Horrible Incident...fairs & Booths

[Kitchen2u]

Let this be a lesson learned. I feel horrible for the family and this consultant.

http://www.nbc5.com/news/14902949/detail.html

 

[vwpamperedchef]

people will sue anyone just to make a buck. i am sure the guest was fine, but as soon as she hit the ground was thinking "law suit law suit stay down".

ok, i know i am being insensitive here, but really its the truth.

 

[chefann]

Vanessa, did you read the article? She died from her injuries.

 

[vwpamperedchef]

No, now I feel terrible.

I read the first paragraph.. Lesson learned.

 

[chefann]

No, no- I thought the same thing as you until I read it.

It's tragic for her, her family, and the consultant.

 

[wadesgirl]

Very tragic but I do agree that this world is a little "sue crazy". I just read an article this morning about a 53 year old man who is suing an 8 year old boy and his father because the man was injured while skiing and is blaming it on the boy. Any little misjudgement in human thought process automatically means "sue the b*stard" to some people.

 

[Kitchen2u]

Yes, I agree this world has become a sue happy place to be. But what I found interesting is:
1) no mention of her age...was and older woman with 6 grown children? $50,000 per incident with 6 kids left behind seems on the cheap side...was she a bread winner (I think not, if $300,000 is what they're asking for)
2) pre existing medical conditions that contributed to her death?

Of course, it could be a sue happy lawyer who saw the original article back in August when this happened...and persued the family.

There's all kinds of situations in this case...but it doesn't change the fact that someone died and a consultant who I'm sure feels horrible. She has to live the rest of her life thinking...what if?

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Yes, I agree this world has become a sue happy place to be. But what I found interesting is:
1) no mention of her age...was and older woman with 6 grown children? $50,000 per incident with 6 kids left behind seems on the cheap side...was she a bread winner (I think not, if $300,000 is what they're asking for)
2) pre existing medical conditions that contributed to her death?

Of course, it could be a sue happy lawyer who saw the original article back in August when this happened...and persued the family.

There's all kinds of situations in this case...but it doesn't change the fact that someone died and a consultant who I'm sure feels horrible. She has to live the rest of her life thinking...what if?[/QUOTE]


You are right Ginny - not a good situation for anyone involved...except the lawyer, of course.

 

[PCJenni]

Sometimes an accident is just that... an accident. What if a tree limb broke off in the wind and hit the woman? Mother Nature doesn't have very deep pockets... but TPC does because it is a large corporation.

 

[chefann]

Very true. And the article doesn't indicate whether the umbrella was part of the PC Consultant's display, or part of the furniture that the farmers' market had up. I've been places where management gets downright, well, pissy when you move anything around, even when it's because conditions have changed (like taking down the umbrella because it got windy). The consultant may have done all she could regarding her own display and was unlucky enough to be the booth the woman was near when it blew over. Heck, it could have blown from 2 booths away!

 

[pamperedbecky]

Oh wow. That's horrible. I can't believe I hadn't heard of this. I would have soon because I always read my news on the NBC5 website.

My husband is in the insurance coverage industry....I'll have to see if he knows about this particular case. If it was the PC consultant's actual umbrella, if the farmer's market organizer required the proof of demonstrator's liability insurance, I bet that's the route it will go. Bigger fairs and functions like this require proof of it with the application and PC does have it.

Wow, the consultant must feel terribly.

 

[DebbieJ]

Yikes! How horrible!

 

[dianevill]

How sad for everyone involved. I wonder if the consultant herself is getting sued or PC, or both? The poor consultant - how do you deal with something like that?

 

[janetupnorth]

Yeah, they mentioned "The Pampered Chef" a lot...bet they will try to go for the "deep pockets".

 

[janetupnorth]

Another recount - she died a month later...

Lawsuit claims negligence in death by umbrella

A wrongful-death lawsuit contends that negligence led to the death of a woman who was struck July 20 by a large umbrella at a farmers market in the village.

Margaret H. Morris was walking past a Pampered Chef booth at the Olympia Fields Farmers Market when a strong wind tipped over an unstable umbrella, knocking down Morris and entrapping her inside the umbrella, according to the lawsuit filed in Cook County Circuit Court.

It says Morris was severely injured in the incident, leading to her death Aug. 18.

Pampered Chef and the organizers of the farmers market were negligent in failing to properly secure the base of the umbrella and for failing to realize the dangerous conditions that day, according to the lawsuit, which also names as defendants the owners of the shopping center and parking lot where the market was held.

 

[janetupnorth]

Yes, I agree this world has become a sue happy place to be. But what I found interesting is:
1) no mention of her age...was and older woman with 6 grown children? $50,000 per incident with 6 kids left behind seems on the cheap side...was she a bread winner (I think not, if $300,000 is what they're asking for)
2) pre existing medical conditions that contributed to her death?

Of course, it could be a sue happy lawyer who saw the original article back in August when this happened...and persued the family.

There's all kinds of situations in this case...but it doesn't change the fact that someone died and a consultant who I'm sure feels horrible. She has to live the rest of her life thinking...what if?

To answer some of your questions Ginny:


Morris, Margaret Helen

Margaret Helen Morris, passed away Saturday, August 18, with her family by her side. Beloved wife of the late Donald. Survived by children, Kathleen (David) Frank, Mary (Daniel) Devens, Patricia (Michael) Derrig, Richard (Diane) Morris, Charles Morris and Eileen (George) Danovich; and 12 grandchildren. Visitation Tuesday, 8 a.m. at Zimmerman & Sandeman Funeral Home, 5200 W. 95th St., Oak Lawn, IL. until time of service at St. Denis Church, 8301 S. St. Louis, Chicago. In lieu of flowers, donations in Margaret's name to Easter Seals.
Published in the Chicago Tribune on 8/20/2007.

