More damned compensation culture!
More damned compensation culture!
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Discussion

nel

Original Poster:

4,822 posts

260 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-1905689,00.html

I’m at a loss for words having read this article. A woman tries to commit suicide using alcohol and painkillers, a voluntary act I think you’ll agree. Hubby finds her unconscious and calls for ambulance that gets there 10 minutes later then the ideal time. Court awards her £2.8 million because her brain damage is then the fault of the ambulance service – irrelevant that she bloody over-dosed. The ambulance service didn’t even contest it, they just want to settle the claim!

The article ends with a listing of other cases of the taxpayer's pocket getting raped by people in unjustifiable circumstances. This country is just going to ratshit – what happened to common sense?

eccles

14,087 posts

241 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
i was thinkng exactly that when i heard it on the news last night!

i wonder if she tops herself, will they get the money back?

Jaglover

45,243 posts

254 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
it actually took 26 minutes

"He said in a statement to the court that it had taken 26 minutes for the ambulance to arrive"

But even so it is absolutely disgraceful

Edit to add

No I have not taken to reading the Guardian, my post means that it is absolutely disgraceful that this money was paid out even if there was a slight delay in the ambulance getting there.

>> Edited by Jaglover on Wednesday 7th December 13:53

pdV6

16,442 posts

280 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
Mind you, its the family that's left with the mess of her making. Do they not deserve something to help them through the times ahead caring for her?





Well, maybe - but why should it be us (via taxes) that pays for it?

littlegreenfairy

10,134 posts

240 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
In that case I want compensation too. The ambulance took 30 odd mins to reach me (the police and firebridage where there first) and in that time I was told that both my parents were dead (no offence to the other emergency services but both my parents were talking at the time - not that I knew that because I wasn't allowed near the scene anymore) and noone recognised that I was actually hurt (mebbe blood everywhere wasn't good enough)

But no, I just carried on, living my life and thinking *hey atleast its all ok now*

If she wanted to kill herself fair play! Just don't sue someone when they save your life!!

andy mac

73,668 posts

274 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
I'd like to think that these things are the exeption to the rule, but I fear not...

On the advert for such and suchj a compensation firm, "had to lift something, and wasn't given any safety training"... Come on, get real. You are a bloody adult. If everyone need to be told how to do anything, when it is blitheringly obvious, nothing would ever get done. it's thanks to the bearded morons at the HSE. Risk assesments for dispensing staples, and a risk assesment for opening a door. It's unreal the amount of crap bought about by this absurd HSE driven enviroment. How much money is wasted on HSE that could go to better things?

nel

Original Poster:

4,822 posts

260 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
pdV6 said:
Mind you, its the family that's left with the mess of her making. Do they not deserve something to help them through the times ahead caring for her?


That's a different issue, and some kind of disability allowance and help with home nursing can almost certainly be justified. But saying that her brain damage is the fault of the ambulance service and paying out on that basis is simply ridiculous. Gobsmacked.

pesty

42,655 posts

275 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
I'll give you another example of compensation culture in our country.

The other day some fool pulled out in front of me. well I say in front of he virtualy drove in the side of me.
Anyway no injuries my car hardly damaged cosmeticaly his car written off.

You would not belive the amount of people who have said are you claiming for whip lash amongst other things?
You would not belive the reaction when I say no becuase I havnt got it/them. It seems to be what you do these days for most people

apparently I have to claim the accident has caused stress and put me off my sex life. I get more money that way! beggers belief

>> Edited by pesty on Tuesday 6th December 16:13

Jaglover

45,243 posts

254 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
anonymous said:
[redacted]


I completely agree (perhaps you misunderstood my post)

apache

39,731 posts

303 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
It was on the news this morning, she was being treated for post natal depression, obviously not enough, she tried to yop herself, failed, ambulance was late and her brain was deprived of oxygen. 2.8 big ones is an estimate of costs to care for her at home

nel

Original Poster:

4,822 posts

260 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
[nazimode]Maybe they should have deprived her of a bit more oxygen then.[/nazimode]

Unfeeling of me I know.

ADDYBOY1982

693 posts

240 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
She shouldn't get any money - it was self inflicted even though the ambulance took longer than it should have done to arrive.

It really winds me up when I see these stupidly big payouts - is nobody responsible for their own actions anymore - FFS she took a conscious decision to top herself, that's a fairly big decision to make and if it doesn't work, live with the consequences of your actions.

Cotty

41,563 posts

303 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
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Funny thing is I havent read anywhere that the husband cut his wife down while waiting for the ambulance

I would be tempted to point some of the blame at him

CupraR

676 posts

248 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
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"Karl Jones, a fraudster, was awarded nearly £248,000 in 2003 after suffering from erectile dysfunction when he slipped in a jail shower"

Cotty

41,563 posts

303 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
On a serious note I wonder how much the payout would have been if she had died

TheLemming

4,319 posts

284 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
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And when a very similar thing happens in the start of the Incredibles (Mr. Incredible sued for injuring someone attempting suicide while rescuing him) I thought it was a funny tilt at the "sue everyone" mentality.

They saved her life after she tried to take it, however are then hit with a compensation claim for not saving her fast enough?

The cause of this was her trying to top herself...
Not the ambulance service who work their nuts off depsite constant harrasment, threats, violence and often terrible working conditions to save the lives of any of us who is in trouble.

If they were negligent and caused another issue entirely, I could see reasonable grounds for a claim (ie went in with a broken leg and the ambulance crew perhaps overdosed her with painkillers... as a random example). If they didnt show up for two days, then I could see that warranting further action.

But for taking ten minutes longer than the "optimum time"? Beggars belief.

CupraR

676 posts

248 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
Cotty said:
On a serious note I wonder how much the payout would have been if she had died
You run her over, I'll let the ambulances tyres down and we'll find out.

srebbe64

13,021 posts

256 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
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Hopefully this will happen more often:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4503070.stm

Jaglover

45,243 posts

254 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
srebbe64 said:
Hopefully this will happen more often:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/4503070.stm



Definitly, and it should be for allot longer than two weeks.

apache

39,731 posts

303 months

Tuesday 6th December 2005
quotequote all
ADDYBOY1982 said:
She shouldn't get any money - it was self inflicted even though the ambulance took longer than it should have done to arrive.

It really winds me up when I see these stupidly big payouts - is nobody responsible for their own actions anymore - FFS she took a conscious decision to top herself, that's a fairly big decision to make and if it doesn't work, live with the consequences of your actions.


She was under treatment for a recognised medical illness, which in extreme cases can cause hallucination, you could argue that it was inadequate,