In a lengthy opinion published this morning, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals affirmed the jury’s verdict in favor of Edwin Hickox against Defendant Wilson Sporting Goods. Mr. Hickox is a Major League Baseball umpire who was injured while wearing a Wilson mask during a Washington Nationals game. Unfortunately, Mr. Hickox suffered significant injuries due to the Defendant’s unsafe product, including a concussion and trauma to his ear which required several surgeries. Paul Cornoni and Patrick Regan represented Mr. Hickox at trial, and on appeal.
The case involved a product liability action against Defendant Wilson for selling an umpire’s mask which was not tested properly and consisted of a safety defect. At trial, the jury heard evidence from several witnesses, including a biomechanical engineering expert from MIT. The jury concluded that the mask was defective and awarded $775,000.00. to Mr. Hickox to compensate him for his injuries, the medical bills he incurred and other types of damages.