Pro-se plaintiff in mechanical bull suit moves for default judgment

A Granite City man who claims he lost a finger due to a mechanical bull ride wants a default judgment entered against the ride's operator.

Plaintiff Timothy Cavins filed his motion pro se April 30. A hearing is set for June.

The defendant in the case, Fun Source Inc., has not filed an answer or entered an appearance in the two-year-old suit.

Cavins' attorney, Morgan Scroggins, was allowed to withdraw from the case in March.

Cavins claims that while he was at a picnic in September 2006, he rode the bull ride.

While on the ride, Cavins injured his hand. The injury required, according to his complaint, the amputation of one of his fingers.

He claims the ride was operated carelessly and that Fun Source's employee who operated the ride did not instruct him how to properly ride it.

He is seeking damages of at least $50,000 and costs.

Madison County Circuit Judge Barbara Crowder has been assigned to the litigation.

The case is Madison case number 08-L-792.