Updated December 8, 2020

A New Jersey jury awarded a man over 115k for a lost finger. John Garrity sued his MOTHER in 2006 for tapping him on the shoulder as he used a power saw, which caused him to jerk and cut off his finger. In the lawsuit, John’s mother testified that she was trying to get her son’s attention to let him know that lunch was ready because he could not hear her over the sound of the saw. John, who is a carpenter, was at his mother’s house installing a hardwood floor when the accident occurred. What is so troubling about this lawsuit, other than a son suing his own mother, is it is obviously an attempt by the son, and possibly the mother, to obtain money from the mother’s insurance company. The actions of the plaintiff, the defendant, and the attorney are egregious and will only drive up insurance costs for everyone when cases like this are permitted to see the light of a courtroom.