There are several levels of failure which should be considered, with different degrees of financial exposure, due to litigation by the injured party.

Bleachers are unsafe and no one has been hurt

Your bleachers are unsafe and a spectator incident has not occurred. This is the best of scenarios as it relates to bleacher inspections.

Your bleacher might have been unsafe for years. Recently, you have contracted with a bleacher inspection company to have the bleachers inspected. The unsafe condition will be discovered, and the report will provide information that will avert a spectator injury and/or potential litigation.

Bleachers have been inspected and a spectator has sustained an injury

In the event a spectator sustains an injury while using your bleacher, the inspection report might be your “ace in the hole” to avoid financial exposure from litigation. People are injured due to slip and fall incidences with some regularity. If your bleacher has been inspected per code, and all areas that required attention were remedied, the inspection report will substantiate your compliance with current code and provide you with sound legal protection.

Bleachers are unsafe, not inspected, and a spectator has sustained an injury

Your bleachers are unsafe, and a spectator incident has occurred. If your organization has not contracted to have the bleachers inspected by a third party and the unsafe condition has caused an injury, you and your insurance company are exposed to potential damage claims by the injured party. This scenario is the one that whets the appetite of attorneys.

All owners of bleachers should know they have an obligation to make sure their bleachers are safe. Nothing spells eureka to attorneys more than the financial exposure an owner faces under this last scenario. Avoid the financial exposure by having an annual inspection conducted by a qualified organization