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Re: Boobytraps and the American Legal System
On 24 Jul 96 01:21:34 -0800, [email protected] wrote:
>I think Tim May is growing senile...
This is new? <g>
>> (Later examples were to be even worse. For example, the burglar who climbed
>> on a roof and stepped through a skylight. He sued, and won. I guess the
>> owner of the property was obligated to install night lights so burglars
>> could see their way, and to generally make his property more
>> "burglar-friendly."
>
>Actually, he fell through the roof of a school he was trying to burgalize.
>
>In a similar incident a burglar broke into a house that was being treated
>for pests (i.e., was full of toxic fumes). He died; his family sued the
>owners and won.
>
>Maybe someone can post a reference to these two cases. I recall that both
>happened in New York, but I could be wrong.
I remember hearing about a case on this end of the continent (west coast)
that involved a store that had been robbed many times. The owner noticed
that most burglars came through the skylight, so he electrified it. Not
much of a charge, just something like 12 volts - enough to keep someones
hands off of it... However, a klutzy burglar managed to fall into the
skylight and get stuck. His partner deserted him. Over the course of
several hours, he died... *ouch* Needless to say, his next-of-kin sued
and won. The guy lost his store.
Another one I liked: in (I believe) Pennsylvania, a drunk peed on an
electrified third rail. His next of kin sued the trolley company and
won...
A man tried to commit suicide in Chicago by jumping onto an El track. He
was only crippled, so he sued and won!
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