Ex-Nebraska Beauty Queen Sues Over Bull Accident

A former beauty queen in western Nebraska is suing Scotts Bluff County officials over injuries she suffered when a bull charged her at the 2010 county fair.

The Scottsbluff Star-Herald reports that Jessica Littlejohn and her father William Littlejohn filed the lawsuit this week against the county and all the groups involved with putting on the fair.

The accident happened when a bull broke loose while Littlejohn and six other girls, including former Miss America Teresa Scanlan, were being introduced.

Scotts Bluff County has denied responsibility for the accident, but hasn’t yet formally responded to the lawsuit. The other defendants, including the Scotts Bluff County Agricultural Society and the County Scholarship Fair Pageant, also had not responded to the lawsuit as of Aug. 9.

Littlejohn said in the lawsuit she suffered a brain injury when she was struck by the bull and thrown into the air. At the time, fair officials said she suffered only a mild concussion and was alert enough after the accident to wonder what happened to her crown.

The Littlejohns said officials were negligent in not locking up the bull.

Littlejohn said in the lawsuit that she suffered serious physical, emotional and psychological harm. The Littlejohns are asking for $28,910.59 to cover medical costs to date and additional damages for future doctor bills.