Dead Teen Sued for Flying Body Parts

[similar.squirrel]

This will probably be implemented in the next version of VATS.

Also, American healthcare is a fucking joke.

 

[Dreadjaws]

Jesus, no. I mean, yes, she got injured but the boy DIED. His family is shattered and then she shows up with a lawsuit? That's... that's just not right. She got it bad, but the boy got it worse and his family is certainly not in a happy state. Doing this to them is just wrong, specially since it's not their fault.

I realize she might have the legal rights to do it. I don't care, I'd rather throw myself to the train than disturb the family of a dead boy for something that was accidental.

I'm sorry, maybe she's old, maybe she's legally backed-up, maybe she has bills to pay for something that wasn't her fault, but she's an awful person.

 

[Vegosiux]

But it wasn't an accident. The dead man is to blame, he was an idiot. And the family isn't going to have any financial losses because the woman is not sueing the family.

Well, no, the dead guy isn't to blame for the fact that the pieces of him flew in that one particular direction, really. All he is to blame for is the pieces of him flying into any direction at all.

He was an idiot, I fully agree. I mean he should have known what he was running into. But he couldn't have known which way he'll scatter.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Is it wrong that the only thought I had on this was that the kid was a dumbass?

Looking at some of the comments, apparently not.

 

[Stalydan]

Unless the court reanimates the corpse of the teenager who's body flew into her, I can't in all faith say that's it's right to sue the guy. He can't defend himself and suing his estate is even worse. His parents just lost a kid and now somebody is taking them to court because some of his body hit that person and caused them injury.

If I'm not mistaken, the parents are suing the train company. I'd say that if they're successful, some of the compensation should be awarded to the woman who was injured. Then again, this is America and she's going to try to take them for all the money they have.

Sorry but it's true. For a country that's built on "morals", some of them seem to fly out the window in court.

 

[gigastar]

Oh please, as things stand in the UK right now even taking a 3mph fender bender will have the victims headhunted by lawfirms any one of which will at thier word sue the other guy for thousands on a whiplash claim.

Its actually getting so bad that government is starting to think about it in between feeling stupid about trying to get the country more actively interested in sports for the Olympics, and making large scale decisions that piss of half the lower country because one field will get a train track across it.

Is it wrong that the only thought I had on this was that the kid was a dumbass?

Looking at some of the comments, apparently not.

Youre not wrong, and any regular visitor to the Darwin Awards website would also agree with you.

Getting on the train tracks for any reason is a huge risk wherever you are, however some dont appreciate risk until it goes foul for them.

 

[Poomermon]

Well, no, the dead guy isn't to blame for the fact that the pieces of him flew in that one particular direction, really. All he is to blame for is the pieces of him flying into any direction at all.

He was an idiot, I fully agree. I mean he should have known what he was running into. But he couldn't have known which way he'll scatter.

That is irrelevant. That guy acted recklessly. It is the same thing if he blindfolded himself and started shooting with a gun in random directions. You wouldn't be saying the same thing if one of his bullets had hit that lady just because he couldn't have known which way they would go. If it were a pure accident I don't think there would be a case but the key thing is that he should have been aware of the danger and he still did it.

 

[Vegosiux]

That is irrelevant. That guy acted recklessly. It is the same thing if he blindfolded himself and started shooting with a gun in random directions. You wouldn't be saying the same thing if one of his bullets had hit that lady just because he couldn't know witch way they would go.

Him hitting anyone that way would still be an accident. Or let me use a different word. It would be accidental, as opposed to premeditated. Idiotic and reckless, but dragging his family into the court because of it would still be something I could not condone. That's what I'm saying.

If it were a pure accident I don't think there would be a case but the key thing is that he should have been aware of the danger and he still did it.

Aware of the danger of getting splattered, yes. Aware of the danger of splattered pieces hitting someone else, no. I mostly hope incidents like that will knock some sense into people's skulls so they realize that universal healthcare is a good idea.

 

[StBishop]

-snip-

Agreed, I think it's perfectly reasonable.

 

[Jowe]

This sort of thing really makes america look like a backward country, both because of lack of healthcare and constantly suing each other.

 

[Poomermon]

Him hitting anyone that way would still be an accident. Or let me use a different word. It would be accidental, as opposed to premeditated. That's what I'm saying.

Not premeditated sure but that does not absolve him from liability. For example car crashes are almost never premeditated but there is usually still someone who was negligent and therefore responsible for the crash. Just because the kid died does not take the liability away either.

I mostly hope incidents like that will knock some sense into people's skulls so they realize that universal healthcare is a good idea.

I can agree with you on that one at least.

 

[WanderingFool]

http://thestir.cafemom.com/in_the_news/130874/dead_teen_sued_by_victim
"You think you've heard it all until I tell you that an appeals court in Illinois recently ruled that a woman is allowed to sue a dead teen's estate for injuries caused by his flying body parts. The 18-year-old boy was running across the Amtrak tracks to catch another train but didn't make it -- he was hit by an oncoming train going 70 mph and his body was torn apart by the force and flung onto a nearby passengers' waiting platform. The woman, 58, was struck by a sizable chunk of the boy's body and was knocked to the ground, breaking her leg and wrist. The court ruled that the boy's death was "reasonably foreseeable" and that his estate can be held responsible for his negligence.

