Plenty of beach-goers are leery of the ocean after a rash of shark attacks on the East Coast in recent weeks, but Beth Fedornak never thought she'd be seriously injured by a shark.
Especially not by a foam-rubber shark mascot at Miami's Marlins Park.
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Fedornak has sued the Marlins, according to the Miami Herald, claiming that an encounter with "Bob the Shark" two years ago left her with "permanent or continuing injuries in her neck and back."
The Bradenton resident's suit claims that the mascot, wearing a foam-rubber costume, pretended to bite her head off during a game against the Padres on June 29, 2013. Bob the Shark is one of several foam-rubber characters that dash around in the "Great Sea Race" during the sixth-inning break of every game at Marlins Park.
According to the lawsuit, filed June 12, Fedornak felt immediate pain, “after the impact of the shark head down on top of her skull." She notified Marlins staff members immediately after the incident that she was in "significant pain." According to the suit, Fedornak "suffered serious personal injuries, including but not limited to, injury to her neck, back and extremities."
Fedornak's suit contends that she has incurred more than $86,000 in medical expenses, and her injuries have impaired her ability to work. The suit is seeking damages "in excess of $15,000" for the incident.
It's been a bad year for Miami's professional sports mascots. In April, a South Miami-Dade elementary teacher sued the Miami Heat claiming she had been injured by the team's mascot, Burnie, during an appearance at her school in 2013.