Absolutely shameful.....

[bloodshot-e30]

im guessing half of the posters in the thread arent acctually reading the whole story...

so in a nut shell


these guys saw a chick who wrecked her hummer.
saved her
now have bad lungs or whatever
found out she was trying to kill her self.
realized there are laws for this since she was at fault.

so basically im with the 2 guys on this one.

[Earendil]

im guessing half of the posters in the thread arent acctually reading the whole story...

so in a nut shell


these guys saw a chick who wrecked her hummer.
saved her
now have bad lungs or whatever
found out she was trying to kill her self.
realized there are laws for this since she was at fault.

so basically im with the 2 guys on this one.

From a money grab perspective, I'm with the two guys.

From an ethical standpoint, I'm not sure why saving the persons life is suddenly worth money, whereas before it was not.

[homegrone30]

If you gotta know it was a friend of my Moms who had fallen on real hard times(not my friend). We come home from my grandparents on thanksgiving only to find her blacked out in the backyard with an empty bottle of zanex next to her and a letter. After the fact my mom had talked to her(keep in mind my Mom is literally her only friend) several times and came to the conclusion that she was very depressed because she felt she had ruined her life and her family hated her due to her recent string of poor decisions. She didn't want to die but didn't really know what to do. She figure her kids would help like they should have been, or the state would take care of her. It was a cry for help. Like I said I'm only stating what I think based on my life experiences. As for my wording I don't really care what you think! And I wont be careful with my opinions and words, they are mine and if they offend you so be it. That's why this is America.

[NKRoberts]

If you gotta know it was a friend of my Moms who had fallen on real hard times(not my friend). We come home from my grandparents on thanksgiving only to find her blacked out in the backyard with an empty bottle of zanex next to her and a letter. After the fact my mom had talked to her(keep in mind my Mom is literally her only friend) several times and came to the conclusion that she was very depressed because she felt she had ruined her life and her family hated her due to her recent string of poor decisions. She didn't want to die but didn't really know what to do. She figure her kids would help like they should have been, or the state would take care of her. It was a cry for help. Like I said I'm only stating what I think based on my life experiences. As for my wording I don't really care what you think! And I wont be careful with my opinions and words, they are mine and if they offend you so be it. That's why this is America.

That kind of is what America has become, take one isolated incident and form a blanket statement opinion

[Javier h]

Assumption of the risk

This should get thrown out.

There is legal tenet (assumption of the risk) that would prohibit them from collecting.

Essentially, do dont put yourself in danger and then try to collect knowing for well the consequences.

[z31maniac]

The Rescue Doctrine allows them to receive compensation. That's what I disagree with.

[Earendil]

And I wont be careful with my opinions and words, they are mine and if they offend you so be it. That's why this is America.

That kind of is what America has become, take one isolated incident and form a blanket statement opinion

And use "Free Speech" as justification for insensitivity. I sometimes wish the people of the world that lack the ability to speak out against their government without the fear of criminal prosecution could come together and collectively bitchslap my fellow americans that belittle the concept.

"Freedom of expression" does not give one the ethical and legal right to say anything.

[z31maniac]

"Freedom of expression" does not give one the ethical and legal right to say anything.

No actually it DOES.

You just have to choose if what you want to express is worth the potential ramifications.

[Ryan Stewart]

From a money grab perspective, I'm with the two guys.

From an ethical standpoint, I'm not sure why saving the persons life is suddenly worth money, whereas before it was not.

Where did it "suddenly become worth money?" They saved her life without compensation, continued without compensation and only after learning that she was a selfish bitch who created the dangerous situation did they decide, "You know what, Im done doing this bitch favors, she should front my medical bills."

[Ryan Stewart]

Also, ITS NOT COMPENSATION. Who the fuck is going to roll deep on excusing liability for $25k? I sure as fuck wouldnt risk dying for such a paltry sum. If it was about the money these guys would be going for millions. Anyone actually had a hospital stay? Ever looked at your medical bills (pre-negotiated). Just an overnight stay can run up to $11k. Jsut a few days of treatment could eat up that $25k in no time.

