Can I sue?

[AfterYou]

About 4 weeks ago, I was sitting in a chair at school, I was Straddling the chair "Meaning facing the back, and holding on." I was helping a student behind me, and when I went to turn around, the chair broke, I fell backwards and hit my head on a table, and blacked out, woke up paralyzed laying on the floor with people from the emergancy care unit standing over me putting me onto a board to be transported to the hospital.

I will state this now. I know I was in the wrong by straddling the chair,
But for the WELDS to dissasemble like that, Theres no way that was safe in the first place.


But now after the 4-5 weeks, My head is still throbbing, they have me on Steroids, and a strong painkiller, but they dont touch the pain. I also will not be playing varsity soccer, meaning I will most likely lose the scholorship option the school had been talking to me about. And the medical bills are in the near 30,000$ in cost...

Is there anything I can do to have them help pay, or have them pay for my lifeterm damages to my head/neck/spine as my nuerologist has predicted?

My family is not in the position to be able to pay the rounding 30 grand for medicals ontop of the family due to certain reasons.

[Aetos]

Contact a lawyer...

[Schmalgar]

From my limited understanding of things, which I mostly learned from tv, almost any time you're using a piece of equipment in any manner other than the normal prescribed manner, they can deny your claim. So even though the chair had a fault, they will surely claim you contributed to the failure by improper usage.

But it never hurts to ask a lawyer. Most reputable ones will give you a free initial consultation to determine if there's a case to be made.

Good luck, hate to hear about an injury like that, hope it gets better for you!

[Y2KPewterSS]

Lawyer advice>AAG advice

[KahanaReef]

From my limited understanding of things, which I mostly learned from tv, almost any time you're using a piece of equipment in any manner other than the normal prescribed manner, they can deny your claim. So even though the chair had a fault, they will surely claim you contributed to the failure by improper usage.

This. The chair was not built to distribute your weight in that manner.

But, calling a lawyer is a good idea. And, if you can get one to take the case, I say go for it.

Hope it all works out for you.

[Aetos]

Maybe if pajeff can stop ending marriages for a minute he could offer some advice

[pajeff02]

Maybe if pajeff can stop ending marriages for a minute he could offer some advice

There are just sooooooo many to end though! They get divorced and turn right around and get married again within a matter of months. I have some clients that I have divorced three times already.

[Aetos]

There are just sooooooo many to end though! They get divorced and turn right around and get married again within a matter of months. I have some clients that I have divorced three times already.

Who would think a divorce attorney would have so much repeat business

[wheeliE-maxx]

Get rich the American way!!

[Detroit Power]

Ummm.....$30,000 in medical expenses =/= $30,000 in out of pocket expenses. What's the cap on your yearly policy, a few grand? Do you not have medical insurance?

That sucks that you're having issues, but I doubt you'll be able to get either the school or manufacturer to pay a dime. As someone mentioned, you weren't using the product in the prescribed manner.

[stolenthunder]

Is it the kind that comes in a box with several different main parts to assemble? Manufacturer will blame whoever assembled it.

You could lawyer up and give it a try. Your situation sucks.

[AfterYou]

Yeah I was just wondering before I went any further with it, idk why i really asked in AAG but i figured why not lol, ill ask a lawyer tomorrow to see what can be done but yes, I do have insurance, and thats with it acting on the bills it could, luckly my meds were only ~20 bucks, the ride alone to the hospital was 2 grand, and the ER room was 15k, haha oh well, ill see what happens

[SeVeReDiStOrTiOn]

People have died from blunt trauma like that dude you should feel lucky...besides the whole paralyzed and knocked out thing. Doesn't look good for a suit though.

[KahanaReef]

Yeah I was just wondering before I went any further with it, idk why i really asked in AAG but i figured why not lol, ill ask a lawyer tomorrow to see what can be done but yes, I do have insurance, and thats with it acting on the bills it could, luckly my meds were only ~20 bucks, the ride alone to the hospital was 2 grand, and the ER room was 15k, haha oh well, ill see what happens

What kind of insurance do you guys have? It sounds lousy

[67CamaroRSSS]

IMHO yer boned due to improper use of the equipment. Sorta like shooting yourself and then blaming the gun.

[0rion]

maybe the lawyer can give tell you a good place to take "how to sit in a chair properly" classes. Why would you even think of blaming someone else for this?

[SScott]

I did something stupid and now I want someone else to pay for my mistake...


I hope you lose any lawsuit you pursue. Have fun with those headaches.

[nhraformula]

Why would you even think of blaming someone else for this?

I did something stupid and now I want someone else to pay for my mistake...


I hope you lose any lawsuit you pursue. Have fun with those headaches.

I also hope he gets stuck paying the legal bills from both sides.

[jetaws6]

Look at the definition of chair

chair
   /tʃɛər/ Show Spelled[chair] Show IPA
–noun
1.
a seat, esp. for one person, usually having four legs for support and a rest for the back and often having rests for the arms.
2.
something that serves as a chair or supports like a chair: The two men clasped hands to make a chair for their injured companion.
3.
a seat of office or authority.
4.
a position of authority, as of a judge, professor, etc.
5.
the person occupying a seat of office, esp. the chairperson of a meeting: The speaker addressed the chair.
6.
(in an orchestra) the position of a player, assigned by rank; desk: first clarinet chair.
7.
the chair, Informal . electric chair.
8.
chairlift.
9.
sedan chair.
10.
(in reinforced-concrete construction) a device for maintaining the position of reinforcing rods or strands during the pouring operation.
11.
a glassmaker's bench having extended arms on which a blowpipe is rolled in shaping glass.
12.
British Railroads . a metal block for supporting a rail and securing it to a crosstie or the like.



First thing you would have to start doing is find a way to prove you were using the chair correctly. If theres a way you can do that you might have a case.

Im just a teenager who likes to argue but thats the way I would try to win

[Spaz]

can you sue... lol... this is america... you can sue someone for looking at you and become a millionaire... go for it...