Do you know someone that loves to sue people?
By blueskies
@blueskies (1186)
United States
January 12, 2007 9:53pm CST
I do. It seems that the American culture has grown increasingly litigious in the past several years. It's like everyone is just waiting for someone else to screw up so they can sue them and get a huge settlement.
My ex is like this. He took his car in to be fixed. It was a real junker--not worth more than $500. Well, he went to pick it up and was told that the car had fallen from the lift, causing some minor damage to the one side. The damage was barely visible and not worth fixing on such a junky vehicle, but he still sued the shop, trying to get pain and damages. Fortunately, he didn't win. That's just one example of him sueing others to try to get money that he's not really entitled to. I could go on and on.
What do you think of this trend?
11 people like this
61 responses
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
13 Jan 07
I hate how money can rule some peoples lives. It makes them do things that they would not normally do. I know a husband and wife who are good people. The kind that cares for others and are always willing to lend a helping hand. They got into some debt. They found out that they could file bankrupcy. This was before it was as hard as it is today to file. This sweet, compassionate couple went to lowes and sears and goodness knows where else adn maxed out their cards before filing for bankrupcy. I dont know all the details of how they did it and really dont want to know because I dont want to think less of them but they did file and since then they have sued 2 other people in separate lawsuits to get more money. Money has changed these wonderful people into selfish people. They were such good people too. Now they dont even hang with the same crowd. It is sad.
@elusivedarkness (531)
• United States
13 Jan 07
Yeah, I agree America has gone nuts with lawsuites. I just don't agree with the insane amount of litigation that happens in this country. Suites don't get you anywhere. You can be tied up in court for years before you get anywhere especially if you actually have a real reason to sue. Say someone cheats you out of money and you have to take legal action. If the guy is a crook he can string you along forever while he hides his assets. I mean the system doesn't help those who really need it and too many people abuse it with frivolous law suites. It just disgusts me.
2 people like this
@scorpiobabes (7225)
• United States
13 Jan 07
I don't. I've grown up believing that unless the person intentionally did something to hurt me, to just let it go. I've seen my parents pursue one lawsuit in my life (at the time, about 18 or 19 years)--trying to sell a property, received an earnest check for $5k (that subsequently bounced). They proceeded to ask the guy; he said he'd get another one to them. In the meantime, my parents went to FLA from NJ to purchase another property and home. The guy never made good on the check and meanwhile, my parents are paying 4 mortgages! Dad stays in FLA to make a go of it, Mom stays in NJ for us kids and finally, my parents agreed to pursue a lawsuit. Sadly, mom passed on but the case was never resolved. This guy INTENDED to defraud my parents, so in this case, it was justified. Suing over too-hot coffee or a scratch on a car is frivolous. Didn't a state pursue administering a fee for filing suits?
@blueskies (1186)
• United States
13 Jan 07
Hmm, I hadn't heard about a filing fee, so maybe it wasn't in my state?
It certainly sounds like your parents had good cause for a suit. I'm so sorry about your mother. It's too bad that they never got their money.
@superbren (856)
•
13 Jan 07
my brother lives in florida and he says he practically has to sign a disclaimer if his son is going over to play on the neighbours trampoline.it happens over here in ireland too only not on as big a scale . mostly if someone is in a mild car accident, they go straight to hospital and claim whip lash which pulls in £5,000.the insurance company then pays out .i think its greedy but that life
1 person likes this
@blueskies (1186)
• United States
13 Jan 07
A lot of people have discovered that having a trampoline will void their homeowner's insurance. The same is true for owning certain breeds of dogs, such as pitbulls, rottweilers and german shepherds.
@naleeza (8)
• United States
13 Jan 07
I think it is the get something for nothing mentality. People seem to always be looking for ways to get rich quick.
I do think, if the car was damaged by the shop, they should repair the damage. I don't think he should get more than just the repair bill paid though. Stuff happens.
1 person likes this
@blueskies (1186)
• United States
13 Jan 07
They offered to pay for the repairs and he refused and sued the shop instead, that's why the judge threw out his case.
@DuoMaxwell (953)
• United States
14 Jan 07
(third time tried to enter response without pasting (starts to get annoying))
Until I can get a rating with 500 or higher so I can fully post what I was trying to say, all I can say is this: long-story short, suing for money is a unique (and perfectly legal) Get-Rich-Quick scheme/scam, and those who are getting sued are being robbed from modern day Robin Hood and his band of Merry Men.
@SIVAKUMARVDM (399)
• India
14 Jan 07
Don't get annoyed. Get used to the mylot and after sometime you will definitely feel good with mylot. Welcome new member!!!
@cisco1 (539)
• United States
13 Jan 07
yeah i think that how it got. People want to earn money real fast and easily sue if they could try and make money off of it. just think what goes on in prison. the lawsuit they file is stupid and ridiculous. bad thing about it that me and you and every taxpayer is paying for them to sue.
1 person likes this
@villageanne (8553)
• United States
13 Jan 07
I wonder if they still respect themselves when they get the quick money? It has reached the point that we are afraid to help anyone when they are hurt. They could sue you.
1 person likes this
@ESKARENA1 (18261)
•
13 Jan 07
im not American , so maybe i shouldnt comment. I have however often thought it would be interesting to do. I have recently heard that they have abandoned the statute of limitations in the UK. When i was at school, im now 45 so you can tell how long ago that was, i was deemed too stupid to take public examinations and was written off. For years i worked in menial jobs, earning very low wages.
I eventualy took examinations privately and ended up with three degrees, one B.A honours, 1 Master of Arts degree and one PhD. My point is this, because the school did not allow me to take public examinations, i lost ten years of much higher earnings, should i sue? im certainly thinking about it?
