Posted on 07/11/2012 3:37:09 PM PDT by SJackson
You probably can't sue if you're struck by lightning, but you may be able to sue if a tree falls on you while camping.
At first blush, both may seem like random acts of God. However, while lightning strikes are probably completely unpredictable and happen in an instance, the fact is that trees usually take some time to fall and there are steps that a park can take to prevent injury.
As the summer camping season kicks up, you are sure to read about camping injuries and tragedies. If you have been hurt, you'll want to know whether you can bring a lawsuit for your camping injuries. In many cases, you may be surprised that someone could be held liable for acts of nature.
Last year, campers were killed by fallen trees, waterfalls, and bears. Parks that encourage campers to visit have some responsibility to protect their visitors just as a restaurant or retail store would have responsibility to keep their premises safe too.
Under the legal theory of premises liability, an entity that invites others onto their property or offers a service for money, could be held responsible for injuries that happen on the property. For example, a park that runs a campsite, should take steps to check trees that are at risk for falling and take steps to cut these trees down before they accidentally fall on an unsuspecting camper. Also, if a rainstorm is about to hit, a park could forewarn tourists not to hike up a trail that may be safe when dry, but treacherous when wet.
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
It’s long since become a way of life in the Era of Big Government - anything unpleasant happens in life, anything at all, and it must be someone else’s fault. Get a lawyer and sue.
cool! Was that a shark? /s
It committed cedarcide.
Wife and I were backpacking in Bandelier NM. She was maybe 60 feet ahead on the trail. It was snowing pretty heavily.
Spruce about 18” at the base fell across the trail between us. No cracking or snapping sounds. Tree just fell down.
It did make a sound when it fell.
Whoa! Didn’t see that coming!
” Sue your mother for not aborting an idiot”
Lol!!!
If a tree falls on a mime in the forest, and there's no one around to hear, does the mime make a sound?
Well that answers HALF of the question.
Guess we will never know for sure if nobody was present that it would have failed to make a sound.
However I know for a fact that regardless of whether a Bear Sh**s in the woods, it definitely smells if you are or are not there.
It will make a sound. The last one you'll ever hear.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.