Los Angeles Rams Sued Over Brawl That Left A Security Guard With A Brain Bleed
By Afouda Bamidele on December 14, 2023 at 9:00 AM EST
The Los Angeles Rams are once again finding themselves amid a legal storm after a heated altercation during a recent game led to a security guard allegedly suffering a brain bleed.
This adds to a growing list of safety-related lawsuits targeting the Rams, reflecting a broader concern over the NFL's handling of security issues in its stadiums.
Los Angeles Rams Rocked by Lawsuit From Security Guard Claiming Brain Bleed
In a lawsuit filed by the alleged victim Robert Leahey, he claimed to have suffered "catastrophic" injuries, including a brain bleed, during a violent fan brawl at SoFi Stadium.
The 71-year-old claimed to have sought medical attention at a nearby hospital the day after, "where he was tested and diagnosed with severe and catastrophic brain injuries, including a subdural hematoma with brain bleeding."
Since the alleged assault, Leahey asserted that he has grappled with speech and vision difficulties, accompanied by persistent headaches, rendering him unable to work.
The security guard is pursuing legal action against the Rams, seeking unspecified damages for the physical and financial toll he claims to have endured due to the incident. ICYMI, the incident unfolded on December 8, 2022, during the Rams vs. Raiders "Thursday Night Football" game.
Leahey, employed by Contemporary Services Corporation to help manage crowds and maintain order, recounted a chaotic scene when a "large fight broke out" between LA and Vegas supporters around 6:30 PM.
According to Leahey's statement in the lawsuit, as he attempted to intervene and restore calm, other guards on the scene allegedly pushed him, causing him to tumble down a set of concrete stairs.
Amid the fall, he mentioned hitting his head multiple times. To compound the situation, Leahey claimed that someone involved in the brawl threw a Modelo beer can at him, further injuring his head, per TMZ.
This lawsuit comes four years after The Blast obtained court documents of two Los Angeles Rams fans, Peter Bergin and Rebecca Tabacznik, who filed lawsuits against the team and the security provider for the Los Angeles Coliseum.
They claimed inadequate protection during a tumultuous incident at a concession stand. The alleged altercation occurred during the Rams' game against the Minnesota Vikings on September 27, 2018.
According to court documents obtained by the outlet, the plaintiffs, who were not acquainted before the incident, claimed that a scuffle broke out when a drunk fan accosted Bergin's girlfriend.
In an attempt to intervene and shield his girlfriend, he absorbed a punch to the face, causing him to stumble backward into Tabacznik.
The resulting fall, as described by their attorney Barry Novack, led to Tabacznik hitting her head on the concrete floor, resulting in a brain injury for her and a broken nose plus a dislocated knee for Bergin.
Novack mentioned that the intoxicated fan involved in the altercation had been over-served alcohol, posing a danger to those around him. Critically, the lawyer asserted that the Rams' lack of security measures did not help the situation.
LA Rams Owner Stan Kroenke's Legal Backtrack Sparked Turmoil In The NFL
Kroenke became a source of controversy when he attempted to distance himself from the commitment to cover tens of millions of dollars in legal expenses related to his team's 2016 departure from St. Louis.
During an NFL owners' meeting, Kroenke addressed the room, asserting that he had fulfilled his obligations to the league and apologized for the persistent lawsuit, claiming it was not his fault.
His statement sparked an unusual move as NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell asked Kroenke to leave the room. Following his exit, Pash informed the remaining owners that Kroenke's attorneys had notified the league of the owner's challenge to the indemnification agreement.
The agreement was reportedly signed by all three teams involved in the 2016 Los Angeles derby—the Rams, Chargers, and Raiders—on the morning of the relocation vote.
However, the development unfolded against a drawn-out legal battle initiated by the St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority. The lawsuit alleged that the league breached its relocation guidelines, misled the public, and cost the city millions in revenue.
Despite legal setbacks for the NFL, including denials by the US Supreme Court, the case persisted, entangling all 32 teams and incurring significant legal fees, predominantly covered by Kroenke under the indemnification agreement.
