Personal Injury Cases You May Not Know About
While most personal injuries fall into a fairly common set of categories, like slip and fall cases and dog bites, sometimes, the strangest injuries result in recoveries.
Whether your personal injuries are simple, complex, or bizarre, an experienced personal injury attorney Oklahoma City can help you.
Strange and Rare Personal Injury Cases
Here are a few strange and unusual personal injury cases.
Cedrick Makara, Newmark Realty, and 40 Worth Associates
In New York City, Cedrick Makara sued Newmark Realty and 40 Worth Associates. Makara went into a bathroom stall with no doorknob. As he tried to leave by pushing open the door, a second person was trying to enter the stall.
In the confusion, Makara seriously injured his thumb. In his suit, Makara alleged his thumb needed surgery and that he was off work for six months. A jury awarded him $3,000,000. His wife received an additional $750,000.
Failed Attempt of Committing Suicide on a Subway
Another New York City case involved a woman who attempted to commit suicide by lying on subway tracks. The arriving train seriously injured her but did not kill her. She sued the city for her injuries. The court in New York awarded her $14.1 million in damages.
Macrida Patterson and a Metal Clip Undergarment
Remember when your mother said everything was all fun and games until someone gets hit in the eye? In 2008, Macrida Patterson, a 52-year-old meter maid, decided to try a tight undergarment at Victoria’s Secret in Encinitas, California.
It was a bit too tight and burst. A metal clip used to hold a rhinestone heart on the garment flew off, and struck Patterson in the eye, cutting her cornea. She needed topical steroids to treat her injury.
Patterson described the episode as “sudden, shocking, confusing, and extremely painful.” She filed suit in the Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking damages for what her attorney described as severe injuries.
Daniel Dukes and the Orca Tilikum
In 1999, Daniel Dukes, a 27-year-old transient, hid in the SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida, after hours, to fulfill a life-long dream of swimming with the orca Tilikum, and interacting with it in its pool.
While it isn’t clear exactly what happened next, the staff found Dukes’ dead body draped over the animal the next morning. He had sustained numerous injuries, and the funeral had to be held as a closed casket event.
Dukes’ parents, Michael, and Patricia Dukes filed suit, arguing that SeaWorld was at fault. They claimed that inadequate security allowed their son to sneak into the park and remain there after hours.
They added that there were no signs warning the public that the animal was dangerous. The couple also claimed that despite the fact that orcas are commonly known as “killer whales,” SeaWorld engaged in false and deceptive advertising, by selling stuffed plush orca toys, which misguided their son into thinking that Tilikum was a cuddly creature, and safe for bonding interactions.
After their son was ridiculed with the dubious public distinction of a “Darwin Award,” for creatively taking himself out of the gene pool, the couple withdrew their lawsuit.
Woman on a Toilet
In Philadelphia, in 2007, a woman in the eighth-floor ladies’ room of a Market Street building was seriously hurt while sitting on the toilet. Pressure building from inside the tank vented, in a tremendous explosion which sent her hurtling out of the stall. While the extent of her injuries isn’t recorded, she clearly was what the law calls an aggrieved plaintiff. She sued the building’s owners for pain, suffering, and medical expenses, as well as anxiety.
How the Attorney Can Help with Your Strange Personal Injury
Whether it’s an exploding toilet vent or a defective doorknob leaving you trapped, or something else you would just as soon not talk about, experienced personal injury lawyers in Oklahoma City will take your case seriously.
Handling personal injury cases is complicated, and involves gathering medical records, pictures, and documents. It can involve a lot of investigation. There are often complex negotiations with the other party, witnesses, and insurance companies. If necessary, an attorney can represent you in court, and present your claim to a judge and jury.
An attorney can help you get the justice you deserve. The Burton Law Group is a group of experienced Oklahoma City personal injury lawyers ready to advise and represent you in your personal injury case. Call today for a consultation.