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AIBU?

to be really fed up with society's idea of sueing at every opportunity?!

14 replies

smokinaces · 26/09/2009 16:37

Just read this:

uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090923/tuk-boy-four-dies-in-somerfield-supermar-45dbed5.html

very very sad, and very tragic. However, sueing them for neglience?? How on earth is it the supermarket's fault that the boy slipped? My son regularly swings on things like this (despite me telling him not to half the time) but the chances of something happening are so minor - and surely its parental responsibility and not the fault of the supermarket?

Its the third "compensation" claim this week thats rattled me. The other being that the mother of the twins involved in the ecoli is going to sue Godstone Farm - and the third being a friend of mine going to court for compensation for her daughter. Her 2 year old apparently suffered from nightmares for weeks after a small accident in the car (afaik it was a rear ender that wrote the older car off) and they are demanding compensation. As you can guess I dont agree with this either.

I mean do these people not wonder where this money they sue for comes from? I understand sueing if death/serious accident occured and it was blatantly the fault of someone else - but just to sue for sueing's sake?

Or AIB really U??

OP posts:
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HecatesTwopenceworth · 26/09/2009 16:42

I know. He was swinging on a rail while his mother was shopping.

A tragic accident, but no more the supermarket's fault for having the rails there than his mother's fault for not keeping him away from the rails, but instead, shopping while he did it.

If she expected the supermarket to see them as a risk and take them down, then surely she should have seen them as a risk and kept her child away from them?

OK. That's the logical argument over.

But she's just lost her child and she's grieving and she's angry and she wants to blame someone. Someone else. Because the last thing she wants - or needs - to get trapped in, is the "why didn't I stop him? why didn't I make him stand next to me? why didn't I..." Because that's just too painful.

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lisad123wantsherquoteinDM · 26/09/2009 16:47

I hate these type of things, very sad case but how is it somerfields fault that she was letting him swing on them, and wasnt stoppping him?
A lot of people have said we should sue NHS for missing darrens cancer for a year, but would never ever do that, takes money from those needing it.

We got conpensation for our car crash a few years back, but that was from goverment funded place as driver wasnt insuranced and didnt have linence , I was off work for 4 months!

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BitOfFun · 26/09/2009 16:49

Oh Hecate, it must be positively painful to be so wise some days!

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pjmama · 26/09/2009 16:49

This is an incredibly sad sad story and I really feel for the family. Doesn't it imply at the end though that the railing was in a "state"? Difficult to say whether this particular case is justified to sue or not without all the facts.

However on a general note, yes I totally agree that this country seems to have gone crazy with the blame and claim. Drives me mad too and all the ambulance chasers and money grabbers are diluting it for those who have a genuine claim.

We won't be able to take our kids anywhere to do anything if it carries on like this, as everyone will be terrified of being sued if someone's DC scrapes a knee.

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HecatesTwopenceworth · 26/09/2009 16:52

We're suing the hospital because the doctor pulled so hard on my son's head, while his shoulder was trapped in my pelvis, that she caused nerve damage, left him with Erbs Palsy and he'll be disabled for life. We're suing for the adaptations he'll need, the jobs he will be unable to do...

Now that's a case where someone is to blame. imo. and quite right that someone should compensate him for that. She nearly killed him!

I think there's a difference between someones negligence or incompetence ruining someone else's life, and a tragic accident.

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HecatesTwopenceworth · 26/09/2009 16:52

har har, BOF.

Is that your way of telling me I am talking out of my arse?

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BitOfFun · 26/09/2009 16:55

No! Well, you do sometimes. But not then.

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Heated · 26/09/2009 16:56

Had an unsolicited phone call only last week asking if I wanted to make a full claim after my car accident last year - told them I didn't think the lamp post I reversed into would pay out.

DS was facially scarred by another pupil & I had 2 parents tell me I ought to sue

We don't take the students on school trips so often anymore as the H&S form filling and data gathering is a complete pita, but has to be done so thoroghly in case a parent sues.

So YANBU.

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fluffles · 26/09/2009 16:56

personally i would only ever sue for actual costs or loss of earnings... so if i died i would not want my DP to sue anybody (Unless there was clear negligence and the suing is to get publicity to get the situation changed to prevent it happening to someone else).

if however, some orgnisation did something daft meaning i or a loved one couldn't work or was disabled for life and needed adaptations then that's different and i'd want their insurance to prevent me from going into poverty...

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HecatesTwopenceworth · 26/09/2009 16:58

do I? Often? oh dear. I should probably think more before I type.

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TheHeadbangingWombat · 26/09/2009 17:04

YANBU.That said I have actually sued someone.

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edam · 26/09/2009 17:06

Very sad case but unless there are some other facts that we aren't aware of, can't see how it's the supermarket's fault.

Unless they had an employee who had been told to stand by the railings, enticing children with promises of sweeties if they climbed them...

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BitOfFun · 26/09/2009 17:07

Nah, you're spot on Hec. I am just jealous that you can be sensible as well as funny. I may have to start a bumlicky thread about you in fact- but then again, I spotted scottishmummy around earlier, so I might leave it till it's safe

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HecatesTwopenceworth · 26/09/2009 17:17

Oh god yes, she'll beat me up and give me a wedgie

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