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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not want to pay £1k for a lamp my toddler broke in the doctor's waiting room?

169 replies

sanam2010 · 04/09/2012 20:23

Ok so my DH took my 22 month old DD to a doctor for a check-up today. About ten minutes after appointment time, when they had been waiting for 15min, apparently DD reached for the lamp on the magazine table next to them (she was on DH's lap), the lamp fell off the table and broke.

They then said this was a very expensive special lamp worth £1,000 and that we had to pay for a replacement!! Isn't this mad? I don' have any insurance that would cover this.

As much as i regret the damage and wish she hadn't touched anything, first of all if they had kept te appointment time this would not have happened (private practice, not NHS by the way), plus it was a complete accident, not a case of negligence or intentional damage, plus what are they doing putting a £1k lamp on a simple coffee table in the waiting room? And shouldn't their insurance cover this?

What do you guys think is a reasonable agreement i can reach with them? Is it unreasonable not to pay for it?

OP posts:
Iggly · 04/09/2012 21:10

YANBU

Why on earth should the OP pay even for an ikea jobbie? That's the point of insurance.

Is this how private dentists make their money? Leaving out expensive lamps etc for kids to destroy then claim it all back? Hmm Grin

freddiefrog · 04/09/2012 21:15

YANBU!

No way would I pay. That's what their insurance is for

I used to have a tea shop and I had an antique hatstand for peoplw to hand up their coats, etc, which got broken by a child kicking it over (much older child who kicked it deliberately) and I sucked it up and claimed on the insurance.

drjohnsonscat · 04/09/2012 21:17

I think you should out them. Ridiculous.

trixymalixy · 04/09/2012 21:18

YANBU. I wouldn't pay. Thats what their insurance is for. I would perhaps offer to pay the excess, but that's it.

creamteas · 04/09/2012 21:22

You don't need to do anything.

If they send you anything in writing asking for the money then contact your house insurance company. Almost everyone has 3rd party liability built into their policies, and they will challenge/pay as appropriate.

One of my DC was knocked off his bike (not badly hurt thankfully) and the car's insurance company tried to bill us for the damage to the car. The house insurance company dealt with everything.

DappyHays · 04/09/2012 21:25

Tell them to fuck right off.

mummmsy · 04/09/2012 21:29

em? the lamp should have been secure, it is a risk if there are small children in their waiting area - they could have hurt yours or someone else's child. i would be pointing this out to them in no uncertain terms. also, i'm not sure i'd apologise for a 22 month old breaking a lamp that was in an inappropriate and risky place in the first instance.

MollyMurphy · 04/09/2012 21:30

There is no bloody way I'd pay for the thing...that is what insurance is for. A thousand pound lamp in a public waiting room - ridiculous.

You are Soooooo not being unreasonable.

dikkertjedap · 04/09/2012 21:32

Apologise but don't pay. YANBU!

gordyslovesheep · 04/09/2012 21:33

YA sooooo NBU

Wheresthedamndog · 04/09/2012 21:33

Swap to the NHS. They don't stretch to £1k lamps. So no risk of damage.

My toddler broke the GP's printer by kicking it off a v low table.....they were really nice about it.

Seriously, that is bonkers. Their insurance wil surely cover it.

VivaLeBeaver · 04/09/2012 21:35

My dd broke the entire pick and mix display in the co-op, smashed it to bits by charging into it. They never asked us to pay, but they never replaced it either. Sad

Ten years on and I still tell her it's her fault there's no pick and mix in the village.

Namechangegalore · 04/09/2012 21:35

Why are there lamps lying about at a doctors surgery?! Say you won't pay, and tell them to claim it on their insurance. Bloody cheeky little shits.

sarahtigh · 04/09/2012 21:37

no you should not pay, if it were a china and or lighting shop I would say you should as you should not let a small child touch fragile breakable struff for sale. I would never expect a patient to pay for a breakage unless deliberate.

ebven in shops you are rarely expected to pay for breakages, unless careless like loose swinging shoulder bag in said china shop

you should only have to pay if deliberate, not accidents

if you trash a hotel room when drunk you pay if you accidently knock wineglass mug off table while eating you don't

i'm an NHS dentist but the fact it is a private practice is really irrelevant it is not normal to be forced to pay for accidents, though sometimes if partly at fault it is nice to make gesture

bruffin · 04/09/2012 21:37

Have you got building insurance, if you are liable then you should be covered under the legal liability section, if not they will fight your corner with their insurance company.
Dd scratched a car with her bike and our building insurer paid for it.

Original poster
sanam2010 · 04/09/2012 21:40

Thanks - will be happy to name and shame them but will call the boss tomorrow and make a big fuss about it - let's see if they become more reasonable, if not happy to out.

The worst is that my dd became so upset about the broken glass and DH's anger that she cried so much during the actual appointment that they didn't even check her teeth properly and then the dentist said that at 22 months she was probably too young, even tough I had asked them when I made the appointment and they said it was not too young. And of course we still had to pay for the appointment.

Good idea about the risk assessment and health and safety, i do think all that broken glass in practice that takes toddlers is a huge risk and clearly my daughter was terrified afterwards.

OP posts:
Original poster
sanam2010 · 04/09/2012 21:42

And to those who asked as i said earlier i have no insurance that could cover this. We only rent so no form of building insurance or anything like that.

OP posts:
Lilithmoon · 04/09/2012 21:44

NHS dentist next time OP. They will see children when there first tooth erupts or thereabouts. I have been taking my DD since she was a dot.

McHappyPants2012 · 04/09/2012 21:46

i would put in a compo claim for the stress it has caused you :)

DottyWottyDooDah · 04/09/2012 21:48

At what point did they ask you to pay for the lamp?

Original poster
sanam2010 · 04/09/2012 21:50

DottyWottyDohDah after they had cleaned up the glass (so not immediately) but before the actual appointment

OP posts:
DottyWottyDooDah · 04/09/2012 21:53

No confusion with the bill then Grin
tbh I would do nothing.
Don'tphone them tomorrow.
Ignore any written demand.
Find another dentist.

ScorpionQueen · 04/09/2012 21:55

Absolutely no way you you pay. Their insurance will cover it. They should just be relieved no-one was hurt.

HeavenlyChocolate · 04/09/2012 22:00

YANBU. I'd tell them it was a health hazard waiting to happen as it wasn't secure - causing you undue stress as it could have seriously hurt your DD or anyone else near by.

mumnosGOLDisbest · 04/09/2012 22:12

i'm guessing they have proof of the vases value no? YANBU and they wont have a leg to stand on!

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