April Fool's Prank Leaves Man With Tattooed Forehead! | Full Episode | Personal Injury Court

Summary

In a bizarre turn of events, a radio station's April Fool's prank led to a listener, Mr. Bell, tattooing 'KRUD' on his forehead for a promised $250,000 prize. The radio DJ, known for outrageous pranks, claimed it was all in jest. Mr. Bell, desperate to save his family's home from foreclosure, sued the radio station for the prize money, future medical expenses for tattoo removal, and damages for pain and suffering. The court, considering the prank's impact and the station's responsibility, awarded Mr. Bell $510,000 in damages, highlighting the legal consequences of broadcasting deceptive promotions.

Takeaways

• 🎉 The radio station KRUD ran a prank contest offering $250,000 to the first listener to tattoo the station's call letters on their forehead.
• 👤 Mr. Bell, a loyal listener and fan of KRUD's shows, decided to participate in the contest to help save his parents' house from foreclosure.
• 📞 Mr. Bell called the radio station to confirm the contest's legitimacy and was assured by a crew member that it was real.
• 🖥️ Mr. Bell visited the contest page on the station's website but missed the small link indicating it was an April Fool's joke.
• 😱 Upon getting the tattoo and going to the radio station, Mr. Bell was met with laughter and disbelief, and was told it was a misunderstanding, not a prank.
• 📹 The radio station provided video evidence of past pranks to show their history of outrageous contests.
• 📢 Radio DJ Ricky Smiley, known for his pranks, testified that the radio station had a responsibility to its audience and that pranks require approval from station management.
• 🤔 Mr. Bell claimed he did not hear the radio ads stating it was a prank because he works the night shift and was off on the day of the prank.
• 📉 The tattoo has negatively impacted Mr. Bell's life, causing him to lose his job, his girlfriend, and face public ridicule.
• 🏥 Mr. Bell is seeking compensation for damages, future medical expenses for tattoo removal, and pain and suffering.
• 🎓 Judge Geno Brogden ruled in favor of Mr. Bell, stating that the radio station should have had safeguards in place and is responsible for the harm caused by the prank.

Q & A

What was the contest promoted by the radio station KRUD?

The contest promoted by the radio station KRUD was that the first listener to tattoo the letters 'KRUD' on their forehead would win a prize of $250,000.

Why did Mr. Bell decide to get the tattoo?

Mr. Bell decided to get the tattoo because he was trying to save his parents' house from foreclosure, and he saw the contest as a 'heaven-sent' opportunity to win the prize money.

What was the actual nature of the contest that Mr. Bell participated in?

The contest was actually an April Fool's joke, and the radio station KRUD had no intention of giving away $250,000 for a tattoo.

What evidence did the radio station KRUD present to show that the contest was a prank?

The radio station KRUD presented video evidence of past contests, radio ads stating it was their biggest prank yet, and a webpage with a link to the official rules that revealed the prank.

What was the reaction of the radio station KRUD staff when Mr. Bell showed up with the tattoo?

The staff at the radio station KRUD reacted with disbelief, pointing and laughing at Mr. Bell, and eventually informed him that there was no prize money to be won.

What was the defense presented by the radio station KRUD and DJ Cyrus Jones?

The defense presented was that Mr. Bell should have known it was a prank, and that he did not follow the link on the contest page which would have revealed the prank.

What was the judge's ruling in the case?

The judge ruled in favor of Mr. Bell, stating that the radio station had a responsibility to make it clear that the contest was a prank and that they were liable for the harm caused.

What damages were awarded to Mr. Bell by the judge?

The judge awarded Mr. Bell $250,000 for damages, $10,000 for future medical expenses, and $250,000 for pain and suffering, totaling $510,000.

What was the judge's reasoning for finding against the radio station KRUD?

The judge found against the radio station because they did not take sufficient precautions to ensure people knew it was a prank, and they were playing on the desperation of their listeners.

What was the role of renowned comedian radio DJ Ricky Smiley in the court case?