 

[Addie4TLC]

Whoa! I did an outdoor fair and the first day was very windy but all I was worried about is my paperwork flying all over the place. This is really sad for everyone involved. I remember I wanted to take my own canopy thing but decided to go with what they provided at the last minute. When the wind hit hard I just held on to the poles and put heavy stuff on my paperwork.

 

[Addie4TLC]

Thanks for the updates Janet! Very tragic for the family....

 

[janetupnorth]

Very tragic indeed...It will be interesting to see where the lawsuit goes. Depending on age, medically one thing could lead to another and hard to determine the "real cause".I'm guessing (and JUST guessing here), she wasn't really young - having 12 grandchildren already and possibly she died of infection or pneumonia instead of actual breaks or bruises. Hard to tell if that was caused from the accident or if she would have gotten something anyway...Maybe they'll post more on the story in 2008.Personally, I'd have a hard time collecting money from people or companies for wrongful death with such a freak accident, especially if the deceased already lived a pretty full live.

 

[wadesgirl]

Very tragic indeed...

It will be interesting to see where the lawsuit goes. Depending on age, medically one thing could lead to another and hard to determine the "real cause".

I'm guessing (and JUST guessing here), she wasn't really young - having 12 grandchildren already and possibly she died of infection or pneumonia instead of actual breaks or bruises. Hard to tell if that was caused from the accident or if she would have gotten something anyway...

Maybe they'll post more on the story in 2008.

Personally, I'd have a hard time collecting money from people or companies for wrongful death with such a freak accident, especially if the deceased already lived a pretty full live.

My mom is only 47 and has 8 grandchildren already. You never know! :blushing:

But I do agree with you.

 

[dianevill]

Of course she could still be young, but she was survived by her "late husband", so in conjunction w/ the 12 grandchildren, it sounds like she was older. Still sad...

 

[chefann]

She wasn't survived by her husband, he predeceased her. (And you can't be survived by someone who's late, anyway. Survived means they're still living. Late means they're already dead.)

 

[janetupnorth]

She wasn't survived by her husband, he predeceased her. (And you can't be survived by someone who's late, anyway. Survived means they're still living. Late means they're already dead.)

So if a plane crashes on the border of the US and Mexico where do they bury the survivors?

 

[dianevill]

Oh duh. You KNEW what I meant, smarta**.

 

[janetupnorth]

Oh duh. You KNEW what I meant, smarta**.

Does that by any chance stand for SmartAnn?

 

[dianevill]

Now I'm adding you to the smarta** club with her!

 

[Chef Kearns]

Wow!! I feel so badly for the consultant. What a horrible accident. How in the world can you sue for an accident? Now they expect everyone to be physicist or something. The wind has reached a velocity of 15 mph making the chances of umbrella tippage 46%. What's the deal with that? Now I bet they won't be holding anymore Farmer's Markets either. How unfortunate.

How sad. That poor woman (the lady caught in the umbrella). Not only was she badly injured, but her family has decided to drag her death out to PROFIT by it!! Altougth they won't profit much after the money sucking lawyers get through taking their cut.

 

[Chef Kearns]

I'm feeling a bit cynical today. I will try to keep my posting down to a minimum!

 

[Kitchen Diva]

I'm curious how one gets "trapped" in an umbrella. If it was that windy, wouldn't it have blown over her after it fell out of it's base and hit her?

I do agree it is a very sad thing. My father was hit and killed by a train while he was snowmobiling with his buddies. We never sued the engineer who was driving the train, nor Burlington Northern... It's a risk just to leave your house every day. It sucks when a loved one is killed in a freak accident- I know that first hand...but that doesn't mean you should sue.

A freak accident took the life of my husband's father, too... His mom was left with 7 kids- she didn't sue anyone either. And she could have, and probably would have won.

That's just my 5 cents worth.

 

[Kitchen Diva]

I'm feeling a bit cynical today. I will try to keep my posting down to a minimum!

Oh, come on... cynicism is fun.
I've learned by being married to a cynic that there is a lot of truth in your preceptions.

 

[chefann]

Now I'm adding you to the smarta** club with her!

Nooooooooooo!!!!!!!

I wasn't trying to pick on you. My goal is to educate people who may not know the difference between what you said and what you meant. Then we'll all be smart.

As Beaker says, "I'm a bird. I'm smart."

 

[stacywhitlow]

I'm still trying to figure out how you can get trapped in an umbrella & it kill you a month later. Something doesn't sound right to me.

 

[Rebeccascabinet]

I think we have to be careful not to be so quick to judge the family. When a loved one dies (esp. suddenly and in a freak accident) sometimes the response is anger and that anger has to be directed at someone or something. Everyone responds differently and we just have to be aware of that.

 

[janetupnorth]

I'm still trying to figure out how you can get trapped in an umbrella & it kill you a month later. Something doesn't sound right to me.

At the age we suspect she is, she could have easily had broken bones that led to internal bleeding or infections or ammonia.

Recently by me a man died that seemed fine after a car accident. He actually had broken bones that led to pneumonia later...after a series of things. He never left the hospital from the accident.

I truly sympathize with the poor family, but personally could not sue or collect - it was a freak accident I think.