Minnesota Supreme Court says Lonsdale couple not liable for inj...

A homeowner does not have a duty to screw an empty bookcase to the wall to prevent it from tipping over, because it was not "reasonably foreseeable" that a 3-year-old would injure himself by trying to climb it, the Minnesota Supreme Court has ruled.

[Paul - Oakdale]

The court finally gets it right. The responsibility for this happening rest with Peggy Foss the mother of the 3 year old who failed to keep an eye on her son.

[Taking Responsibility]

It's also the parents responsibility to WATCH their own kids. If a parent doesn't want anything to happen to their kid...stick 'em in a bubble. Perhaps if the 3 year old had been properly disciplined this wouldn't have happened.

[Natasha Badanaff]

Could the tide be turning, could it possibly be???? Maybe parents will become responsible for their demon spawn????? The world won't have to be child proofed anymore?

[The Big Bopper]

You know, if you come to my house with your little kid... I expect YOU to watch him. My house isn't child proof... this was a stupid case and I'm glad that they found the people innocent of the charges. It reminds me of a DARWIN AWARD where a woman was shopping at a furniture store and a "uncontrolable child" that was running around tripped the woman--- causing her to break her leg. She sued the store stating that the store should have gotten the child "under control" and SHE WON THE CASE. Here's the kicker: the child was HERS!!!

[Frank N Stein]

Finally some correct justice if you will....

[Tony Rozycki]

Wise decision.

[THE Radest Rethuglican]

This is a tough case because there are good arguments on both sides. However, my take is that because the family was still moving in and had never held out the home as anything akin to a child care center (i.e. not "kidproof'), it's difficult to find negligence on the part of the homeowner.

One final thought; what if the bookcase had been filled with books and the kid climbed on it and pulled it over onto himself?

[fed up]

@ big bopper: that case did not turn out as you describe. Look it up - it's a well known urban myth.

And yes, mom should have watched the 3yr old. What ever happened to "accidents"? Now everything is someone's fault and they must be sued. What a shame.

[Incredible]

Yup...it isn't your job to watch your kid...it is the insurance company's job to pay you off instead. Hopefully every time you look at your kid you remember your failure as a parent to do your job!

I wonder how long before we see the lawsuits start for discrimination because of the kids 'disfigurement'...somehow I don't think the apple will fall far from the tree in this family.

[Incredible]

Natasha Badanaff wrote:

Could the tide be turning, could it possibly be???? Maybe parents will become responsible for their demon spawn????? The world won't have to be child proofed anymore?

Don't bet on it...we just started a 4-year journey of entitlement the likes of which we have never seen...

[Bud in St Paul]

If the parent would have been paying attention to her own child there would have been no probem it was the parent fault for being inattentive.

[Gndydncr]

At last, some sanity in the courts.

[Gndydncr]

I wonder if Alan Page will sue the Vikings for allowing oppenents to constantly hit him in the head causing him to be stupid.

[Mike]

Just like the lady with the 2 year old who crawled out the dog door and drowned in the pool, the dog door people are responsible. It is part of our culture of the last 25 years that we don't take responsibility for our own mistakes because some lawyer tells us we should sue someone. He wants a third, it clogs up three courts like this one and nobody learns a lesson. Plus, it raises the price on everything for the rest of us. My belief is that if you don't win, you pay the other persons' legal fees.

[abc]

I thought the fact that the parents were friends was pretty interesting also. AND moving into a new place/unpacking, etc. Jeez! Close personal friends... yeah, let's sue them!

Uff dah.

[T-Bone]

Peggy Foss should be ashamed that she took her son's memory and tried to sell out to make some money. She is supposed to be serving her children, not having them serve her (like the octomom).

[ShamWOW]

What a complete shame that these parents sued their own friends for this. Obviously their inability to watch their own child is the problem in this whole thing. Look, I fell out of a tree when I was child and broke my leg.. Who ar you going to sue? God???

[Gndydncr]

It's not really a case of one friend suing another friend; it's really a case of one friend suing another friend's insurance company. The story doesn't tell whether the friends were complicit in this deal or not.

[JJJ13]

It is nice to see the courts get it right for a change.

[just me]

T-Bone wrote:

Peggy Foss should be ashamed that she took her son's memory and tried to sell out to make some money. She is supposed to be serving her children, not having them serve her (like the octomom).

I believe the article said the father sued.. not the mother.