Bike-riding doctor sues roller-blading 11-year-old

"I think it's ridiculous that something like this could get all the way to court."

When Lauren Ellis was 11-years-old, she was rollerblading in front of her house. From behind her, she heard a noise, and someone called "watch out." She looked over her shoulder, and, seconds later, she was hit by a bicyclist.

"When I went out there and I saw that this man had run over my daughter, I was angry," said Lauren's mother, Janet. "Immediately, it went into my head, it was an accident."

Unfortunately, the cyclist, an adult neighbor, did not think so. He sued 11-year-old Lauren and, later, her family. "We were flabbergasted," said Jon Ellis, Lauren's father.

"In many instances, the name of the game from the plaintiff's perspective is to settle," Jon said of the tendency for individuals and small businesses to accept settlement offers even when they have done nothing wrong in order to avoid expensive legal fees and years of acrimonious litigation. "But we were adamant that we didn't want that to happen."

The Ellis case dragged on for four years filled with deliberations, trial preparations, media scrutiny, and legal fees. Finally, after three days of trial and two and a half hours of jury instructions, the jury only had to deliberate for fifteen minutes before deciding that Lauren had not been negligent in any way.

Though they won the case, years of fighting the suit certainly took its toll on the Ellis family, especially on Lauren. "I think it's ridiculous that something like this could get all the way to court," she said.

Of lawsuit abuse in America, Janet said, "There are many gaps that will allow these suits to proceed and can be very, very damaging."

Part of the FacesOfLawsuitAbuse.org campaign.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• rollerblading
• skating
• child
• youth
• legal
• lawsuit
• abuse
• grassroots
• outreach
• reform
• tort
• iamlawsuitabuse.org
• facesoflawsuitabuse.org

[ginastarke2]

I'm saying this as a die-hard commuter cyclist: It's MASSIVELY hypocritical for cyclists to ask drivers to share the road when we can't share the road with KIDS, pets, and pedestrians (even the ones that are blocking out the world with headphones and texting). Be nice out there! If the man's a doctor you know he's got medical coverage for the road rash. I suspect he scratched the paint job on his expensive carbon fiber frame (eyeroll).

[burtonsponcered]

Easy on the "little girl". She appears to be pushing 300lbs.

[masterpeanut08]

a say idc happens alda time

[DugJustice]

The cyclist is a dick head and does not want to work so assholes like him look for a way to make big cash. I had a Lawyer Jeff Hap and a Judge Jeff Colbath from Palm Beach Florida team up and steal 16,000 dollars in a divorce.

[courtesyclerk]

so the cyclist yelled watch out, and then girl went to MIDDLE of the road. she ran into traffic instead of going to the sidewalk or lawn. also, we dont know what speeds each person was going. also, how much was he suing for? if it were to cover the cost of the bike and medical bills, then i see nothing wrong if the child were at fault

[TonyL78]

I road bike all the time, there are people jogging on the same road and I just move toward my left to avoid the joggers.

[ginastarke2]

@SlapMarket Got it, read it.To rephrase: Just like people need to drive defensively, we need to ride defensively too. Especially when you're riding( or even driving for that matter) in residential areas, you need to allow a pretty wide margin for childish behavior, kamakazie animals and general stupidity. Once of prevention, right?

[SlapMarket]

@ginastarke2

WELL as a "die-hard commuter cyclist", you obviously don't know that bikes by law are VEHICLES! Go to the DMV and pick one of their books up and READ IT! I know your post is 9 months old but it's for the people reading this...

[NovaLaMason]

It's the cyclist's fault! Why the hell wasn't he paying attention, or, if he was, why didn't he call out sooner!? Asswipe!

[NovaLaMason]

@Beachnative42 You, sir, are a dick!

[MrEluldor]

That girl is huge, please let her get her freaking exercise on those skates...

[HahahahahaSQUARE]

@Beachnative42 Stupid little fuck. I'll kill you if I see you.