Ricky Smiley was consulted by the court to provide insight into the responsibilities of a radio DJ to their audience when conducting pranks, and he explained the liability and precautions involved.

Outlines

00:00

📻 Radio Contest Turns into Personal Injury Claim

The script introduces a personal injury case involving a radio station contest where the plaintiff, Mr. Bell, tattooed the station's call letters on his forehead to win a promised prize of $250,000. The radio DJ, known for pranks, and the station are being sued for $510,000 in damages, future medical expenses, and pain and suffering. The court is presented with the unusual situation where Mr. Bell claims he was misled by the radio station's promotion and seeks compensation for the negative impacts on his life, including job loss and relationship issues, as well as the cost of potential laser removal surgery for the tattoo.

05:01

🎭 The Misunderstanding at the Radio Station

This paragraph delves into the aftermath of Mr. Bell's tattoo, highlighting his visit to the radio station where he was met with disbelief and laughter. The station representatives argue that the contest was an April Fool's joke, and Mr. Bell should have noticed a link on the contest page indicating as much. The script also includes a radio ad promoting the prank, emphasizing the radio station's history of elaborate pranks and the public's reaction to Mr. Bell's predicament, which has led to significant personal and professional consequences for him.

10:04

🎤 Expert Opinion on Radio Pranks and Listener Responsibility

Renowned comedian and radio DJ Ricky Smiley is consulted to provide insight into the responsibilities of a radio DJ towards their audience when conducting pranks. He discusses the importance of ensuring that pranks are approved by station management and the potential liability involved. The conversation includes the impact of the prank on Mr. Bell, who, despite assurances from the radio station, did not follow the link that would have revealed the prank, leading to his decision to get the tattoo and the subsequent legal action.

15:04

🏛 Court Verdict on the Tattooed Contestant

The court's decision is announced, finding in favor of Mr. Bell. The judge acknowledges the radio station's advertisement and Mr. Bell's desperate situation but criticizes the station for not making the prank nature of the contest clear enough. The judge rules that the radio station, by enticing Mr. Bell with a false promise, is responsible for the harm caused and awards Mr. Bell the full amount he sought, including damages, future medical expenses, and compensation for pain and suffering. The verdict is met with disbelief by the defendants, but the judge stands by the decision, emphasizing the importance of clear communication in advertising and pranks.

Keywords

💡Personal Injury

Personal injury refers to legal disputes that arise when one person suffers harm from an accident or wrongful conduct of another. In this video, the theme revolves around a personal injury case where Mr. Bell sues a radio station for damages after being misled by a prank advertisement.

💡Tattoo

A tattoo is a form of body modification where a design is made by inserting ink, dyes, and pigments, either indelibly or temporarily, into the dermis layer of the skin. In the video, Mr. Bell tattoos the radio station's call letters on his forehead in response to a prank contest, which leads to his personal injury claim.

💡Prize

A prize is an award given in recognition of a victory, superiority, or merit. The video's plot is triggered by a promised prize of $250,000 for the first listener to tattoo the radio station's call letters on their forehead, which Mr. Bell attempts to win.

💡Prank

A prank is a mischievous action or joke played on someone, causing confusion or embarrassment. The radio station's contest was a prank, as revealed to be an April Fool's joke, which Mr. Bell did not recognize, leading to his decision to get the tattoo.

💡Forehead

The forehead is the front part of the human head, above the eyes. In the script, it is the specific location where Mr. Bell tattoos the letters, which becomes a central point of the personal injury case discussed in the video.

💡Damages

In legal terms, damages are a monetary award in compensation for loss, injury, or suffering. Mr. Bell seeks damages for the harm he experienced as a result of the radio station's prank, including the cost of laser removal and the impact on his personal life.

💡Radio DJ

A radio DJ, or disc jockey, is a person who plays recorded music on the radio. In this video, DJ Ricky Smiley and DJ Cyrus Jones are key figures who are involved in the prank and its aftermath, with their actions and statements being part of the case.

