Aunt Files Lawsuit Against Nephew

[monsterz]

AKA people are horrible.  I wish this was satire but it appears to be real.  The woman hasn't been able to hold an hors d’oeuvre plate since the incident - how horrible. 


m.ctpost.com/news/article/8-year-old-boy-on-trial-for-exuberance-6566757.php

A New York woman wants a jury to hold her then-8-year-old nephew accountable for his youthful exuberance during his birthday party.



Jennifer Connell claims the boy, Sean Tarala of Westport, acted unreasonable when he leaped into her arms, causing her to fall on the ground and break her wrist four years ago. This week Connell is asking a six-member Superior Court jury to find the boy liable for his actions.





She is seeking $127,000 from the boy, who she described as always being “very loving, sensitive,” toward her. The boy is the only defendant in the case.



In court Friday, the boy, now 12 years old, appeared confused as he sat with his father, Michael Tarala, in the Main Street courtroom. The boy’s mother, Lisa Tarala, died last year.



On the witness stand before Judge Edward Stodolink, the 54-year-old Connell, a human resources manager in Manhattan, testified she loves Sean but believes he should be held accountable for her injury.



On March 18, 2011, Connell, who has no children of her own, arrived at the Tarala home at 25 Woods Grove Road to attend Sean’s birthday party.



The boy had gotten his first two-wheeler for his birthday, and was joyfully riding the bright-red bike around and around the home, according to testimony.



But when he spotted Connell, he dropped the new bicycle on the ground, exclaiming, “Auntie Jen, Auntie Jen.”



“All of a sudden he was there in the air, I had to catch him and we tumbled onto the ground,” Connell testified of her encounter with the 50-pound boy. “I remember him shouting, ‘Auntie Jen I love you,’ and there he was flying at me.”



Although hurt, Connell said, she didn’t complain to the boy at the time.



“It was his birthday party and I didn’t want to upset him,” she told the jury.



But, Connell continued, her life was turned upside down as a result of the injury.



“I live in Manhattan in a third-floor walk-up so it has been very difficult,” she said. “And we all know how crowded it is in Manhattan.”



And then there is the damage the injury has done to Connell’s social life.



“I was at a party recently, and it was difficult to hold my hors d’oeuvre plate,” she said.



“The injuries, losses and harms to the plaintiff were caused by the negligence and carelessness of the minor defendant in that a reasonable eight years old under those circumstances would know or should have known that a forceful greeting such as the one delivered by the defendant to the plaintiff could cause the harms and losses suffered by the plaintiff,” the lawsuit claims.

[sparkythelawyer]

Sigh

[badtzmaru22]

WTF.

[drloretta]

OMG

Now I have to know if she's the father's sister or the dead mom's sister. As if it could get any uglier.

[aspentosh]

AYFKM?

[ECB]

Oct 13, 2015 11:53:26 GMT -5 monsterz said:

“I live in Manhattan in a third-floor walk-up so it has been very difficult,” she said. “And we all know how crowded it is in Manhattan.”

Please be explaining to me what a broken wrist has to do w/ living on the 3rd floor??  Or how crowded Manhattan is?? 

And good grief, the boy lost his mother a year ago.

What a jackass.

[yellowbrkrd]

Wow....

[aspentosh]

"Sorry, junior... next time you have to show her a little less love."

[dana2006]

I'm really surprised the suit wasn't tossed out of court.

[gibbinator]

Omg, now we're holding 8yr old's liable for being energetically affectionate? I hope she loses. And she's pursuing this case even though the kids mom died (her sister?).

[ECB]

And JFC - you're "that" aunt who this kid adores. He ran away from his cool new toy to run to you, and this, THIS is what you do???

Especially when having a loving aunt in his life after LOSING HIS MOM would probably be a really wonderful gift for this kid.

But no... lets punish him for being a KID and go for $$$.

[mrsjrd23]

I was just reading this and my blood is boiling. I can't imagine a judge wouldn't throw this case out. i feel so bad for that kid

[crazygame]

I was just thinking about how being a litigator has made me a worse person.

And then I see this...our legal system is so abused.

[Deleted]

Any other lawyers remember studying a case similar to this in law school. Maybe tort class?

I feel like there was a case like this about an excited child who caused an injury or something. Am I making this up? Lol

[Yankees21]

Oct 13, 2015 12:04:30 GMT -5 oceanspray said:

I keep reading the thread title as "Aunt Sue's Nephew." Aunt Sue's nephew what?

