[SamAdams76]

During the winter, all the good sledding hills around my old hometown have "No Trespassing" signs. As a result, hardly any kids even own a sled.

I can't blame the owners. All it takes is one kid to stub a toe or pull a muscle and the soccer moms are filing massive lawsuits.

A few years back, I was sued because a kid slipped on ice on the sidewalk in front of my house. It was later dropped because I was able to establish that I had my walkway shoveled and that the kid did not actually slip on my property. So I assume the town got sued instead.

Crazy. I remember breaking my arm when I was 12 by slipping on some ice outside a supermarket. But it never occurred to me (or my parents) to sue the supermarket. These days, when it snows, every supermarket has hundreds of pounds of salt and sand poured all around it because they are so paranoid.

Unless we have some serious tort reform in this country, this is our new reality.

[rlmorel]

I agree 1000%.

Much of the stupidity and silliness we see in so many facets of life is directly related to litigation.

[Ronaldus Magnus]

A few years back, I was sued because a kid slipped on ice on the sidewalk in front of my house...I remember breaking my arm when I was 12 by slipping on some ice outside a supermarket. But it never occurred to me (or my parents) to sue the supermarket.

It may not have been the kid who slipped on the ice or even his parents who chose to sue you. Rather, their health insurance company may have forced them to sue you to recover the medical costs. Had the family refused, the health insurance company may have forced them to pay for the medical costs out of pocket. It is becoming increasingly common for health insurers to lower their costs by suing home owners (thus home owners insurance companies).

[southern rock]

I remember breaking my arm when I was 12 by slipping on some ice outside a supermarket. But it never occurred to me (or my parents) to sue the supermarket.

Nowadays your insurance company will sue the supermarket. And they make it clear that you had better cooperate. I don't think they will sue a school (even a private one), and I'm not sure about grandma, but a supermarket, I'm sure they would go after. Nonetheless, you do get a strongly worded letter from the insurance company's legal representation (recovery specialists) wanting to know where the accident occurred and that institution's insurance company (like you would know. )