Miscellaneous

Let's Throw the Lawyers off the Empire State Building

Now, wait a second: Security guards, in 2006, prevented a daredevil from parachuting off the Empire State Building, possibly killing himself, and what do they get in return? A $30 million lawsuit.

The dopey daredevil who tried to parachute off the Empire State Building is coming down on the landmark with a $30 million lawsuit.

In the suit, which is expected to be filed today in Manhattan Supreme Court, Jeb Corliss says the security guards who thwarted his 2006 attempt at jumping off the building endangered his life and caused him "severe emotional distress."

Corliss' lawyer, Mark Jay Heller, said the suit also charges that the building's brass defamed him by claiming his conduct was illegal, when they knew the criminal charge against him had been thrown out of court.

I wonder what kind of lawsuit the guy's family would've brought had he been able to complete the jump, bounced off the Empire State Building, and crashed through some poor sap's car windshield? I'm guessing the driver drenched in the guy's blood would've had a helluva severe emotional distress cause of action.

Full post as published by Quiz Law on January 15, 2008 (boomark / email).