On Sunday afternoon, in the moments after D.C. United’s home victory over NYCFC, a win that clinched the home side a spot in the playoffs, United fans filed out of Audi Field brimming with excitement. In the north end of the stadium, a pair of D.C. supporters trundled down the aisle and turned toward an exit. “Dude,” one of them said between sips of beer. “Don’t grab onto that railing!” A few other fans chuckled at the suggestion.



It was a dark joke about an incident that marred Audi Field’s opening day three months ago, a workplace accident that has in some small way remained a black mark on an otherwise successful opening run of games at the facility. Details of the event have been hard to come by, but documents obtained by The Athletic fill in more of the picture and show the extent of Simpson’s initial injuries.



On July 14th, about an hour and fifteen minutes before the opening kick between United and the Vancouver...