Matthew Lincoln

Matthew Lincoln was attending an evening service at his church in Tennessee in June 2007. He went up to the altar for minister Robert Lavala to pray for him. Lavala lightly toucled Lincoln's forehead when Lincoln received "the spirit" which caused him to fall backwards.

Fast Facts

Age: 58
Occupation: Recording Engineer
Former board member of the church
Suing church and pastors
Received "the spirit" which caused him to fall back and hit the floor
No one was there to catch him
The fall worsened his pre existing condition of degenerative disc disease
Lawsuit for: $2.5 million

The Fall

When Lincoln fell, there was no one there to catch him. He allegedly hit his head against the carpeted cement floor. Lincoln claimed that he already suffered from degenerative disc disease of his neck and back and the fall made his condition worse.

Due to the fall, Lincoln claims that he can no longer care for his disabled daughter. He has filed a lawsuit against the church for negligence. He believes that there should have been someone standing behind him, ready to catch him if he were to get "the spirit" and lose control.

The insurer of the church rejects the claim because they believe that Lincoln should have seen that there was no one standing behind him.