Denise M. Sciarrotta was thrilled with the seats her family had for the minor league hockey game. It was going to be a special night: her 12-year-old daughter was going to sing the national anthem. Then a puck ricocheted off a goal post and slammed into Sciarrotta's head. Blood poured from a gash above her left temple. More than four years later, Sciarrotta said she bears a 2 1/2 -inch scar and permanent brain damage from an incident she maintains could have been prevented with proper safeguards. Her negligence lawsuit could become a landmark case, as the state Supreme Court recently decided to consider if fans have the right to sue for injuries that happened during warmups. A ruling is not expected for about a year. In New Jersey and many states, sports spectators take a chance when they enter an arena or stadium. No federal law governs spectator injuries due to action on the field, and states generally mandate that fans assume some risk when they go to a game, said Joe Capobianco, a New York lawyer.