Benihana's Flying Shrimp of Death!

[kamome]

I'm sure some of you have noticed this on various news sites...

Estate Tries to Link Benihana Incident to Diner's Death

Jerry Colaitis of Upper Brookville, N.Y., injured his neck while attempting to dodge a piece of hot shrimp playfully tossed at him by a table-side hibachi chef, attorney Andre Ferenzo of Roslyn told the jury.

That neck injury necessitated an operation. An apparent infection forced another procedure. Months later, Colaitis was dead of a blood-borne infection, Ferenzo told a panel of eight men and one woman.

"Benihana set in motion a chain of events," the attorney said, ultimately resulting in the diner's death.

The estate is seeking $10 million in damages.

Apparently, $10 million is the price of happiness these days.

[t]japanese[/t] [t]food[/t] [t]benihana[/t] [t]lawsuit[/t] [t]shrimp[/t] [t]hibachi[/t] [t]death[/t] [t]restaurant[/t]

[kurohinge1]

I'm sure some of you have noticed this on various news sites...

Estate Tries to Link Benihana Incident to Diner's Death

Yes, but it doesn't seem to have progressed in over a year.

See Failsafe'spost from 29 November 2004: Family sues Japanese restaurant for tossing shrimp.

Of course, the shrimp is still denying everything.

[maninjapan]

Tossers

[Greji]

Of course, the shrimp is still denying everything.

Kuro, I think you have identified an underlying problem here. We don't even know if the shrimp was properly advised of his rights and may have been forced to make statements against self-interest! They may have taken him to Gitmo and threatened him and used such words as fricassee and jumbo to terrorize him in to confessing. This is obviously a matter that the ACLU and PETA need to run with jointly. Benihana has distanced itself from this with a press release that states they only use prawns in their servings and the shrimp was thought to be a tourist, or possibly illegal entrant to the restaurant with no documentation. Ishihara has issued a statement that due to the unique Japanese physical constitution, shrimp are only taken for research to determine their effect on the J-diet and could not have possibly been served at a real Japanese restaurant. Informed sources have indicated it may have been a Livedoor penetration operation. Film at Eleven.

[IkemenTommy]

US$10 million is very unlikely.
They usually calculate on how much the person would be worth in his lifetime (personal income/other assets) plus any medical and hospital bills. Even if the plaintiff wins, there will more than likely be an appeal. The rest is lawyers' territory.

[Greji]

US$10 million is very unlikely.
They usually calculate on how much the person would be worth in his lifetime (personal income/other assets) plus any medical and hospital bills. Even if the plaintiff wins, there will more than likely be an appeal. The rest is lawyers' territory.

How do you know that the shrimp won't make $10 million in his lifetime? I think the shrimp just might have a case for redress here, especially if the shrimp can claim that he was injuried by the guy who fell out of the chair on his head and a negligent throw by the Benihana chef!

[IkemenTommy]

On behalf of the shrimp, who's going to sue for its death?

[Greji]

On behalf of the shrimp, who's going to sue for its death?

Hey, they had to more than one prawn on that tray! You're in the ole USA, so that makes it class action! We can get Kamome to represent all shrimp in general! Set up a joint account and go from there!

[IkemenTommy]

Yeah no kidding.. fighting absurdity with absurdness.
Gotta love the good ol' U S of A.

[gomichild]

What a moron. You're supposed to catch the shrimp not dodge it.

[kamome]

Flying Shrimp of Death Overcomes Bizarre Legal Challenge by Victim's Family (my headline, not the actual headline)

A jury Thursday rejected a widow's claim that her husband's death was caused by a piece of hot shrimp playfully tossed at him by a Japanese steakhouse chef.
...
Ever since Chinese martial arts expert and comic actor Jackie Chan was portrayed performing similar stunts as a celebrity TV chef by tossing hot food at his patrons in the 1997 movie "No More Mr. Nice Guy," the practice had gained popularity at Benihana. It was part of the show, both lawyers said in their opening statements last month.
...
Toru Hasegawa, head chef at the Munsey Park restaurant also took the stand and conceded that the practice of tossing hot food could be dangerous for patrons. The practice has been discontinued.

This story is classic--you get Jackie Chan references, a Japanese dude shooting himself in the foot on the witness stand, a ridiculous flying shrimp, and a cheesy Japanese chain restaurant all at the same time!


A typical Benihana's - for your photoshopping pleasure...

[Big Booger]

I enjoy the flare... it sure beats the solitude of traditional Japanese foodfare... You can hear a tanuki fart in some of those places.

[kamome]

I enjoy the flare... it sure beats the solitude of traditional Japanese foodfare... You can hear a tanuki fart in some of those places.

I like the flare, too, although it has been a looong time since I've been to one of those places.