#681426 - 05/05/11 02:58 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: Todd]
|
Three Time Spawner
Registered: 03/17/05
Posts: 1765
|
City slickers AND lawyers.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#681427 - 05/05/11 02:58 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: Oregonian]
|
Dick Nipples
Registered: 03/08/99
Posts: 27838
Loc: Seattle, Washington USA
|
Everyone bitches about lawyers until they need one.
Fish on...
Todd
_________________________
Team Flying Super Ditch Pickle
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#681432 - 05/05/11 03:46 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: Todd]
|
Repeat Spawner
Registered: 07/06/09
Posts: 1138
Loc: MA13
|
I'll make a quick observation that would cover my opinion on the matter for most every situation...
The USFS should never be held liable when a "general threat" becomes specific, i.e., "you're in the woods, bears live in the woods, and bears sometimes maul people"...and it happens.
The USFS should be held liable when a "specific threat" becomes an acute threat and something bad happens, i.e., the situation described in this thread.
The bear was around, and they knew it...the bear had already threatened other campers, and they knew it...the bear had already been in someone else's tent, and they knew it...and those who knew it had opportunities to share this very important information, and didn't.
In the law, these are some general questions you always need to ask...
1. Would a reasonable person recognize the risk? (the defendant) 2. Would a reasonable person communicate that risk? (the defendant) 3. Would a reasonable plaintiff not know about the risk? 4. Would a reasonable plantiff do something different and avoided the risk, if they had known about it?
In this case, I'd go with a pretty definite "yes" all around.
The USFS recognized this particular bear as a problem, and any reasonable person who recognized this threat would communicate it to people around who are in danger from the threat. There's no way the campers would have known about this specific threat if the USFS didn't tell them, and a reasonable person probably would have taken their child to a different area to avoid the risk if they were told about it.
Fish on...
Todd That's the points I have been trying to make but Todd did a much better job of making those points than I did.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#681436 - 05/05/11 04:17 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: DBAppraiser]
|
River Nutrients
Registered: 03/08/99
Posts: 6732
|
If it were a campground full of lawyers we'd need more bears.
_________________________
"You learn more from losing than you do from winning." Lou Pinella
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#681438 - 05/05/11 04:24 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: DBAppraiser]
|
River Nutrients
Registered: 02/14/06
Posts: 2533
Loc: Elma
|
So it comes down to a mistake and/or oversight by a USFC employee and thus an extension of the FC. It is settled just like any commercial case, per Todd's post. Unfortunately, I don't think the gov't has any way to check a prospective employee for common sense and good judgment, and even worse they don't have a way to get rid of an employee who lacks it, until they kill themselves, hurt someone, or send out a racial/sexist e-mail.
I think the over-arching results will be something like stlhd has described, a knee-jerk over-reaction. Probably a complete woods closure everywhere within 2 miles of a bear sighting or something. That is what many jurisdictions do for sharks in California, Hawaii and Florida. A single shark sighting will sometimes restrict beach usage for a week. Savvy surfers have learned to NOT report shark sightings when they know the swell is going to be good.
_________________________
WDFW - Turning outdoorsmen into golfers since 1994.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#681466 - 05/05/11 09:44 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: ]
|
Three Time Spawner
Registered: 03/17/05
Posts: 1765
|
Would the next logical step be for the Forest Service to hire a team of high dollar lawyers to sue the employee for the money paid out ?
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#681467 - 05/05/11 09:46 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: Oregonian]
|
Three Time Spawner
Registered: 03/17/05
Posts: 1765
|
If the kids was mauled to death, can I assume several adults were also chewed up as they tried in vane to save the child ? Or were they on hold with 911 ?
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#681477 - 05/05/11 10:27 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: Oregonian]
|
WINNER
Registered: 01/11/03
Posts: 10363
Loc: Olypen
|
Todd spoke of the legalities surrounding this event, which I agree with 100%, but beyond that I know that I would have warned any and all folks camped in the immediate vicinity that a bear was acting up and to beware. Whether or not there were any legal obligations is not even an issue in my mind. To expect all campers to be knowledgeable about the wild is ridiculous. To me it is akin to warning, or stopping, a blind man who is about to step into an open manhole. He treks along, tapping each side of his path with his cane, but missing the middle. He has no reason to expect danger. I wouldn't want to live with the responsibility of having done nothing.
Edited by Slab Happy (05/05/11 10:31 PM)
_________________________
Agendas kill truth. If it's a crop, plant it.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#681485 - 05/05/11 11:15 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: ParaLeaks]
|
Three Time Spawner
Registered: 03/17/05
Posts: 1765
|
I can agree with spreading the word of recent activety, but awarding the family of this victim two million dollars is absurd.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#681498 - 05/06/11 01:49 AM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: Oregonian]
|
Spawner
Registered: 12/20/10
Posts: 950
Loc: the moon
|
I heard somewhere that the average kid can name like 1500 corporate logos and only 3 or 4 plant types.
A few years ago I was surveying a creek with a biologist, and just under an over pass there was black bear tracks. The only land that it could have been inhabiting was like a 4 or 5 acre chunk of forrest that had a real estate sign pinned to it.
Just a few years ago, a lady got killed by a black bear in Gig harbor. If you could see what that area looked like 10 years ago, and what it looks like today, you'd know why.
We're so used to there being a corporate logo pinned to something, that if shitt ever goes wrong, someone else will be at fault. Anyone who has ever cut down trees on a hunk of land is at fault with this one. Eco systems are shrinking/disappearing. Next time a coyote or coon gets in your trash, instead of killing it, go plant some trees.
