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Wednesday, September 05 2012 |
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A hustle play by L.A. Lakers basketball player Kobe Bryant led to a lawsuit against him from a fan who "felt like a human punching bag."
During a game in 2005 between the Lakers and Memphis Grizzlies, Bryant chased down a ball headed out of bounds and landed on fan Bill Geeslin, who was seated courtside. Geeslin sued Bryant, claiming he was assaulted and was left with a bruised lung cavity. Geeslin wanted in excess of $75,000.
“I recall a fast-paced incident seeing him come to me, running into me and then forearming me,” Geeslin said in a 2008 deposition. “He intentionally forearmed me in the chest. He did not apologize. He walked away and pushed — he kind of pushed his arm toward me and glared at me and walked away.”
Geeslin passed away shortly after filing the lawsuit (for causes not related to the incident), but his estate continued the case, which in 2010 was thrown out on summary judgment on grounds that no reasonable juror could conclude that Bryant intended to hurt Geeslin. On appeal, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati upheld summary judgment on the emotional distress claim, but allowed the appeal to move forward on the claim of assault.
On the eve of jury trial, Bryant settled the case with the family. The terms are undisclosed.
—Sources: probasketballtalk.nbcsports.com and sports.yahoo.com |
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Wednesday, August 29 2012 |
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A Dallas Cowboys' fan is suing the team, stadium owners, the fan club and team owner claiming her buttocks were burned after sitting on a bench outside the stadium.
According to the lawsuit, Jeanne Carillo planned to attend a Blue & Silver Debut scrimmage game at the stadium. Prior to entry, Carillo sat down on a black marble bench that was uncovered and openly exposed to the August sunlight, causing her to suffer third degree burns on her buttocks. Carillo further alleges that there were no posted warning signs and that the defendants should have known that the material used to construct the bench would become dangerously hot.
Carillo claims to have suffered physical pain and mental anguish, medical expenses, loss of earning capacity, physical impairment and disfigurement. She is seeking an unspecified amount of damages and interest. Carillo is seeking a jury trial.
—Source: dfw.cbslocal.com (Dallas-Fort Worth) |
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Wednesday, August 22 2012 |
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A manufacturer of respirators is being sued by a shipyard worker whose job it was to clean and maintain the respirators. The lawsuit alleges that the worker was exposed to asbestos when cleaning the respirators, causing him to develop mesothelioma, a type of cancer.
Plaintiff Leo Macias maintains that the manufacturer, Saberhagen Holdings, Inc., had a duty to warn him that he could be exposed to harmful asbestos dust when handling the respirators. A lower state court threw out the lawsuit, ruling that it was the asbestos, not the respirators, that caused his cancer.
In a 5-4 decision, the Washington State Supreme Court recently reversed the lower court's ruling and reinstated the lawsuit. Supreme Court Chief Justice Barbara Madsen wrote that when used as intended, the respirators posed a danger to anyone who cleaned them, and thus, Macias should have been warned by the manufacturer.
—Source: The Sacramento Bee |
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Tuesday, August 14 2012 |
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A New Mexico woman is suing her city for emotional injuries after her arrest for failure to return an overdue book and movie to her local library.
Lori Teel allegedly checked out a copy of the Twilight book and movie in the fall of 2010 and failed to return both. According to news reports, overdue notices and eventually a demand for her to appear in court were sent to her home and ignored. When police showed up at Teel's home on an unrelated disturbance call and discovered that a warrant had been issued for her arrest due to her failure to appear in court, she was arrested in front of her five children and had to spend the night in jail.
Teel says she doesn't even remember checking the book and movie out of the Portales Public Library and claims the court notices were sent to the wrong address. Teel is suing the city for emotional injuries.
"My kids are still very emotional," Teel said. “They had to stay with a complete stranger. My 3-year-old is traumatized over it. She will not leave my side."
—Source: Findlaw.com |
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Wednesday, August 08 2012 |
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The family of a deceased mechanical engineer who wished to donate his body to science is suing a New York hospital after the corpse was rejected because it was too heavy.
Queens (NY) mechanical engineer George Cardel was a science buff and made it known that upon his death he wanted to donate his body to medical science. After he died at age 59 of a heart attack, the family notified the hospital of Cardel's desire. Thirteen days later, the body was returned to the family.
According to news reports, Long Island Jewish Medical Center officials tried to place the corpse with the Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine at Hofstra University, but it was rejected because it was too heavy. No other facilities would take the corpse either.
Former New York City chief medical examiner Michael Baden told reporters, "An obese person would be harder to dissect because of the amount of fat tissue under the skin." It is reported that Cardel weighed about 300 pounds at the time of his death.
Cardel's sister, Maryann O'Donnell, is suing the hospital for $2 million, alleging "grave humiliation." The family further claims that the body was so badly decomposed after 13 days that it required cremation.
“Everybody was trying to get through closure and suddenly George was back,” Maryann's husband, Joseph, said.
Hospital spokesman Terry Lynam confirmed the family’s story, but said officials also contacted other medical schools and labs in an effort to satisfy Cardel's wishes.
—Source: NewYorkDailyNews.com |
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