Smith Foster King Secures Second Multi-Million-Dollar Recovery Against Topgolf
PORTLAND, Ore., October 19, 2026—Smith Foster King today announced a multi-million-dollar settlement resolving a traumatic brain injury lawsuit brought on behalf of a young Oregon woman injured at Topgolf’s Hillsboro facility. It is the firm’s second major recovery involving the same location in a year, renewing questions about whether Topgolf adequately protects its guests from known preventable risks of injury, such as being struck by golf clubs and balls.
This latest multi-million-dollar settlement resolves claims that Topgolf placed guests too close to active hitting bays without adequate barriers, creating a foreseeable risk of serious injury. Topgolf denied the allegations and did not admit any liability. At the client’s request, her identity and the precise settlement amount are not being disclosed.
A Preventable Injury
According to the federal complaint, the woman was seated with friends in her assigned bay when a golf club was released two bays down. She received no warning and had no opportunity to move before being struck. She was transported by ambulance to the hospital, where doctors closed her wound with staples. Later, she was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury. She had recently begun a career as a teacher—an occupation her injuries have prevented her from continuing.
The lawsuit alleged that Topgolf failed to keep the premises reasonably safe by placing seating and gathering areas near hitting bays without adequate protective barriers. The lawsuit further alleged that Topgolf was aware that thousands of other guests nationwide had been struck by flying objects entering the seating area of the hitting bays, and that, despite this knowledge, Topgolf failed to remedy the hazard, protect guests, or adequately warn them of the danger.
Same Facility, Similar Allegations
Smith Foster King’s prior case also occurred at the Hillsboro Topgolf and involved a minor guest who suffered a skull fracture and traumatic brain injury after being struck by a golf club. In that case, a federal jury in Portland returned a unanimous multi-million-dollar verdict. Before the punitive damages phase of trial, the parties settled for the full verdict of more than $15.7 million plus an additional confidential sum to resolve the punitive damages claims.
At trial, Smith Foster King partner Anne Foster told the jury that “struck-by” incidents involving guests hit by errant clubs or balls in and around Topgolf hitting bays had occurred hundreds of times a year across Topgolf’s venues nationwide.
“These cases involve remarkably similar allegations,” said Sam Smith, a partner at Smith Foster King. “Our clients contend that the same hazard caused preventable injuries in each case. We hope the attention these cases have received leads to meaningful improvements in guest safety.”
Foster said the parallels between the cases are difficult to ignore and extend beyond the Hillsboro location. The firm also represents a client who suffered a traumatic brain injury after being struck in the head by a flying golf club at a Topgolf facility in Colorado. “When the same injury keeps happening at the same company, under strikingly similar circumstances, it is not an isolated accident,” Foster opined. “Our clients believe Topgolf has had every opportunity to address this risk and has not done enough.”
About Smith Foster King
Smith Foster King is a plaintiff’s law firm representing individuals and businesses in complex civil litigation in state and federal courts. The firm’s collaborative approach draws on decades of courtroom, litigation, and business experience to help clients navigate their most challenging legal disputes.
Smith Foster King handles a broad range of claims, including catastrophic injuries, traumatic brain injuries, employment-related matters such as discrimination, retaliation, and workplace disputes, as well as cases involving sexual assault, elder abuse, and business conflicts. Sam Smith, Anne Foster, and Jaimee King leverage their extensive courtroom and boardroom experience to deliver effective, personalized representation and help clients navigate complex legal challenges. For more information, visit www.smithfosterking.com or call 503.567.7100.
Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in future cases. Each case is evaluated on its own facts and merits.
