Utah Boy Clubbed with Baseball Bat Awarded $6.7M in Damages

By Robin Chang

Published on November 19, 2007

Dalton Nielson was a spectator at Lehi Veterans Memorial Park during a softball game organized by the U.S. Specialty Sports Association, a multi-sports governing body for youth across the country.

The lawsuit claims that the organization was liable for not having specific guidelines in place that could have prevented the incident from occurring, including regulations against youngsters entering the field of play between innings.

Following the incident, the boy spent two weeks at Primary Children’s Medical Center where he underwent brain surgery. His injuries are considered debilitating and doctors believe that he will need medical care for the remainder of his life.

A lawyer for U.S. Specialty Sports Association said that the organization would appeal the verdict under the charge that there was inconsistent testimony given by the boy’s grandfather regarding whether or not Nielson was encouraged to return the ball to the field immediately prior to the incident.