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Stupidity at its best - alcoholic falls down stairs- sues hotel for brain damage
Every now and then I run into an article that is so insane, it's just too wacky to make up. Such is the story of Michael Fenton. This self admitted alcoholic checked into the Marriott Marco Island resort and spa last January, apparently with the sole intention of getting plastered.
Two days into his debauchery, he walked out of the bar to make his way to the bathroom. Instead of relieving himself, he stumbled down a 100 foot staircase and now suffers from brain damage.
To most people, this would be an important wake up call - but not to Mr Fenton.
Instead of accepting responsibility for his actions, and be happy he survived the fall, he's decided it would be much easier to blame the hotel, and sue them.
In his claim, he blames the hotel bartender for serving him, even though he was obviously intoxicated. He then goes on to claim the hotel staircase is a code violation.
The lawsuit seeks damages for injuries, pain, suffering, mental anguish, disfigurement, hospital expenses, medical and nursing care treatment, loss of earnings and loss of the ability to enjoy life. The damages were filed as being more than $15,000 (my guess is he's asking for a couple of million).
I think he's just lucky he was so drunk when he fell down those stairs, or he would have really injured himself. Keep your fingers crossed that he runs into a judge that gets this stupid case thrown out within 15 minutes, or this lunatic will be clogging the legal system for years.
(Via: Naples News)
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Filed under: Hotels and Accommodations, News
Reader Comments (Page 4 of 4)
JOAN TORDO Feb 10th 2009 6:54PM
WE KNO0W TGHAT ALCOHOLISM IS A SICKNESS BUT IF YOU REFUSE TO GET HELP--GOD HELP THE REST OF US---THIS MAN SHOULD BE PUT IN A FACILITY WHERE HE CAN NO LONGER HURT HIMSELF OR ANYONE ELSE. I KNOW TOO MANY WHO LIVE LIKE THIS & THEY ARE ALWAYS BEING HURT, FALLING DOWN, CAR ACCIDENTS ETC--BUT THEY ARE STILL DRIVING & GETTING BY AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH FOLKS WANT TO HELP THEY WILL NOT ALLOW IT---SOOOOO PEOPLE NOW WALK AWAY & LEAVE THEM TO THEMSLEVES. WHAT A SHAME FOR THEM.
JOHN Feb 10th 2009 7:00PM
Some companies do jump if an incident happens. Maybe to stop a lawsuit, but it's still good to know. I took a sip of water thru a straw at Morrison's Cafeteria. A tiny shard of glass hit my gums and it started to bleed just a little bit. Since I spit out the water and hopefully the glass, it looked far worse than it really was. I was fine. Morrisons took down my information. Remember in the old days when you had a 10 button telephone set on your desk? I got back to work and every light was blinking. Morrisons, both parents, a lawyer, a doctor,Morrison's Headquarters and more. After work I had no problem going back to Morrisons and signing a release. Why? There was nothing wrong with me. It always pays to be honest. I got a card for millions of free meals.
DAn Feb 10th 2009 7:07PM
I'm a Bartender and if I were to have served this guy while he is obviously hammered and got hurt I would be definetly out of a job, could get a fine or go to jail. We are supposed to monitor and slow down a guest when they start to drink alot. Good friend of mine got fired for over serving a guest. (guy was tipping him 10 bucks per drink) Guest got hammered and caused a scene so my friend got the boot. I'm guessing the guy who fell down the stairs was a good tipper and thats why he kept getting served.
George Feb 10th 2009 7:46PM
He might win. There is something in most states called a Dram Shop Act. If you serve alcohol to someone who is clearly intoxicated, you can be held liable for the injuries the intoxicated person inflicts.
This is usually to protect the innocent victims, but my guess is it can be used to protect the idiot.
Billy Feb 10th 2009 8:14PM
I'm thinking about robbing a bank tomorrow. I'm just wondering...if I get nervous and fall through the doorway, bumping my ski-mask hidden face against a counter and reflexively firing my weapon into my knee cap, how do I sue? A responsible thief always has a back-up plan for stealing somebody else's money. Is there a lawyer in the house????
