WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. Jan. 24 ?
A woman who says she was attacked by a 3-foot-tall goose is suing the county, claiming it shouldn’t have allowed the bird to roam free in a public park.
Darlene Griffin, 30, claimed the goose lunged at her son Feb. 5 while he was standing near a pond in Okeeheelee Park. Griffin, a medical assistant, said she jumped in between the goose and her son and the bird bit her in the foot.
“He was squawking at me and he looked like he was coming at me again,” she said.
Griffin claims she fell down while fighting with the animal and broke her tailbone.
The lawsuit asserts the goose had a history of being territorial and aggressive, but the county did not have any warning signs posted.
In its response Jan. 8, the county said it had no duty to warn people of the obvious conditions at the park.
Eric Call, the county’s assistant parks director, said the goose was removed from the park after the incident. A few months later, the county hired a trapper to remove 22 geese because they had become unruly.
Probably the reason she had her kid at the park near the pond in the first place was to let him watch the geese. People nowadays just want to blame someone else for every little thing that goes wrong. Not to mention get a free payday out of it.
Nobody hates frivolous lawsuits more than I do but I believe there is actually some merit to this one. However, I would hope that the damages awarded were no more than actual medical costs incurred.
Sueing Mickey D’s for getting people fat was ingnorance. But, if this geese did attack her and she broke tailbone. The park should be liable, especially if there are no warning signs.
It’s a public park!!! The friggin animals are there naturally, and we come into their habitat. Then we bitch and moan when they don’t like it. If you don’t want to mess with animals, go back in your damned house and get out of the friggin park!
The damned sue-for-everything mentality that this country is taking on is horrific.
I’m sorry, but go to Yellowstone in Wyoming. You’ll see lots of jackasses up close to the buffalo taking pictures. If they get gored who’s fault is it? Respect the animals, they can all hurt you. Just imagine, getting your ass kicked by a goose. Here’s the sign: BE CAREFUL OF THE ASS KICKING GEESE.
To prevent this from happening where I live I’m doing some civic duty. I figure I can drop at least fifty geese an hour with my Ruger 10/22. No frivolous lawsuits here!
Yes, Yellowstone does have signs. The thing is people are still up close to the animals taking pictures. Would a sign have prevented this woman from getting her ass kick by a goose? Don’t really know. What happens when a squirrel attacks someone? How about this: HEY JACKASSES, RESPECT THE ANIMALS, THEY CAN HURT YOU. Probably get sued for calling them jackasses.
There are also warning labels on hair dryers telling people not to use them in the tub. To what extent do we have to protect people from their own stupidity and forgo common sense and personal responsibility?
You have got to be kidding!?! Do you think anyone who doesn’t know how to stay away from a friggin’ goose would take the time to read a sign? Can you imagine the number of signs that would have to be put up to prevent every conceivable contingency. There was a line in Airplane where the counterpoint broadcaster says, “Hey they bought their tickets. They knew what they were getting into. I say let them crash.” This is obviously ridiculous, but there is a sliver of truth inherent in this comment. USE YOUR BRAIN!!! People can get hurt doing anything. There is a possibility that I could blow out my computer during a lightning storm. Would I sue because no one bothered to paste a sign on my computer screen. No. I use my brain, buy a surge protector, and turn off the computer when I see lightning. For GOD’S SAKE!!! A GOOSE!!! AHHHH!!
One of the very few times that you’ll see me disagree with Kelly, but I have to here. I once had a three-foot-tall goose attack me while I was with my girlfriend in a park. They don’t have teeth, so the nip isn’t really that painful, it’s just that people get scared because something’s attacking them. I kind of shied away at first as well, then thought about it for a moment. The next time the goose came at me I grabbed it around the throat and applied a little pressure. What’s it gonna do? The damn thing is about 2/3 throat anyway, it’s about the most vulnerable animal around. My girlfriend made me let it go before I “hurt the poor thing”. So I did, and the goose left. End of story.
My father, for some weird reason, was scared of ducks. I find geese to be a little more intimidating - but only a little.
Whether or not the park was responsible for not warning the woman about the mad goose should be irrelevent. People have to start taking some responsiblity for their own well being. People don’t understand the cost society pays for these “waste of time” lawsuits. America created this problem about 75 years ago when it started handing out money to people who couldn’t take care of themselves. I think these types of lawsuits are opportunities for the middle class to get their free money. Many of whom despise these lawsuits until they get their chance to “git paaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiid!”
On a side note, wouldn’t it make a great Lifetime movie if the woman would rise up against this oppressive goose (probably male), go back to the park, and emulate an NFL place kicker and put the goose through the uprights . . . “loser lawsuit lady, from 35 yards out . . . for the win . . . IT’S GOOD!!”
Oh well, this probably makes no sense. Just my thoughts - if they can even be called thoughts.
Pfh. I say just take the safety labels off everything and let nature take it’s course. It’d be two weeks tops before these kind of people just kill themselves off.
Go Skiing in Jackson Wyoming and I guarantee you that you’ll spot some jackass urging a child a little nearer to a moose so that the parents can get the perfect photo. Sure the moose looks peaceful sitting in the snow napping just next to the parking lot of the condo, but it’s still a MOOSE. Wake up, every animal out there is not like your little doggie at home! For that matter how many of you have seen parents let their kid walk up to a strange dog?