In general, i think the only people who get rich out of suing people are lawyers and soliciters and maybe thats what really drives this trend
1 person likes this
@blueskies (1186)
• United States
13 Jan 07
I think in your case, you have a very good reason to sue. That's outright discrimination. I'm so sorry that happened to you. Good for you for continuing on your own and becoming a success!
@Kscott (634)
• United States
13 Jan 07
I know the trend your talking about, and I dont agree with it. I have some friends who always seem to turn a situation around to a possible legal litigation, trying to find a way to sue for something they didn't like that happened to them....Get over it...get on with it....somethings in life are just purely accidental and we are all humans....wouldn't be poetic justice if someone sued this people...for the pain and damages they create trying to find a lawsuit. People think it's an easy way out, but it's really and expensive, painstaking route and I dont suggest it, unless you legitamately have a serious case....but then everyone who tries to sue thinks they have a legitamately serious case.....I gues its just one opinion/view vs. another.
1 person likes this
@blueskies (1186)
• United States
13 Jan 07
Oh, you have no idea how many times I've wished someone would file a counter-suite against this man. To give another example, the village was giving out grants to homeowners to fix up their homes. He received a grant and had some improvements done. He then sued the contracters, claiming that they did substandard work because he found out that the grant had to be repaid after a certain number of years. Thank goodness he lost that one, too, but it still doesn't stop him.
As for sueing me, he used to sue me for custody of our daughter every year. The very last time he tried it the judge took his visitationa away until he took parenting classes, told him our dd no longer had to visit him if she didn't want to after he took the classes, and warned him to never sue me in that county again. He hasn't sued me since and my dd stopped visiting with him a year ago. I never said a word, she just realized as she got older what a complete jerk he is. Karma, baby.
@venshida (4836)
• United States
13 Jan 07
There are lot of people out there who just want to make easy money, and this is the route they use to attain the extra money. Its sad when you see people suing their own family members. I think this is a serious trend. I still chuckle about the man who tried to sue McDonalds because he fat.
1 person likes this
@blueskies (1186)
• United States
13 Jan 07
Hehe. I got a chuckle out of that lawsuit, too. You mean eating fast food can make you fat!? I never knew--how dare McDonald's trick me in this way and ruin my life! I was rolling with laughter.
@djb876 (93)
• United States
14 Jan 07
I am a teacher, and there is a family at our school who are very litigious. I do not understand where this focus in their lives comes from, as I personally know the father's parents and siblings, and none of them would sue. They are very nice people! However, this family has taught their children this litigious attitude and the sons (3 of them) have all, at one time or another, said...If I don't get my way, my dad will sue this school!" I do not think this trend can in any way be good. People need to take more personal responsibility. Litigiousness is really blaming someone else for your faults.
1 person likes this
@ronaldinu (12422)
• Malta
13 Jan 07
Thank God he is only your ex, otherwise he could sue you for not cooking well enough, or for not washing his clothes properly or..... whoever knows ? Personally I hate this mentality.
@paperduck (14)
• United States
13 Jan 07
Yes...I feel that a lot of this stems from some peoples' belief that life should be fair and that they are entitled to things without having to earn them. People don't want to face the fact that sometimes bad things or accidents just happen, or to allow others to make simple mistakes.
1 person likes this
@khalablue (309)
• Canada
14 Jan 07
In Canada, we have compensation for actual damages but you seldom see anyone get a large settlement for pain and suffering or emotional distress.
In the province that I live in we have government auto insurance so it is very difficult to get a settlement for soft tissue damage like whiplash. On the whole, I don't believe that Canadians are as litigious as Americans. I doubt very much that you would get a settlement of more than $5 or $10 if you spilled your own coffee in your lap.
1 person likes this
@sharon613 (2321)
• United States
14 Jan 07
Its funny that you happen to mention this, This past Friday, my hubby got a phone call from an attorney saying that he will be getting served on Monday. Back in 1999, My husband wanted to venture into an online business opportunity where this company send him a cheap plastic credit card scanner. My husband never used the equipment and he should of returned it from the get go. Now the company is holding him responsible which is $4.000 back pay that they claiming he owes plus attorney fees but they are willing to settle for $1,200.
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
13 Jan 07
Blueskies, I, too, used to think that some people just like to sue people, until I found myself in situations where the only thing you could do was to "take them to court!" There are just some people who do not understand the word "peace" - they somehow seem to consider a peaceful person an easy target for manipulation. However, I consider having to go to court as the last resort!
@bonbon664 (3466)
• Canada
14 Jan 07
I think the trend is only going to get worse because people are actually winning these frivolous lawsuits. I think it all comes down to greed. Plain and simple. It's like winning the lottery. Unfortunately, though, because people are winning these suits, there are so many scams going on now.
@xyla_v (314)
• India
14 Jan 07
you know thats how these lawyers make plenty of money. you know what i mean...and suddenly a joke comes across my mind which is about lawyes.
A man walked into a famous attorney's office and asked questions. here it goes:
Man: I heard that you are too expensive.
Lawyer: Yes
Man:That you charge $1500 for three questions.
Lawyer:Yes and whats your third question?
Isn't it a good joke?
1 person likes this
@ababee22 (59)
• United States
13 Jan 07
Yes I know people like this too! My stepmom trys to sue everyone. She's just money hungry. :(
She tried to sue a old elderly lady that barely hit her car in the walmart parking lot. (Neither cars had any damage.) My stepmom always loses though. It's a waste of lawyer & court fees.