💡Contest

A contest is a competitive event or a competition. The video features a contest organized by the radio station, which is later revealed to be a prank, but Mr. Bell, believing it to be genuine, participates and suffers consequences.

💡Laser Removal

Laser removal is a medical procedure that uses a laser to remove tattoos by breaking down the ink particles in the skin. Mr. Bell mentions the need for laser removal surgery due to the tattoo on his forehead, which he cannot afford and fears may leave scarring.

💡April Fool's

April Fool's refers to the first day of April, which is celebrated in many countries as a day when people play practical jokes and hoaxes on each other. The radio station's prank was intended as an April Fool's joke, but Mr. Bell did not recognize the date's significance, leading to his participation.

💡Verdict

A verdict is the decision of a jury after a trial on matters at issue. In the video, the judge's verdict is a pivotal moment where the outcome of Mr. Bell's personal injury case is decided, awarding him damages for the harm caused by the radio station's prank.

Highlights

The radio station KRUD ran a contest offering $250,000 to the first listener to tattoo 'KRUD' on their forehead.

Mr. Bell, in an attempt to save his parents' house from foreclosure, took part in the contest and got the tattoo.

The radio DJ, known for his pranks, confirmed the contest's legitimacy to Mr. Bell over the phone.

Mr. Bell did not notice the fine print on the contest page indicating it was an April Fool's joke.

The radio station's defense argued that Mr. Bell should have read the official rules on the website.

Mr. Bell claimed he has vision problems and could not see the small link to the official rules.

The radio station had a history of running unusual contests, such as bobbing for pig's feet and a mayonnaise belly flop challenge.

The judge considered the radio station's responsibility for public representations and the potential harm caused by their prank.

Mr. Bell's life was negatively impacted by the tattoo, leading to job loss, breakup with his girlfriend, and social stigma.

The radio station insisted that their fans understood the nature of their pranks and contests.

The judge questioned the radio station's ethics, pointing out they were playing on people's desperation.

Expert testimony from renowned comedian and radio DJ Ricky Smiley discussed the responsibilities of radio pranks.

The judge found in favor of Mr. Bell, awarding him $510,000 in damages, future medical expenses, and pain and suffering.

The verdict highlighted the importance of clear communication and the potential legal consequences of misleading advertising.

The case underscored the impact of pranks on individuals and the need for safeguards to prevent harm.

The radio station's failure to ensure that the contest was clearly identified as a prank contributed to the damages awarded.

The judge's decision emphasized the legal responsibility of media outlets for the content they broadcast.

Transcripts

[Music]

