Professor Robert Rabin spoke with Bob Egelko of the San Francisco Chronicle on why there’s a “strong incentive” for the Los Angeles Dodgers to settle a lawsuit filed against them on behalf of Bryan Stow, the 42-year-old Giants fan who was assaulted and critically injured in the Dodgers parking lot back in March.

Years ago, a baseball fan was beaten by two unidentified men in the Dodger Stadium parking lot and sued the team for his injuries. A jury awarded damages to both the man and his wife, who saw the beating, finding that the Dodgers failed to provide adequate security.

The verdict was quickly wiped out by a state appellate panel, which said such “speculative lawsuits” should be thrown out of court.

That 27-year-old ruling is part of the legal landscape facing lawyers for Bryan Stow, the 42-year-old Giants fan who was assaulted and critically injured by two men in the same parking lot after the opening game of the season March 31.

The Dodgers “don’t want that kind of publicity,” said Robert Rabin, a Stanford law professor. “Both legally and in public relations terms, there’s a strong incentive for them to settle.”