Paintbrush injury pupil set to receive pay-out, Long paintbrushes banned -- BBC

[HuckleB]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-11821439

"Thomas Brown, now 18, attended Ladywell School in Motherwell when he fell on a paintbrush which pierced his eye.

The Court of Session in Edinburgh ruled that North Lanarkshire Council failed to prevent a foreseeable risk of harm.

Mr Brown's father, Christopher, is seeking damages of £2.5m. The court will rule on the level of compensation at a later date.

...

Lady Dorrian was told that since the accident the local authority had issued a "safety flash" warning, stopping children working on the floor and banning the use of long paintbrushes.

..."


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It's a horrific story, and I really feel bad for this kid. But does it really make sense to "stop working on the floor" and to "ban long paintbrushes?" At some point, do we stop doing anything and everything for fear of a freak injury?

I don't have a great answer, but I've got plenty of questions. It's easier that way.

:toast:

[virgogal]

1. It's all about the money. The father should be ashamed of himself.

[muriel_volestrangler]

10. His son is blind in one eye, and has memory and concentration problems

and may never be able to get a decent job or live on his own, as a direct result of this accident. I don't think the father has anything to be ashamed about at all - he's trying to make sure his son will be OK, rather than abandoning him.

[HuckleB]

12. £2.5m ($4.3 m) is a bit more than making sure his son is OK.

Sorry, but something is not right with this outcome.

[proud2BlibKansan]

14. If he is permanently disabled, that's not unreasonable at all

[muriel_volestrangler]

18. If he can't work, and needs part time care, it may be necessary

Invest £2.5 million, and, after allowing for inflation, you might get an income at 2% - £50,000 a year in today's prices. From that, he has to pay living expenses, and say one salary for someone to check on him most days, and be a general carer. His condition:

His mother Margaret, 47, said her son now spends his days playing computer games. He cannot tie his shoelaces or cross the road safely without help, and has poor short-term memory, limited reasoning and outbursts of temper.

She said: “Sometimes when he is walking you would think he had been drinking.

“He was an outgoing wee boy. Now he’s a lot quieter and won’t try things any more. He says, ‘I won’t be able to do that’.”

She broke the news of the court victory to Thomas yesterday. “He doesn’t really understand at all. He just said ‘aye, okay’. It’s really confusing for him,” she said.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/crime-courts/court-win-for-pupil-seriously-injured-in-art-class-1.1070398

[The Straight Story]

2. Bans make people feel better and in control (until you ban something they like) (nt)

[HuckleB]

3. And I love me some paintbrushes!

;)

[The Straight Story]

7. Don't take them to bars (even if it is painting bar and you can choose to go or not)

Cause, well, you might scare someone there who does not like to paint and was forced to go to the bar by a band of evil ninjas that kidnapped them :)

[HuckleB]

8. Oh, those friggin' evil ninjas...

... they ruin it for everyone.

:beer:

[woo me with science]

4. When paintbrushes are outlawed, only outlaws will have paintbrushes.

Protect us from the fascists who want to protect us.

[Obamanaut]

11. In San Fran 'they' protect us from the dreaded Happy Meal-Toy combo. nt

[Angry Dragon]

5. All artists should have their paintbrushes taken away

[HuckleB]

6. Isn't that what the TSA screenings are supposed to accomplish?

;)

[grilled onions]

9. How Long Is Long?

The design of any brush(even pencil) could have the same tragic results. I also think it would be more dangerous standing up since the student could trip(or be tripped). How did we manage to survive in the fifties with school desks full of old varnish,windows painted with lead paints,pens with dangerous nibs on them,lunch's that sat in the "clock rooms" in the warm months allowing our peanut butter or balonie sandwichs to stench up the place , never worrying about organisms growing in the heat of the day,our break time milk warming in the hallways etc. It's just a wonder we survived at all and I don't recall one lawsuit when a child fell on his lip,broke a tooth or fell off a swing.

[Stevenmarc]

13. Wow a paintbrush put his eye out now I'll never get that Red Ryder BB Gun

[CBGLuthier]

15. It is exactly the same concept that has led to everyone getting fondled by TSA.

You can not save everyone from every potential harm.

[KittyWampus]

16. they better ban pencils too. Knitting needles. Sticks from trees. Popsicles.

[NoPasaran]

17. Paint brushes don't blind people

Working on the floor blinds people.