_________________________
All of my thoughts are sophisticated and complex.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#681500 - 05/06/11 02:02 AM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: Man of logic]
|
will always be a Juvenile at Sea
Registered: 11/15/06
Posts: 677
|
I heard somewhere that the average kid can name like 1500 corporate logos and only 3 or 4 plant types.
A few years ago I was surveying a creek with a biologist, and just under an over pass there was black bear tracks. The only land that it could have been inhabiting was like a 4 or 5 acre chunk of forrest that had a real estate sign pinned to it.
Just a few years ago, a lady got killed by a black bear in Gig harbor. If you could see what that area looked like 10 years ago, and what it looks like today, you'd know why.
We're so used to there being a corporate logo pinned to something, that if shitt ever goes wrong, someone else will be at fault. Anyone who has ever cut down trees on a hunk of land is at fault with this one. Eco systems are shrinking/disappearing. Next time a coyote or coon gets in your trash, instead of killing it, go plant some trees. Fa'shizzle Grizzle. I had to refer to my abundance of wildlife and plant life knowledge the other day as random useless junk. People don't learn this stuff anymore, I remember audobon books, dinosaur books and zoobooks growing up and some military books but I read books either way.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#681516 - 05/06/11 09:59 AM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: Bigjim]
|
WINNER
Registered: 01/11/03
Posts: 10363
Loc: Olypen
|
I heard somewhere that the average kid can name like 1500 corporate logos and only 3 or 4 plant types.
A few years ago I was surveying a creek with a biologist, and just under an over pass there was black bear tracks. The only land that it could have been inhabiting was like a 4 or 5 acre chunk of forrest that had a real estate sign pinned to it.
Just a few years ago, a lady got killed by a black bear in Gig harbor. If you could see what that area looked like 10 years ago, and what it looks like today, you'd know why.
We're so used to there being a corporate logo pinned to something, that if shitt ever goes wrong, someone else will be at fault. Anyone who has ever cut down trees on a hunk of land is at fault with this one. Eco systems are shrinking/disappearing. Next time a coyote or coon gets in your trash, instead of killing it, go plant some trees. Fa'shizzle Grizzle. I had to refer to my abundance of wildlife and plant life knowledge the other day as random useless junk. People don't learn this stuff anymore, I remember audobon books, dinosaur books and zoobooks growing up and some military books but I read books either way. I too grew up with my nose in every nature book, fishing book I could find, and watched every documentary that was on TV, etc. But I work with some guys/gals today who don't have a freakin clue about the bugs they step on or animals they crush with their cars. I don't know why there is no interest outside of the printed media that kids today are force fed....like "aren't those harbor seals cute?"....or "don't throw sticks for the dog in the river, you might disturb a fish".......etc.
_________________________
Agendas kill truth. If it's a crop, plant it.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#681589 - 05/06/11 03:35 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: ParaLeaks]
|
Ranger Danger
Registered: 02/08/07
Posts: 3076
Loc: AK
|
To me it is akin to warning, or stopping, a blind man who is about to step into an open manhole. He treks along, tapping each side of his path with his cane, but missing the middle.
He has no reason to expect danger.
A blind man that goes for a walk without expecting danger is a foolish blind man indeed!
_________________________
I am still not a cop. EZ Thread Yarn Balls "I don't care how you catch them, as long as you treat them well and with respect." Lani Waller in "A Steelheader's Way."
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#692278 - 07/06/11 08:18 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: DBAppraiser]
|
River Nutrients
Registered: 11/08/06
Posts: 3359
Loc: Island Time
|
Sign location is very simple: On the fee collection box. Since this is a USFS camp ground and fees are being collected you can bet that there is a fee collection box and everyone is expected to pay upon arrival. See, not that hard. It looks like a sign didn't help this poor fella'......who should be sued now? I mean we gotta' blame this on someone.... http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/07/06/montana.grizzly.attack/index.html?&hpt=hp_c2
_________________________
"...the pool hall I loved as a kid is now a 7-11..."
If you don't like our prices bring your wife down and we'll dicker.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#692279 - 07/06/11 08:24 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: RowVsWade]
|
River Nutrients
Registered: 11/21/07
Posts: 7577
Loc: Olema,California,Planet Earth
|
Seems like informed risk to me. The guy was informed of the risk and made a choice that didn't end well.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#692280 - 07/06/11 08:26 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: Carcassman]
|
River Nutrients
Registered: 11/21/07
Posts: 7577
Loc: Olema,California,Planet Earth
|
Sign seen at the base of a sea cliff on Fraser Island, Queensland, Oz, that we were about to hike up. "Your safety is our concern and your responsibility"
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#692287 - 07/06/11 08:47 PM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: ]
|
River Nutrients
Registered: 11/08/06
Posts: 3359
Loc: Island Time
|
It's lookin' like a consent form oughta' need be signed from 206'rs headin' into the the 509.....wolves, bears and not nearly enough signs.
_________________________
"...the pool hall I loved as a kid is now a 7-11..."
If you don't like our prices bring your wife down and we'll dicker.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
#692341 - 07/07/11 02:12 AM
Re: Is the US Forest Service at fault?
[Re: ]
|
WINNER
Registered: 01/11/03
Posts: 10363
Loc: Olypen
|
why would anyone want to fix "stupid" when the pay is SOOO GOOOOD?!
_________________________
Agendas kill truth. If it's a crop, plant it.
|
Top
|
|
|
|
|
3 registered (28 Gage, stonefish, 1 invisible),
540
Guests and
3
Spiders online. |
Key:
Admin,
Global Mod,
Mod
|
|
11498 Members
16 Forums
63822 Topics
646112 Posts
Max Online: 3937 @ 07/19/24 03:28 AM
|
|
|