.
Feedback

Suing Woman Says She Got Faceful of T-Shirt at Taste of Joliet

An woman suing a sponsor of the Taste of Joliet claims someone shot her in the face with a T-shirt.

Lots of people went to last year's Taste of Joliet with plans to stuff their faces, but not by getting in the way of a T-shirt hurtling through the air.

Plans or not, a woman claims that's exactly what happened to her, and now she is suing the event's title sponsor.

The suing woman, Debra Simmons, is going after D'Arcy Buick GMC Inc. According to the Taste of Joliet's website, 39 other entities sponsored the 2012 event. Simmons is not suing any of them. She is also not going after the Joliet Park District, the organizers of the Taste of Joliet.

Simmons claims a flying T-shirt, which was encased in a cylinder or canister, caused injuries to her "head, face, teeth, and cervical spine," according to her lawsuit.

Simmons' attorney, Warren E. Abrahamson of Chicago, said he could not comment on the severity of Simmons' injuries—or anything else—without her permission. Abrahamson also said he could not provide Simmons' age or even the town where she lives.

According to the lawsuit Abrahamson filed at the Will County Courthouse on Simmons' behalf, Simmons was standing near the band stage on July 1 when she was hit with the T-shirt. The headline band for that day was the country music group Little Big Town. There is nothing to indicate Little Big Town was actually playing at the time of the alleged incident.

While Simmons was standing in the vicinity of the stage, "agents" or "employees" of D'Arcy Buick GMC were "forcibly shooting, projecting and/or launching" T-shirts into the crowd, the lawsuit said.

Simmons' suit claims she suffered pain, disability and disfigurement from the shot she took. The lawsuit also says she paid for medical treatment and "lost time and wages from her employment."

Catch all the court news on our Facebook page

Newsletter & Alerts

Get the best stories each day and important breaking news

Subscribe

Not from Joliet Patch? Find your Local Patch »

