Note: The video above is from an earlier report.

ATLANTA, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - The Georgia Court of Appeals has reversed a lower court’s decision to dismiss a lawsuit filed against the Atlanta Braves and the team’s 2021 World Series MVP.

The lawsuit was filed by Mayra and Scott Norris, who allege Mayra was struck by a baseball thrown into the stands by Jorge Soler, then an outfielder for the Braves, during game three of the World Series between the Braves and Houston Astros.

The October 2023 lawsuit alleged the ball hit Mayra in the eye, and was thrown “overhand, with a great deal of speed and force ... that it hit Ms. Norris directly in her right eye causing extensive and excruciating injury.”

The lawsuit said Mayra had no time to react or avoid the ball’s impact. The alleged incident happened when the ball was not in play.

Last December, Cobb County Superior Court Judge Angela Brown dismissed the lawsuit, ruling the Braves were shielded from liability under Georgia’s “baseball rule.” That rule generally states that spectators assume the inherent risks of attending a baseball game, and therefore, teams are shielded from liability for common game-related injuries, provided they have taken reasonable precautions.

But in a Sept. 12, 2025, court of appeals ruling, Brown’s ruling was reversed. Now, the case could be headed back to Cobb Superior Court.

The lawsuit claims the Braves failed to “maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition” and did not “prevent reckless and dangerous conditions of which it knew or should have known.” It also asks for general and compensatory damages to be determined during a trial.

“There are some exceptions to the ‘baseball rule,’” said Matt Stoddard, an Atlanta-based personal injury and wrongful death attorney. “For example, a small child is typically not barred from suing by the baseball rule because a small child cannot appreciate the risk.

“In this case, an appeals court ruled that a lower court cannot throw out the complaint without giving the plaintiff the opportunity to gather facts to show that an exception might apply,” Stoddard said. “In the past, some courts have been more deferential to baseball teams with these types of lawsuits. This ruling by the Georgia Court of Appeals is a sign that the details of each case matter, and that the baseball rule does not automatically provide immunity from injuries at the stadium.”

Soler hit a leadoff home run in game one of the 2021 World Series, a pinch-hit go-ahead home run in game four and another homer in game six. He was named the team’s World Series MVP, but wasn’t re-signed during the Braves’ offseason.

Since then, Soler has played for the Miami Marlins and San Francisco Giants. He is currently on a 60-day disabled list for the Los Angeles Angels.

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