Florida’s Craziest Lawsuits
The wild world of Florida is no stranger to crazy crimes or outrageous arrests, so it probably comes as no surprise that our state’s civil courts see some pretty peculiar lawsuits as well.
We’ve put together a list of the craziest Florida lawsuits we’ve ever come across. None of them arise out of our firm, mind you — but as Florida attorneys, we like to keep our pulse on the Sunshine State’s legal scene.
Get ready to “LOL” and “OMG,” because some of these lawsuits are out of this world.
Coral Gables Hospital Throws a Man’s Leg in the Trash
In recent news, Doctors Hospital in Coral Gables, FL made headlines last month when a former patient sued them for throwing his leg in the trash.
John Timiriasieff, a Key Largo man in his 50s, entrusted Doctors Hospital to carry out his leg amputation surgery, and they did just that. After the procedure, though, hospitals typically incinerate the severed body part. For some reason, Doctors Hospital reportedly failed to do so, and instead threw the leg in the garbage dump along with the rest of the hospital trash.
To make matters worse, Mr. Timiriasieff’s name and identifying information were still attached to the leg!
Homicide investigators later stumbled upon the severed leg and opened a foul-play investigation, which eventually led them to Mr. Timiriasieff himself. He was as surprised as they were. Now he’s suing for invasion of privacy and negligent infliction of emotional distress.
Is Soy Meat Cruel and Unusual?
In 2011, a 34-year-old prisoner sued the state of Florida for serving him soy. As the Orlando Sentinel put it at the time, he had “a beef with prison food.”
The man claimed that the prison’s menu, which included soy-heavy variations on barbecue, meat loaf, and “meaty macaroni” had caused him painful gastrointestinal cramping, thyroid problems, heart palpitations, rashes, fatigue, a damaged immune system, and more. His attorneys alleged cruel and unusual punishment.
Theme Park Lawsuit Lineup
Of course, it wouldn’t be a story on the strangest Florida lawsuits without a theme park allegation or two. After all, goings-on at the parks are a staple of our local news. Accordingly, we’ve put together a list of some of the most interesting theme park lawsuits in Florida:
Headless Characters
You might have heard about “emotional distress” lawsuits against theme parks for children who are exposed to (and traumatized by) a headless character in the park. Sure enough, that claim has turned up in a number of lawsuits over the years, but almost always as a small part of an otherwise less-outlandish lawsuit. One family, for instance, sued after being falsely accused of shoplifting and interrogated backstage. That’s where their children saw the character out of costume, and the lawsuit made note of that fact.
The Happiest Song on Earth?
This story actually comes out of California, but Florida theme park fans are sure to relate. When It’s a Small World broke down in California’s Disneyland, a man with various medical problems was “stuck” on the ride for a half hour until help arrived. He claims the conditions aggravated his blood pressure and that he suffered, among other things, emotional distress as a result of the “Small World” theme song, which played nonstop the entire time. Disney insisted they provided assistance in the interim, but the man won in court, to the tune of $8,000.
The Naked Whale Ride
A 27-year-old Miami man was found naked and dead on the back of a killer whale at SeaWorld Orlando in the summer of 1999. Apparently, he hid in the park and dove into the tank after operating hours to fulfill his lifelong dream of swimming with a whale. Experts believe the whale might have mistaken the man for a toy, killing him by mistake. His bathing suit was left floating behind. The family sued SeaWorld for creating the dangerous condition and marketing the whale as friendly.
House of Too Many Horrors?
In 1998, a woman sued Universal Orlando, claiming she suffered psychological trauma while watching the “House of Horrors” show. The court dismissed the case, reasoning that the attraction’s very purpose was to scare its audience and that the plaintiff had failed to state a viable claim.
No Two Lawsuits Are Alike
These may be some of the strangest Florida lawsuits, but they just go to show that there are two sides to every story. We’re here to help injured accident victims make their case. If you believe you’ve been injured or treated unfairly, our office can help. Give us a call today.
Have you stumbled upon any other unusual Florida lawsuits? Share them below, or let us know which of these cases stands out the most!
Mark Kaire has been practicing law in Miami for nearly 30 years. He is dedicated to helping the injured people of Miami receive compensation. Mr. Kaire has been blogging on Miami’s legal issues for many years.
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