Not So Funny: What You Should Do If You Are Injured By A Prank
Do you love a good prank as long as it's not on you? Pranks can be very funny, even hysterical. And videos of pranks are very popular. According to Yahoo Tech, it's not unusual for prank videos to go viral, with millions of views and shares on social media. But pranks can also go horribly wrong. Even seemingly "innocent" and common pranks like pulling a chair out from under a person can cause serious injury. In 2014, for example, a man sued The Men's Wearhouse and an unidentified employee after the latter pulled out a chair from under him at a company picnic. So what should you do if you are injured by a prank?
When Pranks Go Wrong
In most cases, pranks are committed for fun and without malicious intent. Even so, they could cause unintended injuries if a "victim" should fall or be hurt by the prank. And if you are injured by a person who actually had malicious intent, they could be arrested and face criminal charges. Either way, if you are injured during the prank, you should seek help recovering for your damages.
Report the Incident
Workplace Pranks
If the incident occurred at work and you suffered even a slight injury, you should report your accident immediately to your human resources department. They will want to have an incident report on hand just in case you have to file a workman's compensation later on.
Non-workplace Pranks
Call the police to report the incident. Yes, it may seem like overkill, especially if you aren't experiencing any pain immediately after the accident. But if you were scared by a prank, there is a chance your body released a rush of adrenaline that could be masking any pain. In addition, getting pranked can be very confusing and embarrassing, which could make it hard for you to think clearly after an incident.
So even if you suffer injuries during the prank, your first instinct may be to pretend everything is okay. Having a police report of the incident could help you later on if you decide to file a lawsuit against a prankster.
Tracking Down the Prankster
It's not always easy to find the person who concocted and engineered a prank, but there are a number of ways you may be able to locate the responsible party or parties. Having an experienced personal injury lawyer on your side will make it a lot easier, as they will know what avenues to pursue in order to get the information you may need to prove your case. For instance, they will know how to:
- Track down security cameras in the area. In today's society, security cameras are ubiquitous. And so there may be one or several in the area where the prank was committed that could have caught the perpetrators in action.
- Check social media and video uploading sites. If you have heard a video has been posted, your lawyer may decide to subpoena information from those sites.
- Find all responsible parties. An experienced personal injury lawyer will study your case thoroughly and determine whether other parties may also be at fault for the prank. In 2014, for example, a man who was injured when the portable toilet he was in was tipped over by his cousins won a total of $5 million not just from the pranksters, but also from the manufacturer of the toilet and the installer. The man's suit alleged the manufacturer should have provided spikes with its portable toilet to secure it and the installer should not have placed the porta-potty on a hill.
In most cases, a prank will be nothing more than a funny incident that is soon forgotten. But if you are injured during a prank, the situation is no longer fun and games and you should make every effort possible to recover for your damages.
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