BSA Sued over Lightening Death

[evmori]

I would bet we will see a revision to the G2SS before summer camp ends!

 

Ed Mori

Troop 1

1 Peter 4:10

[GernBlansten]

The only policy I can see that would protect BSA from lightning litigation would be to cancel all outdoor activity during potential lightning periods. In my region, that would be from 2 to 7 PM every afternoon from May through August.

[scoutldr]

In this region, it would be 2 pm to 2 am.

 

NOTE to Eamonn: That would be 1400 to 0200.

[John-in-KC]

Nahhh,

 

It's ground pounders like me who think in terms of a 24 hour clock.

 

Zoomies think in terms of a 12 hour clock (12 o'Clock High).

 

Squids and Sea Scouts think in terms of Bells ... telling time by Bells is more complex than doing an 8-directional met in artillery gunnery!

[scoutldr]

Of course you are right, John.

 

I meant "from the afternoon watch to the Mid watch". (4 bells to 4 bells)

 

http://www.navy.mil/palib/questions/bells.html

 

 

[jkhny]

BSA settled. Given the way court testimony was going - against them - this was probably a smart move.

 

Of course there's a confidentiality agreement. No way to know how much got paid out.

[bt01]

Are they going to remove the metal freom the BSA tents???

 

 

Ho is finally reponsibally for this scouts death??

 

 

[scoutldr]

Out of court settlements usually do not establish guilt. It's merely a way of saving money. BSA probably decided that paying them off would be cheaper in the long run than continuing to litigate. That's a flaw in our justice system, IMHO. Once someone sues, the court case should run its course, and the loser should pay all costs.

 

Who was responsible? God (or higher power of your choice).

 

 

[NJCubScouter]

Scoutldr says:

 

That's a flaw in our justice system, IMHO. Once someone sues, the court case should run its course, and the loser should pay all costs.

 

Are you saying there should be no settlements allowed in civil lawsuits? Are you prepared to pay the additional federal, state, county etc. taxes necessarily to multiply by perhaps 10 (or more) the number of judges, courtrooms, other court personnel and other court infrastructure that are currently devoted to civil cases, so that all those cases can actually be tried? If this was done without such a massive increase in facilities and personnel, the whole system would come grinding to a complete halt. It can take a couple of years to get to trial now; would you like to have to wait 15 years for your case to be tried?

[scoutldr]

Point taken, Counsellor. But even you have to admit the justice system could be run a lot more efficiently. One idea would be to severely penalize frivolous suits that force settlements in the absence of a finding of guilt. This case presumably has cost the BSA and/or Council thousands of dollars that could otherwise be spent for programming...for an event that could not have been prevented (IMHO). Money will not bring the scout back, nor will it make camping in the summertime any safer. Again, I am truly sorry that a family lost their son.

[Hunt]

It's very difficult to balance the system of civil lawsuits so that on one hand, people can't easily bring frivolous lawsuits that pressure large organizations into paying out unjustified settlements, and on the other hand, people with real claims aren't discouraged from seeking justice because of the risks that big corporations with expensive lawyers will leave them to pay the bills. From my perspective, the claims that there are vast numbers of frivolous lawsuits costing zillions of dollars are overblown, and the system is pretty well balanced as it is.