Although a man's injury occurred in 1998, he has just settled his personal injury lawsuit in regards to a bull attack that has left him unemployable in his field, as reported by The Telegraph from Middle Georgia.
T.Y. was trampled while he was assisting in the unloading of two bulls in the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry.
The amount of the settlement is undisclosed.
The suit was filed on behalf of T.Y. and his wife L.Y. The defendants were Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority and the Georgia Cattlemen's Association.
Macon-based attorney Bradley J. Survant represented the couple. Survant told reporters that the settlement's notice of dismissal, which now diverts the jury trial, should be filed within the week in the Houston County Superior Court.
Survant said, "It's a long time coming, we just try to do what's best for our client."
Both the Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority and the Georgia Cattlemen's Association disputed liability and would not admit to any wrongdoing in the settlement according to Survant.
Attorney John G. Walker of Perry, in representing both defendants, said, "We denied liability and continue to so. It was resolved in a manner that was agreeable to all parties."
Walked stated that had they gone to trial they would have faced an uncertainty as to the outcome, and the expenses related to trial cases.
In the original complaint, filed in May of 2000, others had been named in the suit, including an owner of one of the bulls. These parties were eventually dismissed from the suit.
An appellate court heard the case three different times on three different issues before it was returned for trial in Superior Court.
The case summary is as follows: T.Y. was one of two experienced cattlemen that planned to display their bulls on April 2, 1998 for the First Annual Georgia Beef Exposition. The men were tasked with unloaded two bulls from their trailer into a pen. They did this by physically manning the gate of the pen.
However, when one of the bulls left the trailer it ran into a panel on the gate instead of into the pen. The impact caused the panel to come loose and impale T.Y. in his upper thigh, sending him to the ground.
Both bulls proceeded to trample and kick T.Y. after he fell to the ground, causing a puncture to his femoral vein and injuring his rotator cuff.
According to T.Y. and L.Y. the injuries have prevented T.Y. from returning to his job as a cattle embryologist – as both arms are needed.
The Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority and the Georgia Cattlemen's Association allegedly failed to provide the adequate security, supervision and management required while controlling animals to be exhibited, according to the lawsuit.
The suit sought damages for T.Y.'s physical injuries, his medical bills, lost wages and other damages.
The authority and the association both maintained that there was an inherent level of risk in activities involving bulls – given that most bulls exceed 1,200 pounds.
If you were injured contact a personal injury lawyer to file your lawsuit as soon as possible. Damages are often awarded by a jury or in a settlement.