Fox 8 News, from Cleveland, Ohio, has reported that the family of a man killed when an inflatable slide in the Gateway Plaza fell on top of him, has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the Cleveland Indians and others.
The victim, D.J., 54, died one week after the accident occurred in June of 2010 at Progressive Field.
Attorney Alan Perer is representing the widow, K.J.
Perer said, “Mr. Johnson was there to look at a tribute to baseball greats on Gateway Plaza, when an inflatable slide fell on top of him.”
Perer reported that D.J. had received numerous back fractures when the slide –
weighing upwards of 400 pounds – fell on top of him and pinned him down.
D.J. was taken to the Cleveland Clinic, had his back injuries treated, and then was released. He returned to his home in Greensburg.
Once at home – and about a week after the incident – D.J. suddenly collapsed and died.
Perer said the cause of death was “a pulmonary embolism, complications caused from his injuries.”
The lawsuit was actually filed much sooner than this article went to print on March 31 – the suit was filed on December 23. The family had waited to go public with their story as they were hoping for an attempt at restitution from the Cleveland Indians.
K.J. said, “I never did hear from the Cleveland Indians after Doug died. I thought as a courtesy they would call to see how myself and the two girls were doing, but there was never any contact from them up until this day...none.”
Perer said, “Tomorrow is opening day and we thought since no one had reported the story, the public should know and be aware of it. We couldn't get anywhere with anybody so we had to file the suit and see who's gonna be responsible and take care of this family.”
The family thought that the negligent parties involved would come forward to offer some financial assistance for D.J.’s medical and burial costs. D.J. also leaves behind the expenses involved in the raising of two teenaged daughters – for now that burden is his widow’s alone to bear.
One of D.J.’s daughters, planning to be wed in the future, has been upset at the thought of not having her father walk her down the aisle. Her mother said that “hard isn't the word. It's extremely, extremely, painful.”
Besides the Cleveland Indians, Gateway Economic Development Corp. of Greater Cleveland, National Pastime Sports Inc., Progressive Corp. and Scherba Industries, Inc. are named in the suit.
The family is seeking both an undisclosed amount of money and a change in the safety measures at the park.
Perer said, “We also want to know steps are taken to make sure these events are safe for the public, and that nobody else has to go through the ordeal the Johnson's have gone through.”
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