Utah parents are suing the Little League after their son fell off a bunk bed resulting in serious injury… saying the accident was caused by ‘gross neglect’
- Easton Oliverson fell off his bunk during last year’s Little League World Series
- He suffered life-threatening injuries, but is currently recovering from them
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Nancy and Jace Oliverson, the parents of 13-year-old Easton Oliverson, are suing the Little League after Easton suffered life-threatening injuries from a fall.
Last summer, then-12-year-old Easton — who was on Utah’s first-ever Little League World Series team — fell out of his bunk while sleeping in the team’s dormitories in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
Talking to ABCs’Good morning AmericaFor the first time since the fall, the Oliverson family say the accident was caused by “gross neglect.”
After the fall, Easton was rushed to hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery when doctors diagnosed him with a fractured skull and an epidural hematoma.
Surgeons thought he had almost no chance of life, but their quick actions saved Easton’s life.
The parents of 13-year-old Easton Oliverson filed a lawsuit against the Little League in September
They say ‘gross neglect’ led to their son’s fall from a bunk last year, resulting in a traumatic brain injury that endangered his life during the Little League World Series
On GMA, Jace shared the moment he was woken up by his son’s coach telling him what had happened.
“So I put him down and right as I put him down, that sweet boy immediately lost all ability to execute simple commands like, ‘Easton, sit up, Easton, open your eyes,'” said Jace Oliverson.
At the hospital, Jace said a doctor told him Easton had a zero percent chance of living, and told him, “Dad, you need to kiss your son goodbye.”
The Oliversons filed a lawsuit against Little League Baseball Inc. in September 2022, alleging that a long history of falls from bunk beds in the dormitories had been discovered dating back to at least 2005.
Ken Fulginiti, a lawyer representing the parents, says the bunk beds had no rails – adding there was “no reason” that this should be the case.
“Everything we went through and it was 100% preventable,” said Nancy Oliverson.
“Kids are falling out of the top bunks of the bunks and they may not have been as serious as Easton suffered, but they were orthopedic injuries, they were concussions, those were things like that,” Fulginiti said.
After three brain surgeries and countless hours in the hospital and rehab, Easton is recovering
In a statement to ABC News, the Little League said, “Out of an abundance of caution, after Easton’s fall, Little League removed all bunk beds from dormitories and placed each bed frame individually on the floor. evaluate safety protocols to prevent such an accident from ever happening again.”
The league added: “We continue to offer Easton Oliverson our prayers and support as he recovers and heals.”
Easton is on the long road to recovery nine months later. He underwent three brain surgeries, several weeks in the hospital, many hours in rehab.
The family thanks the power of prayer for Easton being alive today.