SouthSide February 26, 2013 at 11:57 pm
seriously? i've been shot in the face with a t-shirt at ball games and all i got was a t-shirt. there must have been a weapon wrapped up in the t-shirt she got.
Disturbed February 27, 2013 at 12:29 am
I agree, the T-shirts are usually rolled up with a rubber band then stuffed into a cylinder that shoots just the t-shirt out with compressed air. The cylinder is just a tube like a barrel of a gun and does not get shot off with the t-shirt. It works essentially like a paintball gun. The cylinder never leaves the shooting device, just the t-shirt. This is just another case of a sue happy person trying to to scam the system for whatever money she can get. Also the shirts are usually shot into the air to reach the people who stand in the back sections of the audience. If she was hit hit with that much force she must have been standing near the front of the stage and the person would have to have shot her directly in the face, almost on purpose, to sustain those injuries she suggests.
I Hate Chicago February 27, 2013 at 01:47 am
I am disappointed the shirt didnt kill her
Rozeeta February 27, 2013 at 02:27 am
she'll probably wear the shirt to court
Common Sense February 27, 2013 at 12:16 pm
I've seen t-shirts that came out of these guns and I have just one thing to say....this woman is just trying to make an easy score. She says it caused injuries to her "head, face, teeth, and cervical spine," ...I'm betting that this woman got stinking drunk on the given day after she got home and fell off her front porch or she hit her mouth on the edge of a bar while falling off a bar stool after the event....
tom227 February 27, 2013 at 12:21 pm
She should be sterilized so she cannot produce and low life offspring like her self.
What a trouble making leech of society.
Bethany February 27, 2013 at 12:38 pm
HAHAHAHA!!!
west sider February 27, 2013 at 12:53 pm
Flying T-shirt, which was encased in a cylinder or canister, this is highly doubtful. I'm sure she is already picking out her new GMC, Buick, VW or Hyundai. I'm sure D'arcy's insurance will settle with her to make it all go away.
John Roberts February 27, 2013 at 01:00 pm
depends on how it was shot out..If wrapped with rubber band then yeah that's one thing...But if this T-shirt was wrapped in a plastic cylinder and shot out of a plastic cylinder it can do some damage...and also depend on weather you were expecting it or not..one can take a direct slap to the face and take it knowing its coming but not aware and you'll get knocked out...was it a home made shirt shooter or a bought one?...did this lady have any other problems before this.then its aggravating a pre existing injury which is just like getting hurt all over again...What was the PSI they were using...was some one being a smart A$$ and crank up the psi on the gun?...weather hurt or not no one can tell this lady how much pain she is in..and shooting something out of an air gun no matter what it is...invites a lawsuit.....Will County has NOT one Head Injury Dr. because they have all left due to lawsuits...Some were paying $750,000 a month in insurance coverage because of law suits...But no lawsuits and people get left injured out in the cold with no way to take care of them selves...another catch 22
NotKeepingUpWithTheJones' February 27, 2013 at 01:34 pm
I find it hard to believe that in a crowd of people with a T-shirt barrelling towards them no one around her jumped for it instead of letting her face catch it.
Marilynn Reinhardt February 27, 2013 at 03:55 pm
There will always be ambulance chasing attorneys who will jump on any case whether or not it deserves merit. Ms. Simmons was "disfigured" in her words (or the lawyer's)? The use of that description conjures up horrific, permanent scars. Is that the issue in this case? Sounds like someone who's trying to make a fast buck...just sayin'.
Tanya Tatera February 27, 2013 at 04:01 pm
Really? Is she serious? I was there last year and seen them shooting the t-shirts. They were shooting them up in the air over the crowd. Not directly at people. People run into other people getting them.
relly February 27, 2013 at 04:05 pm
its pretty bad when you get a free t shirt and are suing if she wins she should be baned from the taste.
Kathy Fergie February 27, 2013 at 05:23 pm
I love you ^^^^!!!!
Karen Shahan February 27, 2013 at 05:31 pm
SMH!!!!!
justiceforall February 27, 2013 at 06:38 pm
I was there as well. My sister caught one of the shirts, it was simply rolled up with a rubber band! No plastic or metal canister.. simply a cotton t-shirt and a rubber band. I'm certain my sister would testify to this fact in court since like most people, she can't stand injustice. My guess is the only thing that was hurt was her pride that she didn't catch it. It only takes one person like her to ruin it for everyone else. Let this be a lesson to the rest of us as to why insurance rates are so high. Terry D'Arcy does so much for this community. I guess the old saying "no good deed goes unpunished" is true. I feel awful that D'Arcy has to be bothered with this lady, and her ridiculous claims. There is another saying SHE should be aware of "what goes around, comes around"
Tina February 27, 2013 at 08:05 pm
Great, The Taste has been doing so good the last few years. The Joliet Police and the Park District have kept it safe, clean and fun! A far cry from how bad it was in the 90's. If they start getting sued over dumb stuff like this we could lose The Taste. That would be a shame. Really looking forward to it again this year!
jane seriously February 27, 2013 at 08:20 pm
smh...the shirts are always wrapped in rubber bands. i have been to plenty events. wow crazy sue happy lady.
what's next breast implants?
Katarina Cashman February 27, 2013 at 09:07 pm
^^^^^AGREED!!!! LOL!
barry sweetwater February 28, 2013 at 12:13 am
this is not good! mr. abrahamson is from the same law firm as johnnie cochran and jackie chiles. as you all recall, mr. chiles represented cosmo kramer in the major suit against the coffee industry. obviously ms. simmons took her attorneys advice and did not put the "balm" on her sustained injuries.
anonymous February 28, 2013 at 02:02 pm
If Darcy had to give me a car as a settlement I couldn't think of any of the makes that he sells I would want.
Rick Drew March 2, 2013 at 08:40 pm
What an idiot. NO T-shirt gun fires a cylinder - just the shirt. This is a nuisance suit - when (and IF) the shirt hit her, the sound she heard was "cha-ching", thought "I can make money off this" (probably the only thought in her head for a long while, apart from "shiny" and "pretty"), did a vaudeville stagger with the back of her hand against her forehead, screaming "My head! My face! My tooth, er, teeth! My vertical Brie!" Then in her best Dr. Smith impersonation (that's a lost in space reference) "Oh, the pain, the pain!"
Bob Falfa March 3, 2013 at 01:03 am
That didn't take long to ruin that for everyone. Thanks, money grubbing liar :)
boozer mcgee March 3, 2013 at 12:12 pm
MORE "DUMMY-DOWN-AMERICA"...
Joy-let Resident. March 5, 2013 at 12:37 pm
haha Agreed. Now if it was Tirapelli...I might be in on that!
Joy-let Resident. March 5, 2013 at 12:51 pm
This lady has a history of suing people. Just do some research. She sued a guy who has multiple patents on some shaving pieces and or designs. I can't find the outcome of the case...But maybe her winnings from that just ran out..time to get someone else. She'll win...typical America...YouTube, Lawsuits, and Liars run this place.
Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Kristine Neumann June 17, 2013 at 07:11 pm
You need to put the correct phone number. You have 8 numbers listed instead of 7.
Krystal Parks June 17, 2013 at 07:30 pm
Opps sorry... It's (815)600-9489
lala June 18, 2013 at 08:21 am
Hope you find it. Replacing all your credit cards and such is a pain.
John Roberts June 17, 2013 at 11:50 am
Maybe some new manhole lids with rubber rings to stop all the flooding of peoples houses,AndRead More actually climb down in the manhole and see if it is leaking instead of paying all of these people in Joliet getting flooded out by YOUR SANITARY System. Some paint being scrapped off the City Hall Hand Rails that will cut ya up.
Christina Grutzius June 18, 2013 at 08:25 am
The direct phone number to Neighborhood Services is 815-724-4090.
John Roberts June 19, 2013 at 07:54 am
Well since i have trimmed my weeds behind my garage..Please anyone you are more than welcome toRead More drive drive down the alley in between Elgin & Ridgewood Ave and see all the NICE V/L G/D & L/K & even 2/6 scripture the gang bangers left me on the back of my garage...Thanks City of Joliet It Looks Real Nice. Glad you made me cut the weeds down so these gang members have a place to spray paint and walk around feeling tough doing so.