By Kelly Dean

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WBKO) — Senator Rand Paul testified he deals with constant pain and medical issues over a year after he was attacked by his neighbor.

“The thought crossed my mind that I’ll never get up from this lawn again,” said Paul as he recounted the day of the attack. 

His testimony came later on in the afternoon Monday. After several hours that morning, a jury was selected for Rand Paul vs. Rene Boucher in Warren Circuit Court. 

Both parties’ attorneys made opening statement to start the trial. 

Tom Kerrick, representing Rand Paul, recounted the day of the Nov. 3, 2017 attack, then the timeline following the attack. Kerrick displayed x-rays of Paul’s injuries, which included broken and displaced ribs. Kerrick said doctors determined a recent hernia was a result of the Nov. 2017 attack. 

Last Tuesday, Paul underwent hernia surgery in Toronto. Paul is suing Boucher for damages, which include medical costs, pain and suffering and punitive damages that exceed $1 million. 

“I shouldn’t have to deal with this pain that was purposely inflicted on me,” said Paul at one point on the witness stand. 

Matt Baker, representing Rene Boucher, recounted a timeline of events leading up to Nov. 3, 2017 in which Boucher cleaned up brush piles from Paul’s property. The brush was from maple trees on Paul’s property line. Boucher admitted to burning a brush pile the evening before the attack, where the gas can exploded and he sustained 2nd degree burns, according to Baker. The following day, Baker said his client lost his temper when he saw Paul making an additional brush pile. 

Baker made claims that Paul only treated his injuries with ibuprofen and never admitted himself to a hospital after the attack, which Paul confirmed. 

“He (Paul) has treated all his pain with ibuprofen, and since this incident he remains today an avid golfer,” Baker said in the courtroom. 

On the witness stand, Paul admitted to only treating his pain with ibuprofen because he did not want to risk becoming addicted to narcotics, and for fear that narcotics would hinder his mental capability while working in Washington D.C. 

“Someone who is this violent really needs to be punished or other people will just think it’s okay,” Paul said on the witness stand. 

A doctor from Graves Gilbert was the final witness to take the stand for the day. The doctor saw Paul several times for his injuries.