You probably heard the story about the aunt who sued her 12-year-old nephew for $127,000 over a hug. Most of America was talking about this a month ago – it was somehow front page news.
The woman in question — Jennifer Connell — went through a lot as a result of her lawsuit. She was publicly shamed and had to shut down her social media account to avoid threats and harassment. There were calls for her death.
She hired a PR consultant who helped her clarify her side of the story. And it wasn’t what most of America expected…
It turns out she was actually in very good standing with her nephew. They appeared on the Today Show and talked about how much they love each other. He and his parents weren’t upset with her at all.
Why in the world not?
When this woman collided with her nephew, it caused a wrist injury and fracture that required surgery. She didn’t have a way to pay for that, but typically her relatives’ homeowners insurance should cover it.
However, the insurance company refused to pay, and that left her with no other legal options but to sue. When you sue in Connecticut, you have to put a name on that suit, and in this case the person who technically caused the injury was her nephew. The family talked it over and were fine with the decision — they had to be. They had no choice.
We have every right to be mad about this story. But let’s not be mad at the woman who couldn’t pay her astronomical medical bills. That could be any one of us.
We could instead be mad at the insurance companies that refuse to pay like this all the time, even after we pay them huge sums every month to protect us. We could be mad at a system that makes healthcare costs skyrocket. We could be mad at the media for ripping a family apart when they did the only thing they could do — the only option for them provided by the law.
As a personal injury lawyer, I wasn’t surprised by this story. I see people in this situation all the time. And when you’re injured and trying to pay for it, the last thing you need is more stress and shame.
If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s neglect, contact me today to talk through your situation, no strings attached.