A Houston resident has filed a lawsuit against multiple parties, alleging negligence that led to severe injuries during a baseball game. Tavares Turner, Jr. filed the complaint in Harris County District Court on August 21, 2024, naming Adam Berge, Houston Baseball Association, LLC (HBA), and Memorial Ashford Little League (MALL) as defendants.
According to the court documents, Turner claims that on September 30, 2023, he was playing a game organized by HBA when he suffered a catastrophic injury due to defective equipment. Turner alleges that the second base bag had a large tear which caught his leg as he pivoted to throw the ball, resulting in two broken bones. The document states: "The large tear in the center-right of the second base bag... caught Mr. Turner’s leg. As Mr. Turner’s body turned, his leg did not." This incident left him unable to work for eight weeks and facing mounting medical bills totaling $65,677.29.
Turner asserts that all three defendants failed in their duty of care by allowing dangerously defective equipment onto the field and neglecting proper maintenance protocols. He claims that this systemic failure resulted from months of disregarding basic safety precautions by HBA and MALL. The lawsuit details how HBA personnel allegedly neglected even cursory inspections of equipment before games: "Houston Baseball Association ignored the safety of the players... allowed the equipment to fall into disrepair."
Despite signing a waiver as a condition for participating in league events, Turner contends that this waiver did not release any claims related to negligence by the named parties. He argues that both Adam Berge and HBA were aware of the risks involved but failed to take necessary precautions: "Hosting a contact sport—such as baseball—with defective and dangerous equipment is a foolproof way to injure players."
Turner is seeking judgment against Berge, HBA, and MALL for both negligence and gross negligence. He requests compensation for medical expenses and lost wages resulting from his injuries.
The case is being handled by attorney Devin van der Hahn from VanderHahn LLP. It has been assigned Case ID 2024-55112 and will be heard in Harris County District Court under Judge Gerardo Perez.