2 Investigators: More Baseball Dangers
CHICAGO (CBS) -- With the return of spring, baseball fans all across America are returning to their favorite ballparks to watch America's past-time.
But is there a hidden danger at the old ballpark that could leave fans permanently disabled? 2 Investigator Pam Zekman reports.
Juanita DeJesus was struck in the eye by a smash foul-ball at a Gary, Ind. RailCats game. She was sitting in section 111, just beyond the protective netting behind home plate.
"I had blood coming from my nose and from my eye, and the next thing I know my fiance was screaming for the medics," DeJesus says.
She left the hospital blind in her left eye. Doctors told her it would have to be removed.
Told that baseball teams frequently warn patrons about the dangers of foul balls, DeJesus said she would "never, ever in a million years" have anticipated such an accident.
"Had I known what I know now, I would have never been at the baseball field," she said.
DeJesus owes more than $90,000 in medical bills and she lost her job while recuperating. The RailCats insurance paid her just $1,000 to cover "out-of-pocket" medical expenses.
Now attorney Walter J. Alvarez has filed a lawsuit on her behalf charging the Railcats with negligence.
"In this situation, we feel that had the netting been extended in a more proper fashion our client Juanita would not have lost her eye and be blinded," Alvarez said.
"There's not enough netting to protect the spectators that are there at the game," DeJesus added.
CBS 2 previously profiled 5-year old Jackson Stiles, who was hit in the head by a foul ball at U.S. Cellular Field last summer. He was lucky and didn't suffer any long-term effects.
Since then, a woman at a minor-league game in Texas was killed by a foul ball.
Bob Gorman, a baseball historian, notes that in Japan netting is used all along the field to protect fans. And he says further study on the number of injuries is needed.
DeJesus is reminded of her injury every day.
"I get headaches, it stresses on my other eye because that's all I have," she said. "You know, I'm faced with that for the rest of my life. People will look at me differently as a result of the accident."
RailCats officials did not respond to repeated requests for an interview for this story.
