What would happen if someone decided to sneak in after hours and swim with the killer whales? Well, they would probably be killed.
If the United States were a family, Florida would probably be seen as the crazy cousin. With plenty of crime stories from the sunshine state making the news, it is often viewed as the most disorderly place in the country. But despite its “Florida Man” news stories, do these bizarre situations actually turn into lawsuits? We’ve gathered three unusual personal injury lawsuits from Florida that will leave you scratching your head.
Sea World: Killer Whale
Orlando, 1999
When people go to Sea World to see the animals, they expect a safe experience. And they mostly get one! But what would happen if someone decided to sneak in after hours and swim with the killer whales? Well, they would probably be killed.
That’s exactly what happened to 27 year old Daniel Dukes in Florida. Despite him breaking the law by hiding and staying in the facility after closing, Mr. Dukes’ family decided to sue Sea World in a wrongful death case. They argued that there were no explicit warnings that someone could die from entering the whale’s tank. In addition, due to puncture wounds found on Dukes’ body, they argued that he was pulled into the tank by the whale. Still, the man was trespassing, and the suit was dropped.
Goose Fight
West Palm Beach, 2003
When Darlene Griffin stepped between a three-foot tall goose and her four-year old son, she did not expect to end up in the hospital with a broken tailbone. However, when she tried to defend her son from the goose, it bit her on the foot. This caused Ms. Griffin, 30, to allegedly fall down and break her tailbone. She decided to sue the county for allowing geese to roam free in a public park and not providing warning signs about their aggression.
The county argued that they have no obligation to do that. Eventually the county did remove the goose, as well as 22 others who had become unruly.
No Cheese, No Discount?
Fort Lauderdale, 2018
Plenty of cheeseburger-loving Americans are happy to pay a small fee to make their hamburger a cheeseburger. But what about the cheese haters?
A Florida couple sued McDonalds after they were refused a discount for ordering a Quarter Pounder with no cheese. They argued that hamburgers and cheeseburgers are different prices on the menu, so if they want to order a Quarter Pounder without cheese, it should cost less. Apparently, McDonalds used to offer four Quarter Pounder options, some of which had no cheese are were cheaper. Unfortunately for the couple, the lawsuit was dismissed because no injury or harm was caused by the situation.
If you do find yourself injured in Florida, whether in an unusual incident or a more common accident, contact a Florida personal injury attorney for help determining if you have a valid case.
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