I'm sorry, but who goes around suing a dead teen whose body was ripped to shreds in one of the most gruesome ways imaginable?"

I... I have no words. Comments & thoughts?

Well, to be honest, unlike other examples ive seen in the past, I dont find fault with this.

Lets face it, the teen deserves a Darwin's Award.

People who die from drunk drives earn my sympathy, people who get themselves killed by being drunk drivers, they can suck it...

 

[ccggenius12]

Do people maybe not know what estate means?

I've been lead to believe that an estate is a piece of landed property, especially one of large extent with an elaborate house on it. (thanks Dictionary.com! for all of your technically correct trolling needs!)
Threads like this make me wish that this forum included a person's country under their avatar, it would save a lot of confusion and anger at thinking people are idiots just because stuff works differently there.
On that note, yes, our system of healthcare is broken, and it would be awesome if we could fix it. But in the meantime, you people seem to be suggesting that we should just tell anyone who desperately needs money for medical expenses to just grin and bear it. It must be nice to live in your own little world, where the air smells of warm root beer and anyone on the street would gladly shave your back for a nickel. Assuming medical bills applied to a person at the average income for an american (which is below the poverty line mind you) there is no reasonable way she could go on living if she did not sue for compensation. The money she would be spending on food, housing, etc. has to go pay for her medical bills.
To those saying that there's no reasonable way she could have gotten injured, you seem to be implying that a flying limb travelling ~60 mph cannot cause damage. If that's truly the case, lets meet up some time, and we can test your theory. I'll bring a baseball bat. I'm your typical scrawny nerd, but I can guarantee you if I hit you once, you ain't getting up for a LONG time.

This sort of thing really makes america look like a backward country, both because of lack of healthcare and constantly suing each other.

The two are related. I can guarantee if the former was taken care off, there would be far less of the latter.

All of this being said, it's far from practical to implement universal healthcare at this point in america. We're swimming in debt because everyone wants more benefits, but doesn't want increased taxes to pay for them. Assuming one wants to make it a goal to eventually pay off the debt, the government needs to be cutting spending, not jumping on more things it can pay for. Of course, if we just stop caring about national debt, sure, lets give everyone comprehensive medical now, and eliminate taxes too! Hell, lets print enough money so everyone can say they're a millionaire, because we don't want to live in the real world anymore!

 

[SilentCom]

You think sueing would be one of the last things the woman would think about after witnessing something that traumatic. I mean seriously, if you had severed body parts fly at you, you'd be a little traumatized too.

Also, shouldn't the woman's insurance cover that? If anything, it sounds like she is being greedy.

 

[senordesol]

You think sueing would be one of the last things the woman would think about after witnessing something that traumatic. I mean seriously, if you had severed body parts fly at you, you'd be a little traumatized too.

Also, shouldn't the woman's insurance cover that? If anything, it sounds like she is being greedy.

Assuming she has insurance.

 

[Bobic]

I find it quite shocking to see how many people are defending the woman in this. Has the sue culture in the United States gone so far as to completely shit on common decency and humanity?
A stupid 18 year old kid died, and people blame him for being stupid. Hey, guess what: ALL 18 year olds are stupid.
Can you imagine finding out your child died, then getting sued by a bystander who was hit by flying body parts, and THEN finding out people condemn your son for taking a stupid risk?

You guys need help.

Can you imagine doing something as mundane as catching a train, getting injured pretty badly, being stuck with those wonderfully expensive American medical bills, not being able to work due to those injuries (seriously, can you even use crutches with a broken wrist?), and then being insulted by people on the internet for thinking that you shouldn't have to pay and suffer for someone else's mistake, regardless of their wellbeing after being hit by a train (in this case, about as dead as one can manage)?

Us guys don't need help, we're perfectly fine.

Pardon my French but that woman sounds like some greedy fat *****.

"AH SHUCKS! I feel on my ass and broke my happy meal!"
"Time to sue someone because I was to chuncky to move!"

If she is not fat she is still a *****.

Oh wow, Neo, it's so good to hear from you, how's it going? Anyway, for those of us who aren't the one, knowing we can bend the rules of reality in the Matrix, we actually find it hard to dodge projectiles moving at 50mph, with no warning, and possibly no knowledge that they are even coming towards us (she may not have been looking in the right direction). But still, you have a certain disconnect from us normal, uninitiated humans. So I understand. Good luck fighting those agents. Peace out.

 

[Nielas]

Do people maybe not know what estate means?

I've been lead to believe that an estate is a piece of landed property, especially one of large extent with an elaborate house on it. (thanks Dictionary.com! for all of your technically correct trolling needs!)

Discussions like this get weird when you realize that people might be misconstruing what a legal term really means and thus drawing erroneous conclusions

In this case:
-Estate means the assets and liabilities of a dead person. A person is assigned as executor of the estate to resolve all outstanding liabilities and when that is taken care of, gives the remaining assets to the dead person's heirs. If the liabilities are larger than the assets, the estate is declared bankrupt and the heir get nothing. In most countries debts are not inherited.

In my case if I died, my parents would get my computer, clothes and everything in my bank account less the value of my student loans. I lease my car so it would be returned to the leasing company.