[meteorite-list] University of Arizona Student Sues School After 270-Pound Meteorite Crushes His Hand

[Ron Baalke]

http://www.azcentral.com/story/news/local/arizona/2015/09/12/university-arizona-student-sues-school-after-270-pound-meteorite-crushes-his-hand/72081726/

University of Arizona student sues school after 270-pound meteorite crushes his hand
Anne Ryman
The Republic 
September 13, 2015

Lawsuit contends the 270-pound meteorite was displayed "unstable, precarious 
and unreasonably dangerous" way.


Story Highlights

* UA student suing after hand is crushed by a meteorite on display
* Suit accuses Arizona Board of Regents and employees of negligence
* Suit says student is no longer able to play the guitar

A University of Arizona student is suing after he says a 270-pound meteorite 
toppled over at a university museum and crushed his hand, according to 
a lawsuit filed earlier this week  in Pima County Superior  Court.

The civil suit says freshman Grant Black was performing community-service 
work in November 2014 and he tried to move a piece of the Canyon Diablo 
meteorite on display at the UA's Flandrau Science Center and Planetarium.

The suit says the center encouraged visitors to touch and interact with 
the space rock. The rock fell, crushing Black's hand.

Black's pinkie had to be amputated. His ring finger was reconstructed 
but is paralyzed and frozen into a hook shape, according to a notice of 
claim filed this year.  Black was an avid Spanish-classical guitarist, 
the claim said, and can no longer play the instrument.

"This is a deep loss for him. He identified as a musician, and that part 
of him is now gone," the claim said.

The lawsuit contends the meteorite was displayed in an "unstable, precarious 
and unreasonably dangerous" way on a tripod that was not anchored to the 
ground.

The suit contends the Arizona Board of Regents, who oversee the state 
universities, and their employees, "could have, should have, properly 
safeguarded, warned or remedied against the condition."

The suit requests payment for damages and other relief.

Several museums have pieces of Canyon Diablo meteorites, which created 
the Meteor Crater near Flagstaff about 50,000 years ago.

Regents Spokeswoman Sarah Harper and UA Spokesman Chris Sigurdson both 
declined comment, saying the regents and the university don't comment 
on pending litigation.

Black's attorney, Dev Sethi, confirmed that a lawsuit has been filed, 
but had no other comment.