$600,000 RECOVERED FOR SPECTATOR HIT IN EYE WITH WILD PITCH AT
SON’S BASEBALL GAME
John G. Mennie, Esq. of the Law Offices of Schibell & Mennie, LLC obtained a hard
fought settlement of $600,000.00 on behalf of his client, John Caruso. John Caruso was a
spectator at his sixteen (16) year old son’s traveling baseball tournament which was held at St.
Augustine High School in Richland, New Jersey on September 21, 2014. The tournament was
sponsored by Perfect Game, USA, who puts on high level traveling tournament baseball games
throughout the country. While standing along a fence outside the field of play watching his
son’s game with other parents, the Plaintiff, John Caruso, was struck in the eye by a wild pitch
thrown by a seventeen (17) year old teammate of his son who was warming up during the game
from his son’s team. The plaintiff ended up having two surgeries on his right eye to repair a
macular hole in the eye and some cornea damage. He is left with 20/40 cloudy vision in the right
eye. He has to be periodically monitored as he is also at risk for developing glaucoma in his
right eye. There was no lost income as the Plaintiff was a non-practicing an attorney who owned
a real estate developing company with his brother.
The total settlement was $600,000.00 with $310,000.00 being paid on behalf of the
seventeen (17) year old pitcher who threw the pitch and his coach who directed him to warmup
along the right field line during the field of play, $185,000.00 from the national organization,
Perfect Game, USA who sponsored the tournament, $100,000.00 from Bob Barth, who ws the
local organizer of the tournament and $5000.00 from St. Augustine High School where the
tournament was held.
Caruso v. Perfect Game USA, Docket #: MON-L-3279-16, John G. Mennie, Esq.,
Attorney for Plaintiff.