Woman Attacked By Goose Sues County - County Didn't Post Warning Signs About Goose

mycfnow ^

[chance33_98]

Woman Attacked By Goose Sues County

Lawsuit Asserts County Didn't Post Warning Signs About Goose

Posted: 6:39 a.m. EST January 24, 2003 Updated: 8:59 a.m. EST January 24, 2003

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla -- A woman who says she was attacked by a 3-foot-tall goose is suing Palm Beach County, claiming the county should not have allowed the bird to roam in a public park.

Darlene Griffin, 30, claims in her lawsuit that the goose lunged at her son on Feb. 5 while he was standing near a pond in Okeeheelee Park. Griffin, a medical assistant, said she jumped in between the goose and her son, who had a shunt in his chest for administering medicines, and told her son to flee. That's when the bird turned its attention toward her, she said.

Griffin then tried to block the bird with her foot, but it bit her in the foot.

"He was squawking at me and he looked like he was coming at me again," she said.

Griffin claims that she fell down while fighting with the animal and broke her tailbone.

The lawsuit asserts that the goose had a history of being territorial and aggressive, but the county did not have any warning signs posted.

The county denies that. In its response to the lawsuit Jan. 8, the county said it had no duty to warn people of the "obvious" conditions at the park.

Eric Call, the county's assistant parks director, said the goose was removed from the park after the incident. A few months later, the county hired a trapper to remove 22 geese from the park because they had become unruly.

Griffin's attorney, Joe Fields, said the fact that the county removed the birds shows they are dangerous. As further proof, Fields videotaped the goose that Griffin claims attacked her harassing other parkgoers. The video shows a man hitting the bird near the head to make it stop attacking him.

Call said pet owners drop off the geese at the park from time to time because the birds have become ornery. The county plans to print brochures to inform people they should not leave their birds there, he said.

[GSWarrior]

Why not sue Aflac too for fostering the image of geese as lovable, wacky characters?

[blau993]

You better believe they can be aggressive. I encountered a flock on a golf course one time, and one big sucker charged at me. Thought I was going to lose a 7 iron fighting him off.

[strela]

When I say "bite," I really mean pinch. Geese have no teeth but they can do a number on any exposed skin (like if you're wearing shorts) with their bill.

[Dr. Eckleburg]

GOOSE ON THE LOOSE!!!

[RedBloodedAmerican]

I remember those. But not the BMX track. Must have been after I moved away ('90). Real nice area. I bet it is all developed by now.

[doug from upland]

How do you lose to a goose?

[mattdono]

The BMX track was put in around '90/'91. The area has built up significantly. I used to live in Palm Beach National which was just south of there off of Pinehurst Drive (which connected Forest Hill Blvd and Lake Worth Rd.).

What high school did you go to?

[Bluntpoint]

My geese are so mean that they chase cars coming up our drive and bite at the tires.

[Dan Day]

County Didn't Post Warning Signs About Goose

They need to put up signs saying, "Duck, Duck, GOOSE!!"

[strela]

My geese are so mean that they chase cars coming up our drive and bite at the tires.

LOL - one of mine once made the mistake of nipping my father on the tush when he was bent over digging a hole in the back yard years ago. A shovel makes a nasty implement when wielded in anger, and Dad was madder than a hornet.

The goose survived his impromptu flying lesson, but was never the same afterward.

[RedBloodedAmerican]

Sent ya FR mail. By the way, what a cool profile page you have! How do you like G'Ville? Had two siblings go there to UF, I used to visit them every weekend while in H.S. *nudge*nudge*wink*wink*
G'Ville can be a wild place. Ever play golf on Gainesville Green? hehe

[RedBloodedAmerican]

LOL! Attack Geese!

[Tench_Coxe]

'Bambi' can be mean when provoked. And it isn't the antlers you worry about so much as the hooves.

[No Truce With Kings]

"How do you lose to a goose?"

Maybe by being too loose.

But if it were me attacked?

One word: pate'

[RedBloodedAmerican]

CRIKEY! TAKE A LOOK AT THE TEETH ON THA' MONSTER!

[Blood of Tyrants]

Yep, geese are 95% bluff. Wave your arms, yell loudly, and charge and most of the time the goose will back off (unless you are attacking one of it's babies).

[WFTR]

What does the shunt have to do with anything? Do geese go for shunts in a big way?

Shunts are directly connected into the body and are vulnerable. If they are pulled loose, there can be bleeding. If they get dirty, there can be infection. I understand the mother being protective on a little kid with a shunt, but the whole thing still seems silly.

WFTR
Bill

[PoorMuttly]

The goose is the moose of the bird world. Nasti.

[virgil]

Is that Garfield Goose???! I haven't seen them in years

[LtLFtP]

man, its been a while since i typed LOL and meant it.

L O L .

In a related note, a man stabbed himself in the eye with a screwdriver, and sued snap on for not attaching this warning label:

"stabbing self in eye with screw driver does not give magic powers, do not attempt under any circumstances"