The ultimate embarrassment: An experienced DEA agent demonstrates gun safety to children in Orlando, Florida, and during the videotaped safety discussion he accidentally shoots himself in the foot! In the aftermath, he is now suing the DEA! Why?
Paige alleges that the DEA intentionally leaked the tape to the media, and that the video has made him the butt of jokes on the internet, affecting his job and ability to work undercover.
Lee Paige was demonstrating gun safety to the Orlando Youth Minority Golf Ass’n in April 2004 when the 14 year veteran was telling them that he was the only one in the room professional enough to handle a gun. Unfortunately, he then suddenly shot himself right in the foot. He was briefly suspended over the incident by the DEA. Paige has since discussed the incident on NBC’s Today, and said “It is something I had done hundreds of time thoughout my career,” while explaining that he had cleared the gun but forgot to release the magazine. Now, he says “it is something I can’t get away from.” His recently filed suit claims the DEA leaked the tape to the public causing him immense damages. Hummm.
This lawyer-editor’s view is that if Mr. Paige really wants this unfortunate incident to fade away, you do not file suit over the adverse publicity, thus ensuring even wider national publicity!! Weird but true news from the legal world.
Rick Shapiro has practiced personal injury law for over 30 years in Virginia, North Carolina, and throughout the Southeastern United States. He is a Board-Certified Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy (ABA Accredited) and has litigated injury cases throughout the eastern United States, including wrongful death, trucking, faulty products, railroad, and medical negligence claims. During his three-decade career, Shapiro has won client appeals before the VA Supreme Court, VA Court of Appeals, NC Supreme Court, SC Supreme Court, WV Supreme Court, TN Supreme Court, and three times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, underscoring Shapiro’s trial achievements. In addition, he and his law firm have won settlements/verdicts in excess of $100 million. His success in and out of the courtroom is a big reason why he was named 2019 “Lawyer of the Year” in railroad law in U.S. News & World Report's Best Lawyers publication (Norfolk, VA area), and he has been named a “Best Lawyer” and “Super Lawyer” by those peer-reviewed organizations for multiple years. Rick was also named a “Leader in the Law, Class of 2022” by Virginia Lawyers Weekly (total of 33 statewide honorees consisting of lawyers and judges across Virginia). And in September 2023, Rick was selected as a recipient of the National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA) 2023 President’s Award. Although many nominations were submitted from across the country, Rick was just one of eight attorneys chosen by the prestigious National Board which certifies civil trial attorneys across the U.S. Rick was also recently named to Virginia Lawyers Weekly 2024 Virginia’s Go To Lawyers Medical Malpractice. The attorneys awarded this honor are nominated by their colleagues and chosen by a panel from the publication.
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