No Flowers, No Candy, No Card—No Dice

This lawsuit over a wrist injury is unlike any we have ever seen. And, appropriately, it is between two attorneys. After reading this we think it couldn’t happen to two more deserving legal beagles.

Attorneys George Vallario and Peter Lindley are in the ultimate shakedown after a children’s birthday party in Boca Raton, Florida. Vallario claims that Lindley’s handshake injured him. Vallario says Lindley caused him “extreme pain,” mental anguish, and now wants redress by way of a $15,000 lawsuit.

Vallario told the Florida Record that the handshake had such “ferocity, force, strength and violence” that he “yelped in extreme pain” and said, “Holy cow! Pete, what’s wrong with you, man?” Lindley denies the allegations, saying handshakes are how “gentlemen have greeted each other for centuries.” The birthday blunder occurred Saturday, February 8, 2014, and Vallario says he’s been in pain for the past two years. “When I’m at church, I have to use my left hand to pass the basket,” he says. He also reports he can’t open toothpaste caps.

Getting Handsy

Perhaps Vallario is new to such a greeting custom? No—Vallario says he’s no stranger to handshakes. “I once had a nightclub in New York and I would shake 200 people’s hands a night. That’s what you did when you had a club. And nobody ever shook my hand so violently or forcefully as did Peter.”

By Monday following the shaky situation, Vallario was at an orthopedic surgeon’s office. He was treated three times per week for six months.

Admittedly, Vallario says he does have arthritis. However, when he told Lindley about his medical issue immediately after the handshake, Lindley’s reply was, “So does my mother.” Mom jokes appear to have no age boundaries. “I don’t know why he’s so strong,” says Vallario. “He may have started a new workout regimen.”

Two days after the handshake went haywire, Vallario texted Lindley. “No flowers? No candy? No card?” he asked. Lindley had no reply.

“All he had to do was something nice, but he wouldn’t, so I did sue,” Vallario says.

Lindley eventually offered Vallario a $500 out of court settlement, but was rejected. Lindley has made few comments on the lawsuit, outside of, “It’s kind of ridiculous, actually.” He’s expected to testify that Vallario never shouted out in pain.

The case is set to go to court in mid-May. Vallario originally wanted to ask for $200,000 in damages. However, had Lindley apologized right away, “that would have been the end of it.”