A man who was hit in the eye by a foul ball while at a Colorado Rockies baseball game is reportedly now suing the organization and, in part, blaming the team's poor performance for the injury.

According to the Denver Post, Timothy Roeckel filed the lawsuit in Denver District Court this week and claims he sustained "catastrophic and permanent injuries" from the incident, which occurred during the Rockies' July 16, 2023, game against the New York Yankees.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | MLB reinstates Pete Rose, making him Hall of Fame eligible

Roeckel was reportedly seated in a luxury box at the time of the incident, and did not have to pay for the ticket because he was a guest of the box owner.

Under what is referred to as the "baseball rule" or "assumption of risk" doctrine, Colorado law generally protects sports teams from being held liable for injuries sustained by fans at games. In addition, as of the 2020 season, all MLB stadiums have been equipped with netting that extends down the dugouts and foul lines to help protect fans from objects leaving the field.

Roeckel's attorneys, however, claim "architectural elements" of the Rockies' Coors Field prevented their client from ever seeing the foul ball coming in his direction, and argue that this case is an exception because the Rockies organization didn't take reasonable steps to keep fans safe.

IN RELATED NEWS | What are the torpedo-shaped bats creating a stir in the MLB?

The lawsuit also claims that the Rockies' "longstanding poor performance on the field" has created an environment where spectators are less engaged with what's happening on the field, according to the Denver Post. Colorado currently has the worst record in the MLB and has not made the playoffs since 2018.

Rockel is reportedly asking for a jury trial and an unspecified amount of money in damages. The Rockies organization has not publicly commented on the lawsuit.