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A 14 year old girl died yesterday after being swept into a swollen river whilst training for some sort of outward bound competition on Dartmoor. Should her parents, after allowing her to go on the trip be allowed to sue the education authority who took her on the trip. Personally I think it is time to stop apportioning blame, so that our kids can experience real life. Blame-claim has got to go, otherwise our kids don't even get to play kiss chase.

2007-03-06 07:12:13 · 13 answers · asked by freddy the newf 4 in Family & Relationships Other - Family & Relationships

13 answers

As a twelve year old, I climbed Helvellyn in the fog, and came down by the precarious route of Swirral edge. That was 35 years ago!

The trouble with society today is that kids have no contact with risk taking and as such have not actually grown up by the time they leave school.

As for the litiginous society, it's one of the less favourable imports from the US, where lawyers really do chase ambulances!

2007-03-06 07:31:26 · answer #1 · answered by Modern Major General 7 · 1 0

I agree. Its not the education authorities fault that this occured. It may simply have been an error the girl made. And if they sue, then surely they are condemning all trips that young people go on as for example, my school went to wales, people could easily have died/injured themselves climbing cliffs, sea cliff traversing, mine walking in a flooded mine with a powerful waterfall. These experiences help build confidence etc. Also, surely the parents knew there were certain risks involved.

2007-03-06 15:20:17 · answer #2 · answered by Jenny 2 · 2 0

I know in our school district when the kids go on an "outing" that the parents have to sign a release of liablility unless there was complete negligence, i think it might be hard for them to sue if they gave permission! Everyone is very "sue-happy" lately! It seems like the parents want to put the blame elsewhere.

2007-03-06 15:17:44 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

Accidents happen and always will, I cant imagine how the parents of that little girl must feel, but then again the teacher/representative with her must feel pretty awful too. Why sue? its not gonna bring her or many others back or even give any sort of happiness....Its only money and all the money in the world will never bring a child home where she belongs.

2007-03-06 15:18:38 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1 0

Parents can't win sometimes! They are blamed for letting their children go on trips/outings that are dangerous,blamed if their children stay indoors and get overweight. I agree, we are developing the 'American' culture for suing for anything and everything and it's not good. Money or having something to blame can never replace what has been lost but we must also accept that life is life and s**t happens. Our lives are becoming meaningless, afraid to experience life because of the dangers. Get out there and live it, do mad, stupid, bad, lovely things and never regret a moment of it.

2007-03-06 15:33:28 · answer #5 · answered by Mrs Squarepants 1 · 2 0

Quite. someone at my school (some time ago) was paralysed in a ski trip after going off piste. The school (and one teacher in particular, rather harshly) was found at fault for not removing the ski pass from the boy, even though he was warned more than a few occasions not to go off piste.

2007-03-06 15:17:32 · answer #6 · answered by DizzyDream 3 · 1 0

What if you were that girl's parent, and it was your DAUGHTER who 'died' ... and how do you 'know' that this was a 'complete accident' that would have happened even if there was someone 'watching the child carefully' ... so, yes, I think that the parents have the 'right' to sue 'the people they think are responsible' for their daughter's death ... and it will be up to the Judge/jury to 'decide' if they get any 'damages' ... and sometimes, the act of 'filing this suit' gets onto the 'news' and that prevents other children from 'dying' the same way ... and often that is 'enough' for the parents of the child who died, but they might still have to 'file suit' so their case makes it onto the 'news' ...

2007-03-06 15:34:05 · answer #7 · answered by Kris L 7 · 1 3

There should have been adult supervision. If I were a parent I would investigate the circumstances, and if it could have been prevented in some way, if the supervision was not adequate Yes the parent has a right to sue.

2007-03-06 15:16:52 · answer #8 · answered by michelebaruch 6 · 0 1

You're so right, it has got completely out of proportion ... but there is the grief and shock element that the family of the deceased girl has to go through ... now's not really the time to get annoyed at them, to be honest.

2007-03-06 15:52:24 · answer #9 · answered by Orla C 7 · 3 0

I agree, it's very sad when something like that happens
HOWEVER: ONLY in cases of WRECKLESS NEGLIGENCE should people be sued as a result of an accident like this...

of course, I believe the woman who put her hot cup of McDonalds coffee in her lap while driving was being wrecklessly negligent to herself, and NEVER should have prevailed in that suit....

2007-03-06 15:16:36 · answer #10 · answered by redsoxfan11x 5 · 2 0

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