today on personal injury Corps you've

got a tattoo on your forehead they were

running a contest where the first

listener to tattoo the letters krud on

their forehead would win a 250 000

products I'm pretty famous in these

parts mostly for the crazy pranks and

Antics that we get up to you're asking

this court to award you five hundred and

ten thousand dollars radio DJ Ricky

smiling you you are known for the best

pranks ever we told the listen that

we're going to drop a hundred thousand

dollars in a helicopter he's insane

judge Geno Brogden spent 10 years on the

bench ruling on cases worth billions of

dollars now he presides over some of the

largest claims in TV history

his personal injury Court

good day everyone this is the matter of

bell versus krud and Jones Mr Bell is my

understanding from the documents you

filed with this court that you are suing

krud the radio station and its DJ for

your putting a tattoo on your head

you're asking this court to award you

damages of 250 000 future medical of ten

thousand dollars pain and suffering of

two hundred and fifty thousand dollars

for a total Award of five hundred and

ten thousand dollars is that correct yes

your honor Mr Jones and Miss Young you

are here representing krud right yes yes

you're honored if you all's position

that this was a prank he should know

that this is his fault he did a stupid

thing and it's not your fault that's

right your honor all right well let's

get into the legal sauce uh how long

you've been listening to krud probably

I'd say about the time that they started

airing okay and I love their music I

love their shows I guess you could also

say up to this point anyway I've also

been a fan of crazy Cyrus

so I found out that uh they were running

a contest or promotion if you will where

the first listener to tattoo the letters

krud on their forehead would win a 250

000 prize now your honor a little back

story my I live with my parents and they

are about to lose their house there was

a foreclosure my father was laid off

from his job after 22 years and I saw

this as a heaven sent if you will

opportunity that came at just about the

right time for me to help save my

parents and my house as well so you put

a tattoo on your forehead to save your

parents house yes that's correct in

short you are a really good son crazy

but definitely a good son

Miss Young you are here representing

krud the radio station right that is

correct you're on and Mr Jones you are

the DJ for krud right that's right sir

I'm Cyrus Jones AKA crazy Cyrus as many

of uh maybe maybe a member's here know

me as I'm pretty famous in these parts

mostly for the crazy pranks and Antics

that we get up to in our station we

actually brought some video evidence of

past contests that we run with the

station starting out with bobbing for

pig's feet that's right Hogs hoof a

showdown with to win free groceries for

the year uh next we've got the battle of

the bridegrooms uh you're gonna see some

guys in drag this is a drag race uh to

win a ten thousand dollar wedding ring

and of course our famous mayonnaise

belly flop challenge uh for five

thousand dollars worth of concert

tickets obviously we get up to some

crazy stuff at krud okay so what

happened I found out about this contest

if you'd like to call it that from a

friend that morning and naturally I was

a little skeptical so what I did to

cover all basis was I called the radio

station and I spoke with a gentleman who

identified himself as one of Cyrus's

crew okay and he did in fact confirm

that this offer was legit he also

directed me to the contest page on the

on the station's website and the contest

rules explained everything so it says

three easy steps to win a fortune number

one take our call letters krud number

two tattoo them across your forehead

which is what you did yes be the first

listener to do it and win 250 000 yes

sir that simple so as you can imagine I

didn't waste any time I dashed down to

the first tattoo parlor I could find

that was near my house and I asked for a

rush job on the tattoo which by the way

was not cheap

uh it took a couple hours and you got a

tattoo on your forehead yes sir I did as

soon as they were done paid them up

dashed down to the radio station and the

people just looked at me they glared at

me in disbelief almost like they didn't

they weren't even aware that this was

going on okay they started pointing at

me and laughing at me who who does that

your honor in a professional setting who

does that they took out their phones and

started taking pictures of me probably

posting it on social media all right so

eventually after I was standing there

for about 10 minutes a representative

came down from the studio and explained

to me that this was quote unquote a big

misunderstanding he didn't say a prank

he said a big misunderstanding okay and

that there was no prize money to be won

for me Miss Young how did you find out

that Mr Bell had come down to the

station well I was made aware of it by a

staff member now I did not see Mr Bell

however I did read an article where it

did say a guy with a tattoo honestly on

his forehead and then also I did see

some photo photographs how did you find

out Mr Jones well I was on air one of my

producers told me while I was on air

that Mr Bell had come into the station

with this tattooed on his forehead I

mean we get up to some crazy stuff but I

could have never imagined in a million

years somebody would have actually

tattooed our station letters to their

forehead 250 000 a lot of money there

are a lot of folks that would do that

right seriously

cause he to know that this is not real

your honor he clearly did not read the

rules I mean come on if he would have

went to the web page it would have

clearly said there was a link on there

that said official rule see the link

right there if he would have clicked on

that link the link would have took him

to the page that said April fools no did

you see that he certainly did not see

that your honor and I have vision

problems in both my two eyes I can't see

something that small

coming up haha we got you April fools is

what he would have seen had he clicked

on that link absolutely it was an April

Fool's joke we ran radio ads all the way

up until April 1st this court has

consulted one of the country's best

Ricky Smiley we went up in a helicopter

we told them listen that we were going

to drop a hundred thousand dollars

Sheriff's Department came out it made

national news

[Music]

