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A goose on the loose? Looks like that's the case based on a lawsuit filed by a West Palm Beach woman who claims she broke her tailbone while defending her sickly child from a rampaging goose on the loose in an area park. Darlene Griffin is suing Palm Beach County for letting the animal roam free at a public park. Ms. Griffin's lawsuit claims that Palm Beach County should have removed the bird from Okeeheelee Park long before the incident occurred. The lawsuit states that the goose had a "history of being territorial (and) demonstrated aggressive behavior" to park patrons and workers, the suit says. Further, the lawsuit cites that no warning signs were posted warning the park visitors to watch out for these fowl tempered birds. Video taken after the incident shows the bird going after other park patrons. The county, which denies the charges, said in its response that it had no duty to warn patrons of the "obvious" conditions at the park. The county did pay a trapper $760 to remove approximately 22 geese that had become unruly. Griffin, a 30-year-old medical assistant, said she tussled with the goose when her son ventured to the park's pond to look at the fish. There the goose unexpectedly lunged at her child, who had a shunt lodged in his chest for administering medicines. Griffin jumped in between and told her son to run away. The bird then turned on her. She said she put her foot up to stop the goose, but it bit her foot. Shaken lose, it then lunged again. She said she fell and hurt her back. But she couldn't stay down. "He was squawking at me and he looked like he was coming at me again," she said. She said park workers later told her that the bird was an ongoing problem. The case resembles a lawsuit filed by two New York retirees from the borough of Brooklyn against the Burt Reynolds ranch in Jupiter. The suit claimed the woman broke some vertebrae in 1985 after "being viciously attacked by Burt's goose." Her husband filed an additional suit claiming lack of consortium. A jury ruled against them and their $200,000 claim. Griffin, who acknowledges a preexisting back condition, seeks more than $15,000. In any event, it looks like this goose is cooked. Sources: "Woman Sues Palm Beach County over Attack by Goose at Okeeheelee Park", South Florida Sun-Sentinel, January 24, 2003, "Woman Suing County after Goose Run-in", Palm Beach Post, January 24, 2003 Return to Laughable Lawsuits page. Or check out our Stupid Lawsuit Collection by clicking here.
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