A Manhattan woman is allegedly suing her nephew for $127,000 over a birthday greeting from the then-8-year-old that left her with a broken wrist.
Jennifer Connell, 54, says Sean Tarala, now 12, should have known better than to welcome her to his 2011 birthday party by jumping into her arms, according to the Connecticut Post.
The incident in question occurred March 18, 2011, when she came to Westport, Conn., to attend her nephew's birthday bash.
Tarala was outside playing with a new bike he received for his birthday when he spotted his aunt. Excited by Connell's attendance, he dropped the new set of wheels and ran towards his aunt to greet her, shouting, "Auntie Jen, Auntie Jen."
"All of a sudden he was there in the air, I had to catch him and we tumbled onto the ground," Connell testified. "I remember him shouting, 'Auntie Jen I love you,' and there he was flying at me."
Connell claimed that despite being hurt, she didn't want to ruin the party by telling her nephew the extent of her injuries, according to the New York Daily News.
"It was his birthday party and I didn't want to upset him," she told the jury.
Connell, who has no children of her own, claims her life has not been the same since the incident.
"I live in Manhattan in a third-floor walk-up so it has been very difficult," said Connell. "And we all know how crowded it is in Manhattan."
She noted that the injured wrist has also negatively impacted her social life, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
"I was at a party recently, and it was difficult to hold my hors d'oeuvre plate," she added.
Despite filing the suit, Connell claims she loves her nephew, but still believes he should be held accountable for her injury.
"The injuries, losses and harms to the plaintiff were caused by the negligence and carelessness of the minor defendant in that a reasonable 8-year-old under those circumstances would know or should have known that a forceful greeting such as the one delivered by the defendant to the plaintiff could cause the harms and losses suffered by the plaintiff," the lawsuit claims.
No ruling has yet been issued.
