This story in the Melbourne Herald-Sun refers to an incident that happened in America:
Bizarre ... Jennifer Connell is suing her 12-year-old nephew for accidentally breaking her wrist.
AN
aunt is suing her 12-year-old nephew who accidentally broke her wrist
while greeting her — because she now struggles to hold a plate of
canapés.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/
These are some of the comments from Australian readers:
- This is not just a US thing, it happens here in Australia and has done for years.
- American legal system was always stupid, but this one takes the cake. Only in America!
- How
ridiculous. Why is everything about money? How could an 8 year old
know that what he did would be unsafe. The majority of people are to
quick to sue these days. The woman should just accept that it was an
accident, stop complaining and get on with life.
Obviously
the reporter and the commentors have no idea how the insurance business
operates. How else can anyone get compensation unless they sue the
person who caused the injury. You can't sue the lady down the street -
she had nothing to do with the accident. You have to sue the person who
caused the injury. That person then hands over the details to their
insurance company and the case goes to court. There is no other
reasonable way to do it.
If I accidentally broke my aunt's wrist
the first thing I would say to her is, "Don't you pay a cent for
doctor's fees. I'm fully insured so go ahead and sue me for as much as
you need. My insurance company will pay whatever the court decides.
That's why I always pay my premiums; to cover situations exactly like
this."
