A Brooklyn Park man sued a Harundale karate school yesterday for $1 million, charging that a kick from his instructor broke his nose, jaw and cheekbone and forced him to miss a month of work.
Joseph Gill Gadow, 32, of the 4900 block of Brookwood Road alleges that Brian Soe, an instructor at Kim's Karate in Harundale Mall "maliciously" kicked him in the face in 1994, causing the injuries.
Mr. Gadow, a first-degree black belt, agreed on July 7, 1994, to spar with Mr. Soe, who is a third-degree black belt. First-degree is the lowest level of black belt, according to the suit filed in Anne Arundel Circuit Court.
When Mr. Soe entered the ring, he was not wearing any of the protective gear usually worn by sparring partners, including foot padding that would have softened the impact of any kick, according to the suit.
Mr. Soe, 28, then "threw what in karate is called a 'spinning hook kick' with his heel, striking the right side of Mr. Gadow's head with full impact," the suit says.
The blow broke Mr. Gadow's nose and jaw, fractured his cheekbone in several places, fractured bones beneath his eye socket and knocked loose several teeth, according to the suit.
Mr. Gadow, a shipping clerk for a Baltimore business, underwent facial surgery the next day, missed a month of work and had $15,000 in medical bills, the suit says.
A spokesman for the karate school declined to comment yesterday.
Jonathan P. Kagan, Mr. Gadow's lawyer, said his client had not planned to file suit but considered doing so after the school refused to reimburse him for the $500 U.S. savings bond he would have received from his employer for a perfect attendance record for 1994.
Mr. Kagan said the instructor's conduct was so negligent and malicious that the doctrine of implied consent -- which generally protects participants in injury-prone sports from liability -- does not apply.
"Our position is that this instructor went way beyond the limits, exceeding the rules of the game," he said.