Can someone sue me for getting hit by my golf ball?

Question

I was playing golf at my local country club today and accidently hooked it real bad and it was short. but it ended up hitting a grounds keeper in the shoulder. he was mowing and had on ear protectors so he couldnt here me at all. i did yell fore and at the top of my lungs but he didnt even look up. he was pretty nice about it. but could he end up sueing me i offered to pay hospital bills if he needed them or to buy him dinner but he wouldnt let me.

Answer 1

One thing that a golfer must always keep in mind when workmen are still on the course. If they are in front of you, give them fair warning, If they cannot hear you let them finish the work they are doing before you shoot. No shot should be played if there is a possibility of injuring someone.

Answer 2

Of course he can sue you. People can sue others for just about anything.

Will he win? No way! Not court will even accept his complaint. Remember, getting sued doesn't mean that you did something wrong, just that someone (the other person) thinks you did something wrong. Relax and try to get that hook fixed!

Answer 3

The groundskeeper is an employee of the course. He should be covered by workers' compensation insurance, so he should not be able to sue you.

If you work on a golf course, getting hit is simply an occupational hazard.

Answer 4

Nope, not unless you were grossly negligent or willfully attempting to hit the guy.   Similarly, he can't sue the course unless they were negligent about the course design that would cause him to get hit.   You assume risk right when you step on the golf course.  I wouldn't even sweat it, but perhaps paying the hospital bill might ease things with the guy and the country club.  

On second thought, the guy works at the course and will be covered by worker's comp insurance, so you have absolutely nothing to worry about, except maybe some harsh feelings.

Answer 5

The only time you can be sued by someone on a golf course, either a worker or another golfer, is if they can prove willful negligence or recklessness (basically that your were trying to hit them). Courts accept (and confirm all the time) that people who are on a golf course accept a level of risk. The only people who normally get relief from golf related injuries and damage are those driving a car on a street by a golf course because they have not knowingly or willfully accepted any risk.

Answer 6

Yes he can.

You are responsible for any damage or injuries sustained while playing golf. It doesn't matter if he heard you or not, where your ball goes is your concern alone.

It's the same story if you hit a window of a house. It doesn't matter whether you meant to or not, you must pay for that window.

However, the only thing he could conceivably sue you for are any medical bills. I don't know what else he could possibly look to gain from this; and if you offered to do that already, I'd say your in the clear.

Answer 7

I don't think he can sue you. It is consider sports accident and I don't believe sports accident has ground for civil sue - unless you're intending to commit the accident.  Now if you purposely aim and hit him, thats the whole different story but again it will be a hard case to prove because of the location being a golf course.