In the top five most interesting cases of my career, this one ranks high. I’m filing a lawsuit. The defendant is a landlord. The injury was caused by a squirrel.
I am not making this up.
What Happened
My client lives in an apartment in Kentucky. Before any of this happened, she contacted her landlord with a clear warning: animals were getting into the building. Her neighbors had problems. She told the landlord the property needed to be sealed up so this wouldn’t keep happening.
The landlord did nothing.
My client was taking a shower. A squirrel got into her apartment, found its way into the bathroom, and attacked her, causing significant injuries.
Why This Is Actually a Solid Case
It sounds absurd. “Sued by a squirrel” feels like a sketch comedy bit. But strip away the species of the animal, and what you have is a textbook landlord negligence case:
- The landlord had a duty to maintain the property and keep it reasonably safe.
- The landlord had notice of the specific problem — my client told them, in advance, that animals were getting in.
- The landlord failed to act.
- That failure caused real injury.
Replace “squirrel” with “stray dog” or “intruder through a broken window” and nobody blinks. The legal principle is identical. When a landlord knows about a danger and ignores it, they’re on the hook for what happens next.
What Happens Next
I sent a demand to the landlord’s insurance company laying all of this out. The adjuster came back with an offer for roughly half of my client’s medical expenses.
Not the full medical bills. Half of them.
That’s not a settlement offer. That’s a non-starter. I told the adjuster as much, told him we’d see him in court, and didn’t even bother negotiating further. There’s nothing to negotiate when the opening number is that disconnected from reality.
Squirrel Lawsuit — https://www.tiktok.com/@dettmanlawinjurylawyer/video/7621660102453497118
@dettmanlawinjurylawyer Client attacked by squirrel while taking a shower. I wish I was making this up. Top 5 most interesting cases in my opinion. If you are a landlord MAKE SURE your property is safe. And if that does not happen maybe encourage your insurance adjuster not to waste my time #lawsuit#lawyersoftiktok#legaltiktok#litigation#injurylawyer♬ original sound – dettmanlawinjurylawyer
