No Money For Aunt Who Sued Nephew Over 'Aggressive Hug'

It took less than half an hour for the jury to rule against a woman who was suing her nephew over a forceful hug at the boy's eighth birthday party in 2011.

The Connecticut Post reported that Jennifer Connell, 54, filed the suit after she claimed her nephew, Sean Tarla, agressively jumped into her arms for a hug at the party. The hug in turn made Connell fall and break her wrist. Tarala was only 8-years-old at the time of the alleged incident. 

Although the injury happened in 2011, Connell did not file the suit until 2013. According to the Connecticut Post, it took the six-member jury approximately 25 minutes to return their verdict.

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A woman in Connecticut has taken her nephew to court and is hoping to receive $127,000 for injuries she says the boy inflicted on her with a forceful greeting at his eighth birthday party.

According to the Connecticut Post, 54-year-old Jennifer Connell claims her nephew, Sean Tarala, acted unreasonably when he jumped into her arms at the party. Connell says that she tried to catch the boy, but fell and broke her wrist while trying to break her fall. 

Now, four years after the alleged incident, Connell is asking a jury to award her big money from her nephew. Tarala, now 12 years old, is the only defendant in the case.

During testimony Connell told the judge that she still loves her nephew but feels he should be held accountable for her injuries.

The Connecticut Post reported that Tarala was in court on Friday, Oct. 9, and appeared confused as he sat with his father. The boy’s mother passed away last year.

Connell also claimed the injury “turned her life upside down” and has “damaged her social life”, according to the Connecticut Post.

"I was at a party recently, and it was difficult to hold my hors d'oeuvre plate," Connell told the jury.

According to the Connecticut Post, the lawsuit states: “The injuries, losses and harms to the plaintiff were caused by the negligence and carelessness of the minor defendant in that a reasonable eight years old under those circumstances would know or should have known that a forceful greeting such as the one delivered by the defendant to the plaintiff could cause the harms and losses suffered by the plaintiff.”