[Ryan Stewart]

No actually it DOES.

You just have to choose if what you want to express is worth the potential ramifications.

No, it doesnt. This has been proven time and time again in statues and courts. Those "potential ramifications" come from breaking the law. You cant make false statements, you cant yell "fire" in a crowded building, cant flash your tits in New Orleans..

I think you are confusing constitutional protections with the human ability to make sound.

[Earendil]

No actually it DOES.

You just have to choose if what you want to express is worth the potential ramifications.

No, actually it DOESN'T. I was totally on your side and then you had to go and argue with me :)

First of all, no United States law can trump ethics/morals. So "Freedom of expression" does not give a person the ethical right of way. Most people believe that laws are based on ethics, not that ethics are based on laws. Perhaps you don't believe this? What is more likely though is that you weren't taking issue with the ethical part of my statement, but instead on the legal one. In which case...

"Freedom of expression" does not give a person the legal right away to say anything. Please read up on Slander (and related Libel) as well as Obscenity, Incitement, and threats (which fall under Coercion). No amount of "free speech" flag waving will save you before a criminal/civil court in those cases. There are probably more, but those are the only ones off the top of my head.

So as I said, "Freedom of expression does not give one the ethical and legal right to say anything". This is very much true. And to try and use freedom of speech as justification for saying potentially harmful or deadly things to another human being is at the very least ethically wrong, and an insult to the idea of Freedom of Expression.

All well and good if someone chooses to intentionally cause harm with their words, but they should acknowledge the moral bankruptcy of the action, and not pretend that it is somehow justified by law. Or worse, a civic duty to share all their "opinions" regardless of harm.

[Earendil]

Also, ITS NOT COMPENSATION. Who the fuck is going to roll deep on excusing liability for $25k? I sure as fuck wouldnt risk dying for such a paltry sum. If it was about the money these guys would be going for millions. Anyone actually had a hospital stay? Ever looked at your medical bills (pre-negotiated). Just an overnight stay can run up to $11k. Jsut a few days of treatment could eat up that $25k in no time.

And if these two guys were going after a 10 year old orphan girl? If it's just about the hospital bill, than I'm sure the guys would still be taking the person to court, and you'd still agree with them, right?

[z31maniac]

You pedantic fuckers, I have a fucking journalism degree, you aren't teaching me anything on slander/liable. I thought you guys were intelligent enough that I didn't have to explain those few exceptions.

ESPECIALLY since in this case you were calling them out for saying something that you don't LIKE, vs something like yelling fire in a crowded theater.

It's like you guys don't actually want to debate, you want to play a childish game of "GOTCHA!"

[frankenbeemer]

This should get thrown out.

There is legal tenet (assumption of the risk) that would prohibit them from collecting.

Essentially, do dont put yourself in danger and then try to collect knowing for well the consequences.

Glad you are not my attorney.

The Rescue Doctrine allows them to receive compensation. That's what I disagree with.

What is it about the rescue doctrine that bothers you? Honest question.

You pedantic fuckers, I have a fucking journalism degree, you aren't teaching me anything on slander/liable. I thought you guys were intelligent enough that I didn't have to explain those few exceptions.

ESPECIALLY since in this case you were calling them out for saying something that you don't LIKE, vs something like yelling fire in a crowded theater.

It's like you guys don't actually want to debate, you want to play a childish game of "GOTCHA!"

Pedantry is fun, but I agree, stick a little closer to the point (advice which I can use, too).

In situations where there is imminent peril, contract negotiations are necessarily short. It seems she cried for help, they provided it at the cost of being injured. I believe she is morally obligated to compensate her rescuers. Apparently, case law makes this obligation a legal matter. I have never sought to before, but believe I would sue under these circumstances. I can only speculate on the honesty of the rescuers. Hopefully, common knowledge of the US tort system's "rescue doctrine" (which precedent dates to about 1926) won't set off a wave of opportunistic money grabs by pseudo rescuers.