A Chinese bridesmaid suffered a spinal fracture after a wedding prank went wrong, with a court ordering the wedding party to pay 230,000 yuan.
AN ancient wedding tradition involving playful hazing, intended to create a lively atmosphere, turned tragic after a woman in China reportedly suffered a spinal fracture following a prank that went too far.
Following the incident, a court ordered those involved in the wedding party to pay the woman a total of 230,000 yuan (RM138,804) in compensation.
The incident occurred in 2023, when the victim, identified only by her surname Zhang, was attending the wedding as a bridesmaid. According to court documents, she was hiding inside a wardrobe in the wedding room, where 10 men were also present. The reason she hid was not disclosed.
Shortly afterwards, one of the groomsmen, identified as Wang Moubing, allegedly pulled Zhang out of the wardrobe and pushed her onto the bed.
According to the court proceedings, Wang then suggested that the other men toss Zhang into the air using a bedsheet. They successfully caught her after the first toss, but failed to catch her during the second, causing her to fall heavily to the floor.
Court documents also stated that one of the relatives present had warned the men not to let the prank go too far.
Following the incident, Zhang was diagnosed with a lumbar vertebral fracture. In August 2024, a forensic medical assessment determined that the injury constituted a Grade Nine disability, indicating permanent impairment under China’s disability classification system.
The court found Wang liable for initiating the prank, while eight other individuals were held partially liable after the court determined there was insufficient evidence to prove they had directly participated in carrying it out.
Under the court’s final ruling, the newlyweds were ordered to pay 40% of the total compensation, amounting to 90,000 yuan (RM54,308). Wang was ordered to pay 50,000 yuan (RM30,171), while the remaining 90,000 yuan (RM54,308) was to be shared among the eight other individuals.
