Former SF Giants Player Mac Williamson Files Lawsuit Over 2018 Concussion At Oracle Park
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Former San Francisco Giants outfielder Mac Williamson has filed a lawsuit over a concussion he suffered during a 2018 game at Oracle Park when he was tripped up by the bullpen mound, falling awkwardly and crashing into a wall.
Williamson is suing China Basin Ballpark Company LLC, which owns and operates the ballpark and is controlled by the Giants' ownership group.
In his suit, Williamson claims the raised mounds should not have been placed in foul territory. The Giants moved the bullpens to behind the outfield wall before the 2020 season.
"My life hasn't been the same since suffering the injury," Williamson said in a statement released by a public relations firm for Williamson's attorney, Randy Erlewine.
"My injuries could have been avoided but for the park's failure to relocate the bullpens to where they belonged in the first place," Williamson said in his statement. "Trying to fight through the concussion over the last 2.5 years has been difficult, both personally and professionally."
Former @SFGiants player Mac Williamson announces a lawsuit against the organization for a head injury he suffered in 2018 caused by a trip over the Oracle Park bullpen mounds. Here's part of Williamson's statement. pic.twitter.com/yYQZNvHjOu
— KPIX 5 (@KPIXtv) November 10, 2020
The Giants released a statement following word of the lawsuit, saying, "MLB and its clubs have a longstanding practice of addressing claims arising from player injuries through the collectively-bargained grievance procedure and the worker's compensation system. Williamson's claims are properly resolved through these processes, not through the courts."
Williamson was hurt during a game against the Washington Nationals on April 24, 2018. Five games into the season, he was batting .316 with three home runs and six RBIs at the time. He returned after a month off from the concussion but he did not approach his early-season success, batter just .213 and hitting just one more home run.
In 2019, Williamson appeared in only 15 games for the Giants and hit just .118 before he was designated for assignment. He did not play in the majors in 2020.
"The concussion ended my career and left me with lifelong injuries that have also taken a significant toll on my personal life," Williamson said in his statement. "I suffer nausea, trouble sleeping, mood swings, and other issues."
Williamson's lawyer said since the collision, Williamson has championed the relocation of bullpens from within the field of play to protect other players.