This is arguably one of the weirdest court situations I’ve ever read about. A New York woman tried to sue her 12-year-old nephew over a hug that lead her to fall and break her wrist back in 2011, when the boy was 8. Jennifer Connell’s goal? To receive $127,000 in damages, The Guardian reports.
The original incident went down at her nephew’s 8th birthday party four years ago. Excited to see his aunt arrive, he leapt into Connell’s arms. “I remember him shouting, ‘Auntie Jen, I love you!’ and there he was flying at me,” Connell allegedly testified, according to The Guardian. This was the hug that caused it all, apparently.
She also reportedly testified that she loves her nephew, and says he’s “very loving” and “sensitive” toward her. (Is it just me, or does this not add up?)
Anyway, Westport News reports that in court, the boy “appeared confused as he sat with his father, Michael Tarala, in the Main Street courtroom. The boy’s mother, Lisa Tarala, died last year.”
Wow. This poor kid!
Well, Connell’s lawyer, William Beckert, told the New York Daily News, “We do not take great pleasure in bringing a minor to court” and that “(Connell) is not here enjoying a moment of this.”
And according to a recent development, Connell has spoken out to say she was hoping the medical bills were going to be covered by homeowners’ insurance rather than her nephew and his family, People Magazine reports. The law firm representing Connell, Jainchill and Beckert backed up this claim, saying “her hand was forced by the insurance company.”
“Our client was very reluctant to pursue this case, but in the end she had no choice but to sue the minor defendant directly to get her bills paid,” the statement from the law firm reads, according to NBC.
According to The Guardian, it took only 25 minutes for a Connecticut jury to decide she would be awarded nothing.
I cannot believe she went through all of this trouble to legitimately try suing a kid (her nephew at that!) for an accident like this. Hold the kid accountable for leading you to break your wrist by having him apologize, learn a lesson and move on. Once finding out the homeowners’ insurance wouldn’t cover the medical bills, don’t continue to go after your nephew and his family. Why didn’t she have a choice in that?
All I can think about is the emotional toll this must have taken on the boy. It seems so cruel – despite the original intentions.
What do you think of this situation? Would you sue your relative for something like this, or is this lady out of line?
Photo courtesy The Guardian
