Damned Liberal Courts

[SFC Ollie]

So we decide to file a civil suit......What does that do for us? Not a damned thing. What is it we really want? Not revenge, not really even punishment. Fact is we all understand that the young woman (did I forget to mention that) did not mean to cause any permanent injury or death. But she did mean to fight him over that door. (There was a push me pull me at the doorway before she pinned him behind the door).

We really do not ever want this woman to work with patients again. And yes we feel she should do some time. More than the 6 to 18 months for what she is being charged with.

 

[slackjawed]

You have my sympathy for both the loss of your father and the anguish and frustration the circumstances of his death have caused you and your family.

 

[maineman]

So we decide to file a civil suit......What does that do for us? Not a damned thing. What is it we really want? Not revenge, not really even punishment. Fact is we all understand that the young woman (did I forget to mention that) did not mean to cause any permanent injury or death. But she did mean to fight him over that door. (There was a push me pull me at the doorway before she pinned him behind the door).

We really do not ever want this woman to work with patients again. And yes we feel she should do some time. More than the 6 to 18 months for what she is being charged with.

the question is not necessarily what does the civil suit do for YOU... but rather, what does the civil suit do for all the other patients (and families of patients) at that home? Don't you think that a civil judgment will induce the facility to establish more strict hiring controls, training programs, and performance evaluations? Don't you think that life at that facility will be better for the residents if the owners realize that they can and will be held monetarily accountable for less than professional behavior on the part of their staff?

I think holding people and organizations accountable for their performance is a good thing in every instance. How many times have you been to a restaurant and gotten a meal that was less than satisfactory? I'll bet the only thing you might hav done other than grumble about it to your dining companions was to short the waiter on his tip... and it really had nothing to do with him at all. Instead, if we ALL demanded to see the restaurant manager and demanded that our meal be sent back to the kitchen and redone satisfactorily, then service at that restaurant would improve for ALL the patrons. I think that is behavior that is appropriate in a community.