Legendary coach’s wife fell on an escalator at USC’s stadium. A lawsuit was settled for $1M
A lawsuit stemming from an accident at Williams-Brice Stadium that severely injured the wife of legendary football coach Art Baker has been settled for more than $1 million, according to court records.
Edith Baker and her daughter, Kim, were injured while attending a USC football game against the University of Kentucky in 2019, according to a 2021 complaint. The pair were riding an escalator down from the stadium’s “Founder’s Zone” when it sped up and abruptly stopped, “propelling them” down metal steps.
Edith Baker, who died in 2021 after the lawsuit was filed, was 88 years old at the time of the accident. She hit her head on the sharp edge of one of the steps, fractured several bones and suffered “significant” wounds to her legs, among other injuries, according to the lawsuit. Both Edith and Kim required medical treatment and physical therapy.
The injuries impaired Edith Baker’s ability to care for herself, the lawsuit alleged. As a result, she and her husband had to move into an assisted living facility, where their living expenses increased and their quality of life decreased.
The lawsuit claimed USC and Otis Elevator Co., which the university had contracted services from, were negligent. They failed to provide a safe environment and failed to inspect and maintain the escalator. An amended complaint accused Otis Elevator Co. of being financially motivated, attempting to reduce its own costs for labor and replacement parts.
The case was settled for $1,125,000, with $500,000 going towards medical expenses, attorneys fees and reimbursement costs. Kim Baker received more than $12,000 for her injuries, Art Baker received more than $540,000 for loss of consortium, and Edith Baker’s estate received more than $50,000.
According to the agreement filed Jan. 2, the lawsuit was settled because of the uncertainty of trial and further litigation expenses.
Art Baker, a longtime football coach and South Carolina Athletic Hall of Famer, died last month on Jan. 14, less than two weeks after the settlement was reached. Baker was former head football coach at Furman University, The Citadel and East Carolina University; he also coached at Newberry and Eau Claire high schools. He was inducted into the South Carolina Athletic Hall of Fame in 1995 and S.C. Football Hall of Fame in 2020.
He was assistant athletics director for development at USC and Gamecock Club director for nearly seven years.
Attorneys for the Bakers, Dick Harpootlian and J. Thomas McElveen, and representatives for Otis Elevator Co. could not be immediately be reached for comment. Arthur Baker Jr. and the University of South Carolina declined to comment.
This story was originally published February 21, 2024 at 6:00 AM.
