$41 million lawsuit

[laure]

Sad story, our older daughter's school is defendant. We have spent many wonderful days at this school, amazing place, fantastic teachers. I am curious about what others think about this. Obviously the lyme awareness is a good thing.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/woman-contracted-encephalitis-school-trip-awarded-41-7m-175705335--abc-news-topstories.html

[peglem]

Personally, I don't think the school should be held liable, but you can't exactly sue a tick. I think many things in life are dangerous and nobody, including the school can be absoultely certain of safety. If even the CDC minimizes the impact of TBI, how can you hold the school more accountable than the CDC?

[LNN]

Does this mean our kids can sue us, their parents, because we were negligent and "allowed" them to contract TBIs when we should have known better? I want to feel sympathy for the parents - they're in the same boat we are - but they are so wrong in directing their anger at the school. They should instead be questioning whether their daughter is getting adequate treatment from mainstream medicine, which I assume if following CDC and IDSA guidelines.

[tpotter]

Does this mean our kids can sue us, their parents, because we were negligent and "allowed" them to contract TBIs when we should have known better? I want to feel sympathy for the parents - they're in the same boat we are - but they are so wrong in directing their anger at the school. They should instead be questioning whether their daughter is getting adequate treatment from mainstream medicine, which I assume if following CDC and IDSA guidelines.

completely agreed. Personally, I think our doctors here are more responsbiel for my son's loss of short term memory, seizures, and other issues for not recognizing his post infect. encephalitis...and even worse, certain hospitals and doctors and family members denying he was even sick, and trying to give him a dx of conversion syndrome for 4 years before he was actually diagnosed, than that school was. I feel terrible for that girl, but they're going after the wrong people.

[SSS]

I find it completely ironic she lived in Connecticut her entire life, then takes a trip to China and gets bit by an infected tick.

And, everyone is outraged the students didn't have proper tick protection in China.

I can't get past the irony.

 

** Edit: oops, I guess she and the school are in New York, and the Federal judge who agreed with the ruling was from CT.

Still... endemic north east United States outraged no tick protection on a trip to China.

Edited March 31, 2013 by S & S

[Hopeny]

I had the same exact thought as S&S, incredibly ironic. This is very sad for the family and as it says it is viral it seems very hard to treat. I do think schools/camps should be vigilant/aware. Some sleep away camps have programs to manage and some seem to try to brush it under the rug. I hope this will help schools/camps provide information/programs to manage TBI's if there is exposure risk. My friends school provided sheets to parents on ticks before a visit to a nature center and she found a tick on her son after the trip. My DD's school does not provide any information, I don't let DD go on any nature center trips. It's so hard to fathom that these minute ticks can wreak such health havoc.

[tpotter]

But it was NY where I suspect my whole family got bit. Yes, ironic. I have to wonder whether whe actually already had lyme, and then got it worse in China. But, I still question the outcome of the case.

[laure]

Actually the school is in CT, just across the NY border from Poughkeepsie, both lyme endemic areas. The school gives students a good deal of information on lyme because of where they are located, and also treats quickly and thoroughly for any tick bite, regardless of whether a rash is present. So it would surprise me if the family did not have awareness of TBI, at least here in the states.