A Hawaiian man sued the state for a heart attack after a false alarm on his mobile phone and warned him of a ballistic missile attack in January, accusing authorities of neglecting the incident that shocked thousands.
James Shawn Shields was driving to the beach with his girlfriend when the state sent a mobile warning saying "a ballistic missile threat on its way to Hawaii.
The letter came at a time of heightened tension between the United States and North Korea, which had announced it had developed a ballistic missile capable of reaching the US mainland.
Thousands of islanders rushed to shelter before Hawaii's emergency management agency withdrew the letter about half an hour later, saying it had been sent by mistake.
Shields felt pain and heartburn in his chest after making calls to bid farewell to his loved one, including his son and daughter.
Shields and Brenda rushed to the hospital where his heart stopped and underwent emergency surgery to save his life.
Brenda is involved in the lawsuit and seeks financial compensation for the psychological pain of seeing her boyfriend with a heart attack.