Sue Happy

[Rageaholic]

Who else is tired of being dictated by the fear of getting sued?

Look at all these restrictions places have as to what's not allowed. Most places don't allow skateboarding or rollerblading. Why? Most likely because little timmy might get hurt and their parents will sue the pants off of them. So instead of letting people make their own decisions, businesses have to make all these rules parenting us when we are on their property. And that's just one basic example.

I'd be afraid to do basic favors for people (such as giving them a ride home, letting them into my house to go the bathroom, or giving them something to eat) without being put at risk for lawsuits because if something were to happen to them, I could be liable. God forbid someone breaks into my house and gets hurt. Guess who could end up being responsible?

I'm not saying we should never sue or be responsible, but this paranoia has gotten way out of hand.

[daleduke17]

God forbid someone breaks into my house and gets hurt. Guess who could end up being responsible?

That one is complete bullshit.

- Little Timmy scales the fence surrounding my pool and drowns in the pool, I'm liable even though Timmy was trespassing.
- Timmy's cracked out older brother breaks into my house trying to find stuff to steal to pawn for crack and gets hurt, I'm liable.
- Timmy's mother strolls across my yard for a shortcut to the mailbox. She trips and breaks her ankle, guess what, I'm liable.

Why? They are the ones committing the crimes. Trespassing for Timmy and his mother, breaking and entering for the brother. But, I'm responsible for their injuries and death when the father sues me. And the bad part? Timmy's dad would more than likely win.

[Rageaholic]

- Little Timmy scales the fence surrounding my pool and drowns in the pool, I'm liable even though Timmy was trespassing.

Ooh that reminds me, someone I know actually had their neighbors kid almost drown in a pond on their property. This was after telling the kids and the parents multiple times that they could not go in the pond. But the kids wouldn't listen and the parents were too stupid to look after them, then one of them nearly drowned.

Now even if I wasn't legally responsible, I wouldn't want any kid to drown, ever, and I'm sure these people didn't either, but the fact that they could have been sued is just BS. Especially since they obviously cared more about the kids than their own parents.

[Rantsylvania 6-5000]

It's ridiculous that the system makes it so easy for these people to win! Sure, lawyers are sharks, and as long as they stand a chance at winning these cases, they will encourage people to sue. But there are so many idiot jurors out there making the decisions in favor of the assholes! Seriously, I don't know where they keep finding all these people who think someone should get rewarded for injuring themselves while committing a crime! Ex-cons? Career welfare recipients?

This may seem twisted, but as much as I hate frivolous lawsuits like these, I like the idea of being able to sue for things like marital infidelity. Sometimes people do really shitty things to you, and there's just no other way, legally that is, to even things out. There have been cases of women who sued their husband's mistresses, and I'm cool with that.

[DrFaroohk]

I've known a lot of big rig drivers who go through a lot of the same bullshit.

"All I did was drop my cigarette while talking on my cellphone, reached for the cigarette while simultaneously texting, and then spilled my beer everywhere, so I lost control of the car and hit that big 18 wheeler! HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN WATCHING WHERE HE WAS GOING!!!!!!!!"

[Rapscallion]

Oh, in the UK if a truck is involved in an accident they rarely try to fight it even if they're in the right - they almost always lose.

One of our drivers was stationary at the side of the road and a car tried to get past on a narrow part where our truck was and went up the embankment. Sodding stupid, especially as their car ended up rolling. Police were called (by the idiots) and tachographs were offered. The police didn't need to see them, as it was obvious what had happened.

We still expect to lose the case.

Rapscallion

[Plaidman]

My personal favorite was the guy that ran into his own car while working for the city in a city trunk, sued the city, and won.


It seems that most people mind instantly jumps to "GUILTY"

Because in most idiotic jurors, their minds go he wouldn't be in trial if he wasn't didn't do something wrong"

That and hey, it's this person's fault I'm forced to go to court instead of work and my own free time. I'm going to make him pay! HE GUILTY! I don't care if video proof, and that God himself comes down from the heavens itself to state he is innocent, he guilty and he'll pay!"

[Exaspera]

Wanna get really mad?

[Plaidman]

Wanna get really mad?

You mean laugh, right?

http://www.snopes.com/legal/lawsuits.asp

All those were proven false.

[Exaspera]

You mean laugh, right?

http://www.snopes.com/legal/lawsuits.asp

All those were proven false.

DAMN!!!!! So much for that idea.

[DrFaroohk]

I think even on the dumb cases that are actually true, a lot of times the jury just isn't made aware of all the facts. The lawyer will argue that the fact the guy was breaking into someone's house is irrelevent or something.

[Plaidman]

I think even on the dumb cases that are actually true, a lot of times the jury just isn't made aware of all the facts. The lawyer will argue that the fact the guy was breaking into someone's house is irrelevent or something.

Ahh yes. That myth. Love that one. Everyone belives it. At least some people do alittle more research in it and find out the real story behind that.

Wasn't a home, was a school.

Didn't land on a knife, fell through a skywindow and became a paralygic.

Was he trespassing? True. But he wasn't trying to break in, they were trying to redirect a skylight to the basketball court to play basketball.


True, he shouldn't have sued. But he wasn't a harden criminal breaking into an old ladies home to steal her penny bank and got injured. Just a dumb kid who do what alot of dumb kids do. Trespass on proptery. He didn't intend to steal anything. Just redirect a freaking light to play basketball with his friends.

[DrFaroohk]

I was just using that as a generic example anyway. I know that one in particular was a myth, but I was just pointing out that things like that do happen - people get sued for dumb shit, and when the plaintiff wins people blame the jury, who probably just didn't know the story.