Old Man Sues Kid For Ski Collision

[guyverfanboy]

Man, 60, sues boy, 8, over ski collision

VAIL, Colo. - A 60-year-old man is taking an 8-year-old boy and his dad to court, claiming the boy caused a ski-slope collision that left the older man with a shoulder injury.

David J. Pfahler of Allentown, Pa., sued in federal court in Denver, claiming Scott Swimm, then 7, was skiing fast and recklessly when they collided in January, the Vail Daily reported Thursday.

The suit claims Pfahler suffered a torn shoulder tendon and seeks compensation for physical therapy, vacation time, nursing and medical services provided by Pfahler's wife, and other expenses. It estimates the couple's losses at more than $75,000.

Scott's father, Robb Swimm, said that he saw the crash and that Scott was skiing slowly and in control.

"It wasn't a violent collision or anything; Scott just kind of tapped his ski boots," he said this week.

Scott's mother, Susan Swimm, said her son weighs 48 pounds and couldn't have been going more than 10 mph.

"Who in the world sues a child?" she said. "It just boggles my mind every day."

Pfahler's Denver attorney, Jim Chalat, declined to comment on specifics but says Pfahler, who works for Reader's Digest, wants to go back to work.
Yahoo! News

Now what kind of stupid crap is this? What sort of person sues a kid? What's this country coming too?

[Hara!]

Back in the old days, we'd just beat the **** out of the kid and sue the parents.

Tsk tsk tsk.

[GreatNekoKoneko]

...at least he wasn't suing the kid over some pants...

[Leader Desslock]

Having skied Copper Mountain in Colorado (just east of Vail), I can say that unsupervised and completely oblivious children are quite a hazard on the slopes. They're unpredictable, they're reckless, and they cause a lot of accidents when people try to avoid them.

Should the parents of an unsupervised child causing accidents on a public slope be subject to litigation? Eh, that's a judgement call. Honestly, it's a dangerous activity on a public slope, so the old guy can't claim he didn't reasonably expect an unseasoned skier on the slopes. It would be more unreasonable to expect that the slopes would be filled with competent and courteous skiers, quite frankly.

But then again, I'd bet a paycheck that if we had video footage of the crash, none of us would perceive the kid as a fluffy little 48-lb bundle of innocence. I'm sure we'd watch the crash and say, "Man! Did you see the way that little **** cut that guy off? That was hilarious!"

[seba_boi]

That'll teach those meddling kids...

[Alice Catherine]

Crotchety old man IMO.

[Trefellin]

Does the old man expect to be paid in bullfrogs or smooth stones? Or perhaps... services rendered.

[Bernard_Monsha]

Originally Posted by Leader Desslock

But then again, I'd bet a paycheck that if we had video footage of the crash, none of us would perceive the kid as a fluffy little 48-lb bundle of innocence. I'm sure we'd watch the crash and say, "Man! Did you see the way that little **** cut that guy off? That was hilarious!"

I don't know if you ever watch Anothony Bourdain, but this happend to him with a snowboarding 8 year old and he actively sought him out and exacted revenge on him. It was emmy winning TV.

[goddessofanime]

A few years ago in Philly, a woman shot a kid when they snowballed her car.

[Justinian]

Originally Posted by Leader Desslock

But then again, I'd bet a paycheck that if we had video footage of the crash, none of us would perceive the kid as a fluffy little 48-lb bundle of innocence. I'm sure we'd watch the crash and say, "Man! Did you see the way that little **** cut that guy off? That was hilarious!"

Tehe, probably

[sasami-riyo]

Little kid needs to learn in a kid-friendlier place. Old man needs to tone down the rage a bit.