Roeckell said in his lawsuit that he was in a private box suite as a guest of a company that had rented the luxury box. Broncos announce only home pre-season game versus Cardinals Coors Field's luxury boxes are located over the 100-level seating and the club boxes. His lawsuit describes the baseball hitting him 'directly in the right eye and face, causing catastrophic and permanent injuries.' He's suing under the Colorado Baseball Spectator Safety Act of 1993, which does create the assumption of risk for spectators injured by foul balls, but one section creates an exception for a landowner who does not 'make reasonable and prudent effort to design, alter, and maintain the premises… in a reasonably safe condition… ' Roeckell's lawsuit alleges that the Colorado Rockies have been 'specifically warned by engineers retained by either Major League Baseball, its insurers, or Defendant about the inadequate netting and increased risk associated with the Stadium yet failed to act.' Coors Field also has a reputation, due to its altitude, for having balls fly further, faster and higher — a hitter's park. Roeckell's lawsuit goes on to note the Rockies' performance, noting a particularly poor showing on May 10 against the San Diego Padres, and said the team's record has 'contributed to a game-day environment' that makes a 'stadium culture in which socializing, dining, and business networking have become the primary focus for many attendees.' His lawsuit argues that because of this, the Colorado Rockies should expect that people in the luxury suites are less attuned to the game and are therefore more susceptible to injury 'from conditions that were not reasonably accounted for in the stadium's design and maintenance.' Roeckell is seeking a judgment in his favor that will pay for his injuries, damages and losses caused by the ball hitting his face. FOX31 has reached out to the Rockies team for comment on the lawsuit. A response was not immediately provided. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
