One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Family of 2-Year-Old Boy Who Died at Lakers Game Will Sue Staples Center
Photo by mack911 via the LAist Featured Photos pool on Flickr
Looks like the Dodgers aren't the only LA sports team involved in a lawsuit. As the baseball franchise learns that Bryan Stow's family will seek damages for the beating that left him in a coma on opening day, so too is the owner of the Staples Center finding out that a fatal injury sustained after a Lakers game in November of last year is resulting in legal action.KCOP reports that the family of Lucas Tang, a 2-year-old boy who fell three levels from a luxury box and landed on a row of chairs, suffering head injuries, will sue Anschutz Entertainment Group and L.A. Arena Co. for an unspecified amount. NBA.com notes that the suit accuses the company of wrongful death and negligence, claiming that the facility failed to provide adequate notification that the skyboxes were dangerous.
The family's attorney, Scott Wellman, told NBA.com that the owners of the arena were seeking to make a profit at all costs:
The suit contends "in order to obtain the highest price possible for use of the luxury boxes, the Staples Center designed and maintains the luxury boxes in a dangerous condition." "They are trading dollars for safety," Wellman said of the defendants.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