Omg, I still didn't get it until I read this post. I was thinking, how shitty, but who is Aunt Sue??

[Deleted]

Oct 13, 2015 12:11:39 GMT -5 @awinter said:

Any other lawyers remember studying a case similar to this in law school. Maybe tort class?

I feel like there was a case like this about an excited child who caused an injury or something. Am I making this up? Lol

Maybe? All I can remember is fish chowder --> vomit --> foreseeable slipping on vomit so this bitch will probably lose.

[Deleted]

Oct 13, 2015 12:18:49 GMT -5 @notquiteblushing said:

Oct 13, 2015 12:11:39 GMT -5 @awinter said:

Any other lawyers remember studying a case similar to this in law school. Maybe tort class?

I feel like there was a case like this about an excited child who caused an injury or something. Am I making this up? Lol

Maybe? All I can remember is fish chowder --> vomit --> foreseeable slipping on vomit so this bitch will probably lose.

Lol, I remember that case too.

[tootsie]

What a c u next tuesday.

[heygrey]

Oct 13, 2015 11:59:33 GMT -5 gibbinator said:

Omg, now we're holding 8yr old's liable for being energetically affectionate? I hope she loses. And she's pursuing this case even though the kids mom died (her sister?).

Or because his mom died? I didn't read when she started pursuing this case, but my first thought was insurance money.

[HoneySpider]

That poor kid....WTF lady!

[mandapanda18]

so... along these lines, My H's grandmother (maternal) had toys at her house for the kids to play with (provided by MIL - H's mom because grandmother didn't think it was her responsibility to buy toys for her house). Her other grandchildren (H's cousin) were at her house and left the toys out, causing grandma to trip and fall. She sued my H's parents for $10k following her injuries. H and his sister were not even at the house!

She won and my in-laws homeowners insurance had to pay her out!

[hainesherway]

Oct 13, 2015 11:56:55 GMT -5 ECB said:

Oct 13, 2015 11:53:26 GMT -5 monsterz said:

“I live in Manhattan in a third-floor walk-up so it has been very difficult,” she said. “And we all know how crowded it is in Manhattan.”

Please be explaining to me what a broken wrist has to do w/ living on the 3rd floor??  Or how crowded Manhattan is?? 

And good grief, the boy lost his mother a year ago.

What a jackass.

I'm assuming she means she is unable to use the railing for the stairs and therefore it's more difficult to climb up them.  Regardless, I think this lawsuit is crazy cakes...accidents happen!  There must be more to the story.

[mandapanda18]

Oct 13, 2015 12:29:48 GMT -5 oceanspray said:

Oct 13, 2015 12:28:35 GMT -5 mandapanda18 said:

so... along these lines, My H's grandmother (maternal) had toys at her house for the kids to play with (provided by MIL - H's mom because grandmother didn't think it was her responsibility to buy toys for her house). Her other grandchildren (H's cousin) were at her house and left the toys out, causing grandma to trip and fall. She sued my H's parents for $10k following her injuries. H and his sister were not even at the house!

She won and my in-laws homeowners insurance had to pay her out!

Right?!? I would post the suit, but don't want to expose poor H or his crappy family!

[antoniamarchette]

Gotta love family!

[bcv513]

“I was at a party recently, and it was difficult to hold my hors d’oeuvre plate,” she said.

It's incredible that she has been able to function at all. I totally agree that she wants a piece of mom's life insurance. I wish Judge Judy was the judge on this case

[halfpint]

Isn't there some kind of reverse settlement the judge can force her to pay for being a massive hosebeast and wasting everyone's time? Or the father could file a counterclaim for emotional suffering she's causing a CHILD?
WHATTABITCH!

[satsuma]

Oct 13, 2015 12:11:39 GMT -5 @awinter said:

Any other lawyers remember studying a case similar to this in law school. Maybe tort class?

I feel like there was a case like this about an excited child who caused an injury or something. Am I making this up? Lol

The 4 year old on a bicycle is the case that came to mind when reading it. www.nytimes.com/2010/10/29/nyregion/29young.html?_r=0

[brooklyn]

Wtf!!

I'm guessing she's not favorite aunt anymore...

[cincodemayo]

I just thought they called her Aunt Sue, haha.

This is so freaking bizarre. I hope that lady never gets to see her family again.

[megs193]

What a bitch. I hope she never has kids of her own. This poor kid lost his mother and now he has to go through this. People are evil.