I found out that uh they were running a

promotion if you will where the first

listener to tattoo the letters krud on

their forehead would win a 250 000 prize

I could have never imagined in a million

years somebody would have actually

tattooed our station letters to their

forehead

so this haha we got you April fools from

the whole Crazy Crew at krud Radio is

what he would have seen had he clicked

on that link absolutely you know what

what we've heard today is someone who

was rushed and ready to win some money

and he didn't take the necessary steps

to protect himself when he could have

just followed the link he heard from a

friend about this contest I see how you

spin it that way but you gotta see you

got a good son in a desperate situation

trying to save his parents house he gets

an opportunity to get a quarter of a

million dollars because y'all say put a

tattoo on and come get your money do you

see how he got there I understand what

you're saying your honor but he actually

entered into an agreement with his

tattoo artist he had to have fill out

some sort of

um document that said he was making this

decision on his own house

no agreement with this gentleman to pay

him this money in order to repay him for

that your honor doesn't the law say

verbal is binding and advertising

well there's a little more to it than

that thank you the law does hold you

responsible for the representations that

you make publicly so whether verbal or

written you've got to be very careful

about those representations but why

didn't you click on the little link on

the bottom your honor I missed that it

was too small for me to see so you never

saw this second page yes sir that's

correct I never saw that second page Mr

Bell you are asking this court to award

you 250 000 for your damages yes ten

thousand dollars for your future

Medicals and two hundred and fifty

thousand dollars for pain and suffering

now you've told me about how the people

reacted at the station when you went

down there what's the general Public's

reaction when you go around to some

place like lunch or take your parents

out to dinner or go to work in short

crud

I mean your honor there's been a laundry

list of things how this is horribly

negatively impacted my life I lost my

job because of this my girlfriend broke

up with me my dating life's been a

shambles you know I wanted to use this

money to help save our home and the

biggest thing about it is the tattoo

laser removal surgery that I'm going to

need to have the procedures I can't

afford that and from what I understand

the research that I've done it may not

even be possible to remove all of this

without scarring

next I was assured by someone at the

station at the time that that was legit

we ran radio ads all the way up until

April 1st stating this was our biggest

prank yet let's listen to that ad

craziest prank we've ever pulled

renowned comedian radio DJ Ricky Smiley

well the radio station here they

approved it according to Miss Young yeah

and uh you know they in court

[Applause]

[Music]

so you put a tattoo on your forehead to

save your parents house yes sir that's

correct you are a really good son crazy

but definitely a good son

he didn't take the necessary steps to

protect himself when he could have just

followed the link he heard from a friend

about this contest

Mr Bell at 5 000 feet okay you gotta

wrap your arms around some of the common

sense of do I really get a tattoo on my

head for something this is the day right

well April 1st well one thing that's

crazy Cyrus he doesn't do anything

that's saying he's insane

well I was assured by someone at the

station at the time that that was legit

and I've never seen any kind of contests

or pranks that involved advertising

money to anyone your honor what he was

told by our team member was this is a

legitimate contest that we're running go

to the website to learn more and he

didn't follow the link we ran radio ads

all the way up until April 1st stating

this was our biggest prank yet let's

listen to that ad it's coming it's

coming it's coming

craziest prank we've ever pulled he's

gonna hit you right between the eyes

exclusively here at krud well Mr Bell

did you hear that if if you're a regular

listener that's right you would have

heard that right well see honor one

thing I probably should mention is I

work for a telecommunications company I

work the graveyard shift I just happened

to be off that day that that happened

and like I said I heard from a friend

yeah but if they ran it all week and you

are a loyal fan of crazy Cyrus why

wouldn't you hear at least once that's a

good question maybe they didn't run it

as many times as they said they did well

unless you have that evidence no sir

don't put that up it's just more for me

to get confused about

in order to better understand the

relationship between a radio DJ and the

listening audience this court has

consulted one of the country's best

renowned comedian radio DJ Ricky Smiley

[Applause]

