Attack Of the Pet Duck Causes a Law Suit of $275,000
A pet duck apparently wreaked havoc for a woman visiting her mother in Oregon. Now the woman is actually suing her neighbor who owns the rogue duck.
Cynthia Ruddell, age 62, of Washougal, Washington, was on her mother’s property in Estacada, Oregon, about 25 miles southeast of Portland, when a neighbor’s duck attacked her, according to the suit filed in Oregon state court last Friday. The suit further confirms that the attack was completely unprovoked and the duck simply chose to target the elderly lady. In her attempt to run away from the aggravated assault from the waterfowl, Ruddell stumbled and fell to the ground, breaking her right wrist and spraining an elbow and shoulder, claims the suit.
Ruddell claims that the pet duck attack left her bruised and battered and now she wants up to $275,000 in damages, including roughly $25,000 for medical expenses, with the remainder being for pain, suffering and the toll her injuries have taken on her daily life. The complaint lays the blame on the bird’s owner, Lolita Rose, for failing to maintain control of her pet or “to warn or otherwise inform neighbors of her duck’s dangerous propensity in attacking individuals.”
According to Ruddle, the owner knew about the pet duck’s aggressive nature and “had abnormally dangerous propensities in attacking people” reported Reuters.
Ruddle has stated in the suite that the duck’s behavior towards her wasn’t the first. According to Rose’s neighbors, they have also seen the duck attack other people in the neighborhood and even kids who are waiting by the bus stop.
Unfortunately, the duck won’t be brought to court, since it is understood that after the incident, Rose had her duck killed. Interestingly, the complainant waited two whole years to file the complaint as the alleged incident took place way back in May 2012, reported WebProNews.
Ruddell’s lawyer, Gregory Price said he expects the damages will ultimately be paid by Rose’s insurance policy, but filing a lawsuit was necessary as a precaution because of continuing medical bills from a second surgery on his client’s wrist and a two-year statute of limitations on such claims.
Though such savagery isn’t expected from a duck, a whole entertainment industry has been erected from the business of duck hunting. The question is, will the courts accept the arguments and award the amount to Ruddell, despite the fact that the duck has been put down by the owner?
[Image Via Bing]