Lawyers for a New York aunt who sued her 12-year-old nephew after a hug broke her wrist are in damage control mode after the story went viral.
Jennifer Connell, 54, now alleges that she’s not going after the boy, who was eight at the time, for $127,000 because she is a heartless sociopath.
Rather, her attorneys say, after his overly enthusiastic hug broke her wrist, she was forced to sue so her medical bills would be paid for by insurance.
We don’t get it either.
Law firm Jainchill and Beckert told NBC this week that Connell "had no choice" but to sue and this boiled down to "homeowners’ insurance" aline.
"Our client was never looking for money from her nephew or his family. It was about insurance and being forced to sue to get medical bills paid."
"She suffered a horrific injury. She had two surgeries and is potentially facing a third. Prior to the trial, the insurance company offered her one dollar."
"Unfortunately, due to Connecticut law," the firm continues, "the homeowners’ insurance company could not be identified as the defendant."
The law firm says she was "very reluctant to pursue this case," but that in the end, she had no choice to sue the boy so she could get her bills paid.
"She didn’t want to do this anymore than anyone else would," the statement read. "But her hand was forced by the insurance company."
"We are disappointed in the outcome, but we understand the verdict. Our client is being attacked on social media. [She] has been through enough."
Whatever her intentsions, Connell testified about her hug with the then 50-pound boy, alleging he should have known the dangers of such actions.
It took six Superior Court jurors to decide that Connell deserved zero dollars in her civil claim against the boy, according to multiple media reports.
Should’ve taken that $1 from the insurance company.