all right

you're known all over the country for

being a radio personality yes sir well

in this case it's a prank gone wrong now

you are known for the best pranks ever

what are some of your best ones I was a

part of a prank on the Buckwild Morning

Show at 95 7 where we went up in a

helicopter we told the listen that we're

going to drop a hundred thousand dollars

and uh so traffic was bagged up the

sheriff department came out it made

national news and we're going to throw

out like a hundred thousand dollars

worth of Monopoly money

in this case crazy Cyrus Jones right he

told the listening audience get a tattoo

of the call letters on your head and you

get 250 000 wow what kind of

responsibilities does a radio DJ have to

the listening audience with a prank like

this uh you have a huge responsibility

because it's a liability uh to the

people that own the station uh number

one and then uh we couldn't do anything

like that unless it was approved by the

general manager and the owner of the

radio station well the radio station

here they approved it according to Miss

Young

yeah and uh you know they in court

[Applause]

Mr Smiley we appreciate you thank you

thank you for having me

[Applause]

your honor we do do feel sorry for this

gentleman who has put tattoo letters on

his forehead but we have done everything

in our power to say this was a joke you

can actually check out our social media

right now like I said our fans eat all

of this so your fans these fans knew it

was a prank yes your honor we've had

those contests you know what the problem

is I don't see any of those people with

the letters krud tattooed on their head

the verdict is in Mr Bell you have put

up evidence in this case

that the radio station put out an

advertisement that you get two hundred

and fifty thousand dollars to put the

call letters on your head but you did

not click the little Link in the corner

that would have let you know that this

was a prank

you all believe that Eddie clicked the

link he never would have had a tattoo on

his head

[Music]

this is horribly negatively impacted my

life I lost my job because of this my

girlfriend broke up with me I wanted to

use this money to help save our home the

biggest thing about it is the tattoo

laser removal surgery that I'm gonna

need to have I can't afford that clearly

this was all a misunderstanding it was

an April Fool's joke

folks I think I have heard what I need

to hear and I am ready to render my

decision

in every personal injury case the

plaintiff has to prove three things that

the wrong caused harm Mr Bell you have

put up evidence in this case that the

radio station and Mr Jones

put out an advertisement that you get

two hundred and fifty thousand dollars

to put the call letters on your head now

you were under some duress in trying to

save your parents home that is a noble

thing and I understand why you did that

now you had certain responsibilities you

called the station to ask someone is

this real you actually got on the

website and saw the advertisement itself

but you did not click the little Link in

the corner that would have let you know

that this was absolutely a prank

you all believe that had he clicked the

link he never would have had a tattoo on

his head and what he did was a stupid

thing that you all should not have to

pay for

in a fraud case Mr Bell has to prove

that you all represented something that

you knew wasn't true you knew somebody

was likely to rely on it that person

relies on it and then they're harmed in

the evidence there are two things that

really bug me

the advertisement that has the link that

confirms this is a prank

the page that he should have read is the

second page and he'd only find it if he

read this small language at the bottom

the second thing is you all are playing

on people who are desperate we live in

desperate times and the law says if you

do a prank that there's a high

likelihood that someone's going to do

what you're enticing them to do they do

it and they are harmed

you're bad but your bill you must pay

for that and I find against the

defendants and in your favor I'm going

to award 250

000 for your damages ten thousand

dollars for your future Medicals two

hundred and fifty thousand dollars for

pain and suffering for a total Award of

510 000 dollars

ridiculous you don't even deserve it

that is my final verdicted

ordering this course

ordering this court

that is my final verdict and this matter

is adjourned

Journeys Across America just viewed this

case for the first time let's hear what

Gary Martin Hayes has to say

this case did not turn on the

traditional wrong cause term analysis

this one involved a fraud that caused

the injury the radio station advertised

an opportunity to win a prize if the

contestant did something crazy they

represented something that wasn't true

and Mr Bell relied on it and was harmed

now Safeguard should have been in place

to make sure people knew that this was a

prank

[Applause]

thank you