Thread: Potential legal problem brewing

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For the first time in 15 years of doing our haunt, we have a potential problem brewing. Around 7 p.m. a young boy around 10 or so came to the entrance of the haunt. He was given a candy bar and entered the dark, foggy tunnel. He came out a few seconds later and asked my wife's friend if she had a band aid as he had fallen and scraped his hand. she looked at the hand and it was fine, telling him he would be okay and didn't need a band aid. The kid then left and walked down the street. About 20 minutes later he returns with his mother. She comes blustering up to my wife and her friend and says she wants to know what happened as her son told her he had been BITTEN by someone in the canopy! She went on to say that " a doctor down the street" looked at him and said it was a bite and that he should be seen in the ER. Not sure what doctor she was referring to as it was afte 7 p.m. and there are no GP's in the area. The kid had changed his story and said he was grabbed, then bitten. My wife's friend told the mom that the kid said he had fallen. The mom then wants to know who was in the tunnel and what was going on in there. At this point, I'm hearing the commotion (she was making quite a production) and I go out to see what the problem is. The kid looks fine. His hand is not bleeding or anything. She starts getting in my face demanding to know who's house this is and who is working in the canopy. She then starts saying she has to take her kid to the ER. Then she goes to her car and calls the police!! THe cops show up and ask what happened. We each give our version of the story and the lady is sitting in her friggin car for 25 minutes on her cell phone! So much for her kid needing medical attention. The cop takes our names, address, DOB, etc. Very unsettling as this is happening at peak TOT hours and there are 40-50 people waiting to go through the haunt. I question my son and his friend who are in the canopy. They didn't touch the kds nor notice him having fallen. They certainly didn't bite him!
The cop told us that he told her to get the kid checked out and have a doctors report from and ED. If she opted to file a complaint, they would be contacting us. This is the kind of crap that makes me want to say to hell with it and just go back to front yard display and hand out candy. This woman (like many of our visitors) drive up from lesser neighborhoods in their big SUV's and let their kids go off by themselves. Obviously in their own hoods no one is giving out squat so they come to ours and we give them a great time. Most are very appreciative and tell us thanks. This lady is obviously out for something. I'm waiting now for the call that she is trying to sue us. AFAICS, she has little to go on and the kid is obviously being coached or he is just lying. So ludicrous! As much as we love Halloween and putting on our haunt, I can't be worrying about someone out to sue us. Hoping nothing comes of it. Will update if needed.

This is what stops me from opening my Haunt to the public. I know there are bloodsuckers out there just waiting to try and get whatever they can. My prayers are with you on this. Hopefully calmer heads will prevail in the end.

a bite and a scabe are very different. If she went to the ER with the police the ER will be able to confirm that its a scrabe on hes hand, and the joke is on her. Sue her for ruining youre halloween :P no seriously I dont think anything will come of it -there are always people like this, and they shouldnt be the reason to stop haunting. (and if it continues, just put up a big sigh in bloody letters saying " enter here at own risk!" and you will be legally free of responsibilety.

Jdubba I hope nothing comes of this.

Jdubba I am sorry this had to happen and damper the night for you! I don't know why people do this sort of thing. Hopefully things won't get that far. I wouldn't let this one kid spoil the fun of Halloween that you do for so many kids.

It put a damper on the whole evening, but I'm thinking it won't go anywhere. Their story is inconsistant and it's pretty clear they are out to scam someone. Hoping if they push it, a judge would see what's really going on.

Wow...just wow. Why does there always have to be someone wanting to ruin an awesome thing?! I'm sorry this is happening, jdubbya.

I agree, with the inconsistencies in their stories & not going ~right to the ER (esp. after being advised to by the cops), something is up. Hoping for the best, & sorry it put a damper on your evening!

Please don't hate me for saying this but, being a Canadian, we have to sit back and laugh at the way Americans are so Litigation Happy. Here, you had better have something more than a scrape on your hand AND, if you do manage to get into a court and pass the original litmus test with your frivolous suit, there is a maximum ceiling that you can sue up to (yes of course there are certain exceptions) but, from where i sit (in Canada OR the United States) it is quite evident to me that Lawyers are certainly running (and ruining) our society. I say......suck it up and deal with the scratch kid.........This is a HUGE reason that i only run a static display every year, i can't be bothered with the whiners and scammers out there that are looking to get something more from someone else because they can't earn it on their own......

Oh my! She definitely wants to get something out of this. And If my little one had fallen (with no major wound) I would have picked her up, brushed her off, kissed the 'boo-boo' and continued on. They're kids. They fall. Mine fell off her bike on the side walk and got a pretty nasty scrape on her elbow and I didn't sue the city! This woman is outta her damn mind! I'll be prayin' for ya dubb!