A Roswell, Georgia, teenager and her family have filed a lawsuit against the City of Alpharetta, parade organizers and the maker of a cannon claiming that the cannon blast at an American Legion parade dramatically impaired the girl's hearing.
 
Brittany Giles claims the incident happened at a Veteran's Day parade in 2007 when then 14-year-old Giles was preparing to walk the parade route as a member of her high school's marching band.  In a Fulton County courtroom, Giles testified that she was near a cannon when it was fired and the cannon blast felt like a 50-pound weight on her eardrum and that she felt pain.  She also told jurors her doctor said acoustic trauma was to blame and the cannon likely caused the hearing loss.
 
Giles, who now wears hearing aids, claims she has been ridiculed by her classmates and even had to quit the band.
 
Alpharetta City Administrator Robert Regus testified no other complaints were received from other parade-goers.  Event planner Kim Dodson also testified no complaints were received from spectators.
 
—Source:  wsbradio.com (Atlanta)