Benjamin Miller: 20-Year-Old American Severely Injured After Being Gored By Bull At Spanish Festival

By Jobs & Hire Staff Reporter | Feb 16, 2015 05:37 AM EST

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Benjamin Miller - A 20-year-old man from Georgia is critically injured and has been placed in the intensive care unit of a Spanish hospital after being tossed and mangled by a large bull over the weekend during a festival.

According to local reports, the incident happened at the Ciudad Rodrigo's Carnaval del Toro; a bullfighting festival.

Benjamin Miller, who traveled to the annual festival with other U.S. students, had to be rushed to a hospital in western Salamanca where he underwent a three-hour-long surgery to amend his damaged thighs, back muscles and splinters. 

He also suffered from several hemorrhages after being tossed and mangled by the bull.

"It's not the worst injury I've seen, but it's the biggest goring wound I've ever had to operated on," said Enrique Crespo, the surgeon who operated on Miller

Two other men, whose identities have not been disclosed, were reportedly also injured during the first day of the festival.

Pedro Munoz, Councilor of the town said "One man from Scotland and a Spaniard from Salamanca were also injured."

The Scottish victim is 46-years-old, while the Spaniard is 31.

Bullfighting festivals abound in Spain and every year thousands of tourists are attracted to these cultural celebrations, which have a high tendency of resulting in injuries - some fatal.

Munoz agrees and says because of this danger; the town always has a medical team on standby in case someone got hurt.

"Doctor Crespo is a world-renowned expert and we have a medically-equipped helicopter on standby every day of our annual fiesta," he said.

Reports indicate that over 40,000 people attended the first day of this year's four day festival, which includes bull-running and bullfights.

Ciudad Rodrigo is a small city close to the Portuguese border, with a population of around 14,000.

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