South Jersey Woman Suing Little League Player

An incident 2 years ago at a Little League game in South Jersey has now produced a lawsuit involving a woman who was hit in the face with a baseball.  The question on the table is whether the kid threw the ball errantly and accidentally, or was this incident careless and inappropriate.

The victim in this case is Elizabeth Lloyd, who is seeking more than $150,000 in damages to cover medical costs from the Manchester Little League game two years ago.  She's also seeking an undefined amount for pain and suffering.  The Associated Press explains that Lloyd was sitting at a picnic table near a fenced-in bullpen when she was hit with the ball.

The lawsuit filed alleges the errant throw was intentional and reckless, "assaulted and battered" Lloyd and caused "severe, painful and permanent" injuries.  FOX News has discovered that a second count alleges the actions of the Little League player was negligent and careless through "engaging in inappropriate physical and/or sporting activity" near Lloyd.  Ms. Lloyd is demanding a jury trial.

The Little League baseball player at the time was just 11.  Matthew Migliaccio was warming up a pitcher at the time of the incident.  The then young catcher, now 13, told the Asbury Park Press "I ran over to see if she was all right.  She said she was OK.  I was just on with warming the pitcher up, and I was not horsing around."
Anthony Pagano is representing the young man and his family in this case.  The NJ lawyer recently stated "the lawsuit is frivolous and disgusting."

Little League baseball is a learning experience for most who play - fact is very few come out of playing as a youth and go on to being pros.  Most of the kids who play are trying to improve as players, and if you have watched these game you see your share of errant throws on any given game.

The Manchester Little League have not commented on this case, but a spokesman for the Little League said each local league is required to have accident insurance, but that only covers personnel - that includes coaches, players, even concession stand workers, but it does not cover spectators.

This story has broken nationally, and it is far from over.  The Migliaccio family want this to just end, and the parents don't want to put their son and other kids on the team through all the questions and depositions a trial would bring.