The Iowa Supreme Court has ordered a new trial in a case involving a high school baseball player hit by a foul ball.
Spencer Ludman was playing baseball for Muscatine High School in a game at Davenport Assumption in 2011. He was struck in the head by a line-drive foul ball as he waited at the edge of the dugout. A jury found the school was negligent.
The Iowa Supreme Court finds substantial evidence supports the jury verdict — but says the district court abused its discretion in not allowing the high school to present evidence of standards in the design of baseball fields. It also says the district court erred by not instructing the jury on the player’s failure to maintain a proper lookout.
The Supreme Court reversed the district court judgment and sent the case back to the district court for a new trial.
Here’s the ruling: Baseball ruling PDF