By Nathan Duke
A 56-year-old Oakland Gardens resident who recently filed a lawsuit against a costume company and several other businesses was not clowning around when she was injured at a 2008 Halloween party while wearing clown shoes, the woman’s attorney said.
Sherri Perper, who lives in Oakland Gardens, filed a suit within the past week against Forum Novelties in Melville, L.I., as well as Rubie’s Costume Company and Party City, said Catherine Montiel, an attorney for Roslyn Heights, L.I., firm Miller, Montiel & Strano, who represents the injured woman.
Perper said she did not want to comment on the suit and referred all questions to her attorneys.
Her suit claims she was hurt after wearing a pair of large plastic shoes she purchased from Forum Novelties, a division of Rubie’s, and wore to a Halloween party Oct. 31, 2008. Perper is alleged to have fallen over while wearing the shoes, according to the suit.
“She sustained severe fracture injuries,” Montiel said of the incident.
But Perper’s attorneys would not disclose the amount of money for which the plaintiff was suing the companies named in the suit.
“She does not want any additional publicity,” Montiel said.
She said the Queens resident’s legs were badly damaged during the fall. The suit, which was filed in Queens County, alleges that the shoes bought by the plaintiff were dangerous. The case is currently pending.
Perper did not work as a professional clown, her attorney said.
A woman who answered the phone at Rubie’s Costume Co. said she would not comment on the suit.
Forum Novelties could not be reached for comment.
Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at nduke@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4566.