Mark Feb 10th 2009 8:18PM
Suing for brain damage? Gimme a break! He's an alcoholic! Who knows how many brain cells he had already damaged in his life prior to the fall? The fall may not have made it any worse and he's just using this as an excuse to sue. Imagine all the booze he can buy! If the guy's story is true about the bartender still serving him when he should have stopped, then the guy may have a case. I work security in a casino, and we take our intox's very seriously. We get them a cab or they leave with a sober driver, because if that person was served more than he should have been and he somehow leaves without us noticing, and he gets into a car wreck and kills a family of 5, then the casino and/or bartender is liable for serving him too much alcohol when it should have stopped sooner.
RICK Feb 10th 2009 8:34PM
Well, Tammy. I see that you are another socialist who seems to view the world as one big "owe me 'cause I'm here." But I bet were you to be mugged or raped, you'd be the first to cry for vengeance and blood. I'll be a paycheck to a plug nickel that the "goody goody" attitude of holding alcohol responsible would vanish in a New York minute. I suppose Nylon Stockings were responsible for The Boston Strangler, perhaps scalpels were responsible for Jack The Ripper and oh, my goodness, were it not for cars there would be no reckless drivers. You and your kind should live with Alice In Wonderland. You are not capable of rational thinking in the real world.
Ray Feb 10th 2009 8:44PM
The Obama Administration & the Democratic Party controlled Congress will probably help him get a top notch lawyer because they feel lawsuits can solve ALL of our problems (at least those that can't be solved by throwing a gazillion dollars at them). Actually this man should run for Congress. He would fit right in with the brain damaged Democrats already there!
Carla Feb 10th 2009 11:15PM
I certainly think that this was the drunk mans fault 100%. People sue over everything nowadays. Many lawsuits are legitimate but most are not. I was in to serious car accidents. The first accident happened becuase a tow truck ran a stop sign and smashed into my car as I drove through the intersection. I was seriosly injured due to the fact the my skull was fractured and had bleeding and swelling in my brain. There was a chance that I would die but I made a full recovery. I choose not to sue becuase the accident was caused by horrible road conditions and the fact that I did not have long lasting injury. My second accident was different. I was hit head on by a semi truck becuase the driver fell asleep behind the wheel. I am still disabled three years after with a severe neck injury. I choose to sue the company this time becuase the accident was avoidable and the company has been fined hundreds of time for the drivers log more road time tan the federal governments limit of 72 hours a week. I hope this idiot does not reciev a dime becuase if he was rsponible for himself and did not willfully endanger his life than the accident would never have happened. Its time for people to be responsible for thier actions
Carla Feb 10th 2009 11:21PM
sorry but republicans got it wrong for the last eight years its time for change. If you deregulate the greedy wall street and executives than expect the finacial institutions will fail and create a finacial crisis. Bush removed all the safeguard regulations that President Clinton put in place and look what happened. During Clinton the nation enjoyed prosperity and during bush the world fiancial markets crashed. Now money and regulation is the only answer to fix what the idoit predecessor (bush) cuased
Diomedis Feb 13th 2009 12:22PM
You think that’s bad? A kook that stayed in San Juan’s Puerto Rico Intercontinental Hotel sued the establishment for the most absurd liability! Get this an insider at the hotel told me the reason they got rid of all microwave ovens was because a VIP guest insisted the housekeeper used a poisonous substance to clean the microwave which causes lapses of memory loss, after a 5 million dollar award. I now have to walk to the Hampton Inn to heat my perishables. Now isn’t that BEEP!
rayz Feb 14th 2009 11:25PM
Dudley, you are the only one here that made any sense. Hair to protect your coconut. LMAO. Survival of the fittest I say. Brain damage indeed! God protects drunks and little children. Lucky he was drunk so be bounced. Dude probably watches all those commercials for lawyers...have you been injured?...
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