Liability plea tied to lively hug reversed

Trial Notebook

By Steven P. Garmisa

Hoey & Farina

Posted July 24, 2014 2:41 PM

In a negligent hugging case, Penny Parks tried to hold the far north suburban Crystal Lake Jaycees vicariously liable for the carelessness of Dennis Brinkman, who was working as a Jaycee volunteer in an Oktoberfest beer tent when he allegedly gave Parks a hug, lifted her onto his shoulder, toppled over and fell on top of her. Parks was also working as a Jaycee volunteer at the event. And in an attempt to hold the Jaycee chapter liable under the three-part test for imputed liability that the Illinois Supreme Court …

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