Escaped Tiger Enters the Torts Ring
This would be today’s entry in the Dept. of Cases We’re Unlikely to Hear About Again. Courtesy of today’s Gothamist, we learn that a case involving an escaped circus tiger whose presence caused car accidents along the Jackie Robinson Parkway in Brooklyn (NY), which in turn caused serious injuries to the occupants of the vehicles involved, has settled for close to $1 million dollars. The tiger’s trainer was the defendant in the suit.
Apparently, the pile-up on the parkway came about when the attention of the drivers was diverted from the road by the presence of the very large cat. Given that most of the time, we do not expect to be confronted with the sight of wild jungle animals roaming the streets of New York City, how did the plaintiffs tackle the issue of foreseeability?
UPDATE re: NYC’s Potholes
There is a new development in the story of NYC’s Pothole Map, and its continued viability (see my December 19th posting regarding the NY Court of Appeals’ problems with the map).
According to the Gothamist’s John Del Signore, Mayor Bloomberg, just back from Israel, has been out on City streets fixing the potholes himself! Could this mean that there will be no potholes left to map?
WHEN YOUR DR. SHOULD TELL YOU TO GO TAKE A HIKE
Should part of the informed consent discussion include your physician’s telling you that you would get better care elsewhere? That is the subject of a fascinating article in today’s NY Times. Reporter Denise Grady discusses the awkward situation that can arise when your local surgeon, for example, should tell you that your rectal cancer would be better addressed at a big-city teaching hospital, despite your wish to remain close to home. Is the surgeon obligated to do so? Good question.
Ms. Grady provides a couple of useful links for people faced with decisions regarding surgeries. You can find out how well (or poorly) a hospital does in performing operations, and treating illnesses, at www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov. Additionally, you can find information on hospital infection rates in some states at www.hospitalinfection.org.