Yet another lawsuit rant.

[GeorgiaCoyote]

Yeah...yeah...I know. Ya'll are most likely getting sick of my rants but hey in my defense, it's not like I do it every single day or once a week or anything like that. Anyways I just had to chime in on this latest one where a kids parents are suing a baseball bat manufacturer, little league baseball, and Sports Authority for injuries suffered by their son during a game. Now I'm not making light of what happened to the kid. He was hit by a line drive on the chest and that stopped his heart. Fortunately he survived but the lack of oxygen to his brain left some irreversible brain damage. That is unfortunate and my sincerest condolences to the parents of this 12 y/o boy. The point is, however, is that when your kid plays little league baseball, he is risking injury. It's rare for a batted-ball to hit the chest at just the right time and just the right force to cause the heart to stop but it can happen. They argue that the MEHTUL bats used are more dangerous in that the ball comes off of them faster than wooden bats. I'm not gonna say that that assumption is completly false but a line drive off any kind of bat is gonna leave not much reaction time to get out of the way unless you have some keen reflexes. Also as I've mentioned, if the chest is struck with just the right amount of force at the right time, the heart can stop. It has happened before when a persons been hit by a thrown ball. My concern is, and I pray I'm wrong about this, that these parents most likely forced their child into baseball when he really didn't want to in the hopes that he would make it all the way to the Major Leagues one day. Now that that million dollar hope is dashed, they're trying to get their millions the new American way, SUE!!!! I know...this is a very cynical view of the issue but hey...the forum is called Define Cynical is it not. I would hope the judge and jury in this matter will have enough sense to do the right thing. I swear it'll get to a point where the little leaguers will have to suit up like football players and use foam bats and balls and they will be required to walk the bases as running is way too dangerous.

[Ibun]

OMG MY COFFEE WAS HOT AND I GOT BURNED BY IT.

*SUE SUE SUE*

[Tom Flapwell]

Actually, I'm inclined to be on their side this time. If MEHTUL bats are more dangerous than other bats, I say, why keep 'em?

[TyVulpine]

Yeah...yeah...I know. Ya'll are most likely getting sick of my rants but hey in my defense, it's not like I do it every single day or once a week or anything like that. Anyways I just had to chime in on this latest one where a kids parents are suing a baseball bat manufacturer, little league baseball, and Sports Authority for injuries suffered by their son during a game. Now I'm not making light of what happened to the kid. He was hit by a line drive on the chest and that stopped his heart. Fortunately he survived but the lack of oxygen to his brain left some irreversible brain damage. That is unfortunate and my sincerest condolences to the parents of this 12 y/o boy. The point is, however, is that when your kid plays little league baseball, he is risking injury. It's rare for a batted-ball to hit the chest at just the right time and just the right force to cause the heart to stop but it can happen. They argue that the MEHTUL bats used are more dangerous in that the ball comes off of them faster than wooden bats. I'm not gonna say that that assumption is completly false but a line drive off any kind of bat is gonna leave not much reaction time to get out of the way unless you have some keen reflexes. Also as I've mentioned, if the chest is struck with just the right amount of force at the right time, the heart can stop. It has happened before when a persons been hit by a thrown ball. My concern is, and I pray I'm wrong about this, that these parents most likely forced their child into baseball when he really didn't want to in the hopes that he would make it all the way to the Major Leagues one day. Now that that million dollar hope is dashed, they're trying to get their millions the new American way, SUE!!!! I know...this is a very cynical view of the issue but hey...the forum is called Define Cynical is it not. I would hope the judge and jury in this matter will have enough sense to do the right thing. I swear it'll get to a point where the little leaguers will have to suit up like football players and use foam bats and balls and they will be required to walk the bases as running is way too dangerous.

Welcome to the USA, where anyone can sue anyone for any reason. Where a home invader can sue the homeowner for injuries if the invader is injured during the robbery.

[Ibun]

Actually, I'm inclined to be on their side this time. If MEHTUL bats are more dangerous than other bats, I say, why keep 'em?

I doubt there is any legitimate proof to back this up. In fact I'd say wooden bats (which can shatter and send splinters flying) would be considered more dangerous. Of course I have no proof to back up that statement either, so it's a bit of a moot point.

Basically it comes down to just pure bad luck. It's a shame what happened for sure; but it has absolutely nothing to do with the equipment. Millions (and maybe even billions) of at bats have been taken using them and how many of these occurrences have happened? It's just an unfortunate play. Nothing more, nothing less.

[TyVulpine]

Aye, remember a few years ago, a major league player threw a piece of a broken bat at an opposing player (the pitcher, I think it was?)

[Ibun]

Heh. I remember that. Roger Clemens chucked it at Mike Piazza.

[ntoonz]

Sadly, it's gotten to the point where there's going to have to be some statutory allowance for the powers of random happenstance. I say sadly because where people apply common sense and basic intelligence, that allowance would be a given. But our legal system doesn't appear to be capable of that kind of sound thinking, so we're going to have to put it down on paper and mire it in legal inflexibility.

And so does Justice die at the hands of Legality.

[Mista_B]

Well, right now, laws are made to govern the exceptions - that is, if there is a one in a million chance that it could happen, but every other 999 999 times it's perfectly safe and fine - well then, better make it illegal!

For example: Smoking, riding a bike without a helmet, jaywalking, etc etc etc.

Less laws = safer world, imo.

[Sage]

OMG MY COFFEE WAS HOT AND I GOT BURNED BY IT.

*SUE SUE SUE*

I shot a nail at an aluminum panel by somehow bypassing the safety mechanism and the nail ricochet and hit me in the face and into my brain.

Sue.

My daughter was playing "tag" and one of the boys tagged her below the waistline. SEXUAL HARASSMENT!

Sue.

Sue..

sue for just about anything, hehe.

Actually, I'm inclined to be on their side this time. If MEHTUL bats are more dangerous than other bats, I say, why keep 'em?

He mentioned that the same things have happened with thrown balls, yes? Punching can have the same effect if you do it hard enough as well.

They should sue the company that made the baseball for making the baseball too hard. in fact,t hey should make it a cushiony ball so that it barely goes anywhere when you hit it and then there will be no fun to be had. Maybe they should go play a sport like "hide and go pants yourself" (yes, I stole that... SUE ME!)

Less laws = safer world, imo.

Less idiots = safer world, IMO.

[nickspoon]

Well, right now, laws are made to govern the exceptions - that is, if there is a one in a million chance that it could happen, but every other 999 999 times it's perfectly safe and fine - well then, better make it illegal!

For example: Smoking, riding a bike without a helmet, jaywalking, etc etc etc.

Less laws = safer world, imo.

I have no idea why you think letting people smoke where they like, ride a bike without a helmet and jaywalk is going to make the world safer.

[Mista_B]

Eh, it's just the laws I'm not a fan of - for example, banning bicycles entirely *would* prevent bicycle accidents.

[TyVulpine]

Eh, it's just the laws I'm not a fan of - for example, banning bicycles entirely *would* prevent bicycle accidents.

And force people to drive, creating more air pollution.

[Tom Flapwell]

Okay, I've decided that the lawsuit itself was probably out of place. But I definitely approve smoking restrictions, because tobacco has no redeeming value.

Eh, it's just the laws I'm not a fan of - for example, banning bicycles entirely *would* prevent bicycle accidents.

Until such a ban goes into place, quitcher bitchin. The current bike laws are hardly excessive.

[Fritz]

Eh, it's just the laws I'm not a fan of - for example, banning bicycles entirely *would* prevent bicycle accidents.

And force people to drive, creating more air pollution.

He wasn't being serious.