Jury: Arena, Storm must pay $500,000

[BananaCat]

WOW!

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Jury: Arena, Storm must pay $500,000

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080111/NEWS/80111047/1001

A Sioux Falls man won a $500,000 judgment Friday from the Sioux Falls Storm and SMG, the company that manages the city arena.

Gaylen Klutman, 23, sued after tearing ligaments in his knee in 2002 while playing on the field before a charity game sponsored by the arena football team.

Klutman caught a pass and turned to run when his foot got caught in a fold or flap in the turf.
Klutman’s lawyer, Jack DerHagopian, said Friday that a Minnehaha County jury awarded the full half-million-dollar judgment he was seeking.
The trial began Tuesday afternoon and ended around noon Friday. The jury made its finding at 7:30 p.m., he said.

DerHagopian said he and Sturgis lawyer Mike Strain presented evidence that the team knew the turf was in bad shape when they invited spectators to play on it. Among that evidence was the Storm’s request a year later that the city improve the playing surface.

DerHagopian said the incident left serious and lasting injuries.
“He’s basically half-paralyzed for the rest of his life,” he said.

Sioux City lawyer Jim Redmond represented the Storm and SMG. They will have 30 days to file an appeal.

[The Abyss]

Wow!!!!!! Iwonder how they'll pay there storm players 1000 bucks a game know?

[blanketman]

The storm is a great organization. Dont worry they will be fine .There owner is fully insured. A class organization that had an unlucky break! By the way no one makes over 250 a game ;thats uif rule!

[IndoorExpert]

By the way no one makes over 250 a game ;thats uif rule!

and if you believe that, you will believe anything..................

[blanketman]

Lee harvey Oswald was the lone assailant and OJ is innocent!

[IndoorExpert]

Lee harvey Oswald was the lone assailant and OJ is innocent!

Exactly........................................... ..............

[exit322]

I fully expect that no one's SF Storm game check is over $250, much in the same way that I fully expect that no one's Rochester Raiders game check is too high.

Of course, both owners have other businesses that they can funnel players to. So game checks don't need to be any higher than that.

[IndoorExpert]

Well I agree with you that teams are fully aware that the "game check" needs to be submitted in its proper form. However, if you have played at this level and were a good player, you know how creatively we have been paid.

[exit322]

Honestly, as long as the money's coming from the other business for work done for the other business (and in both cases, my sources tell me the players are at the very least working at those other businesses)...I don't care how much they get paid for playing football in that sideswiped way (e.g. if they're paid $13/hour instead of $9/hour because they happen to be a Storm WR, good for them).

[IndoorExpert]

Well it is actually done quite different than that. Incentives and other creative ways are used to get top quality players, not hourly jobs. Please tell me how you think Askew was paid with Port Huron?

[Ducej11]

Honestly, as long as the money's coming from the other business for work done for the other business (and in both cases, my sources tell me the players are at the very least working at those other businesses)...I don't care how much they get paid for playing football in that sideswiped way (e.g. if they're paid $13/hour instead of $9/hour because they happen to be a Storm WR, good for them).
I dont know how its done with the Storm but the Rochester players work hard for their money. I know of one example where a player was fired from the company because he wasn't doing his job. But remained with the team. Its treated as 2 totaly different enterprises. And Bob makes out too because they are all college educated guys working for his company. Its a smart move and a win/win.

[exit322]

Well it is actually done quite different than that. Incentives and other creative ways are used to get top quality players, not hourly jobs. Please tell me how you think Askew was paid with Port Huron?

I know how Askew was paid with the Pirates. I also know that he was the only one paid illegally (though admittedly, the CIFL's rules in 2006 were pretty lenient considering the other players).

I also know the offense was far better without him in 2007 than with him.