[Coanteen]

Does this mean I can sue the state for any crime committed against me? I get mugged - sue the state! My car gets broken into - sue the state! My home gets burglarized - sue the state!

Honestly, what did the state fail to do to provide a safe school environment, exactly? You can't sue just on the basis of "need counseling (apparently $100 mil of it, too)". The party sued has to have done something wrong, or failed to do something that was its duty.

[carolprudm]

Actually, they want to sue the STATE. Going for the deeper pockets, after all.

I can understand the parents are upset and want to strike out at someone, anyone. Hopefully they'll find some peace and realize that sueing doesn't solve a damn thing, and drop the case.

The one I find truly despicable is the ambulance-chasing lawyer. How much does he expect to make from this, in the [unlikely, or so I fervently hope!] event he wins the case? Scum.

probably about 30%

[FalseImpression]

First, your society allows purchase and use of guns by just about anyone. Then, anyone is allowed to sue the "state" for trauma... I can't even fathom that anyone would let such a suit go through, but of course it will. You are all already thinking they will win those millions and the lawyers will be laughing all the way to the bank.
Nice society indeed... it makes me sick!

[bumknees]

I watched the AirFlorida flight go into the Potomac river and barely miss the bus I was riding in on the other bridge. I had nightmares about flying for years - trouble crossing bridges as well. I paid for my own therapy - guess I missed out on a fortune since I didn't sue the airline for causing my trauma...

Geez - some people will do anything to avoid having to deal with the consquences of life. Guess what - sh** happens and most of it isn't predictable or preventable. Learn to accept that and go on with life handling your needs as they arise. I'm sure many of those kids are traumatized, but I'm sure the school has already hired a large number of child specialists to deal with them.

Sometimes it makes me sick to have to be a part of society these days.

You to this day I will/can not fly into Dullus (sp)airport...or out...Not since Easter Sunday 76.. Should I go back and sue the airline and the airport for PTSD?
For those who do not remember a plane flew into a side of a hill in bad weather fog as I recall, there were no survivors. My dad was sopposed to be on that particular plain but his boss and him chagned flights. And as a result we watched as well as TV allowed at the time for hours as they said yes survivors no there were no survivors yes no yes no yes no..

There were no "grief counclers" then, and counclers were for the "crazy" then and no one wanted admit they went to one. So anyone who was affected by what happened "got over it" their own way.

I have to wonder what the kid is going to get out of the law suit?

[Discobold]

Sometimes it makes me sick to have to be a part of society these days.

Me too. And a lot of the time I'm ashamed to be a lawyer

[Tackpud]

You to this day I will/can not fly into Dullus (sp)airport...or out...Not since Easter Sunday 76.. Should I go back and sue the airline and the airport for PTSD?
For those who do not remember a plane flew into a side of a hill in bad weather fog as I recall, there were no survivors. My dad was sopposed to be on that particular plain but his boss and him chagned flights. And as a result we watched as well as TV allowed at the time for hours as they said yes survivors no there were no survivors yes no yes no yes no..

There were no "grief counclers" then, and counclers were for the "crazy" then and no one wanted admit they went to one. So anyone who was affected by what happened "got over it" their own way.

I have to wonder what the kid is going to get out of the law suit?

My father went to the wreck site and assisted for hours when that plane went down. Maybe he should have sued for the nightmares that followed him for the rest of his life.

What's next...

[kb]

I am curious about the laws in Connecticut. In Texas, for the most part, schools have immunity since it is taxpayer money that would foot the bill. (The exception being use/operation of motor vehicles). So when we get sued (and we do because some lawyers think that law doesnt apply to them) it is short lived as the suits are dismissed early on because of the immunity.

[tucktaway]

First of all, how do you put a price on something like this?? There is not enough money to buy back a life, or even a child's innocence.

Secondly, I truly hope this case is promptly dismissed and the State counter sues for expenses.

This type of behavior is crippling our society.

[luvmytbs]

Even the anchor looked disgusted having to report this story on the News last night.

[WindyIsles]

Update:

The attorney has temporarily withdrawn his petition (per CNN).

Let's hope it's dropped for good

[charismaryllis]

Yes, good. Local link

http://wtop.com/?nid=893&sid=3175154

[pAin't_Misbehavin']

Oh, calm down y'all.

You can't sue the government. Unless the state permits it by having enacted a Tort Claims Act. Even then, there are exceptions to the government's liability. In my state, one of those exceptions provides that the government isn't liable for loss resulting from the supervision of students, unless gross negligence is involved.

And even then, there's a cap on damages. It's 300K per occurrence in my state, and 600K no matter how many occurrences there were.

I imagine the lawyer withdrew the suit after *gasp* reading a statute or two. He's probably right out of law school and working for himself and didn't know any better until the state's attorney set him straight. Thanks to this economy, many firms can't afford to mentor young lawyers the way they used to.

And Discobold - I'm very sorry you feel that way. I've never met a group of people who try harder to make the world a better place than my fellow bar members.

[Coanteen]

He's probably right out of law school and working for himself and didn't know any better until the state's attorney set him straight. Thanks to this economy, many firms can't afford to mentor young lawyers the way they used to.

Unless there are two Irving Pinskys in New Haven, he's been licensed to practice in '81, and has been disciplined by his state authority (reprimand '89, suspension '03).