Denna Laing significant spinal injury during Womens Winter Classic

[automaton 3]

There won't be any winners here. This will most likely settle quietly as the vast majority of lawsuits do.

[Split98]

I just really wish that this whole suing thing wasn't so prevalent whenever something bad happened.

Would anyone be upset with her if she reached out to the NHL and Patriots for help with her medical expenses and getting her life together? Absolutely not.

It's reasonable that she would look to those responsible for and profiting from organizing the event that altered her life. Taking this through the legal system and demanding their accountability is such a negative and grimy way we operate. Asking for and receiving help just opens up such a warm and happy community. I also STRONGLY doubt that the NHL and Patriots would tell her to take a hike. This would be a feel-good story for them, and everyone wins.

[Burninator]

Wow what a baby. Just be quiet, live in constant pain and in financial ruin like everyone else does when they break their backs at an outdoor hockey game.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Split98

I just really wish that this whole suing thing wasn't so prevalent whenever something bad happened.

Would anyone be upset with her if she reached out to the NHL and Patriots for help with her medical expenses and getting her life together? Absolutely not.

It's reasonable that she would look to those responsible for and profiting from organizing the event that altered her life. Taking this through the legal system and demanding their accountability is such a negative and grimy way we operate. Asking for and receiving help just opens up such a warm and happy community. I also STRONGLY doubt that the NHL and Patriots would tell her to take a hike. This would be a feel-good story for them, and everyone wins.

Maybe she did ask for help?

Maybe there is an issue with the insurance the Women's league carries.

I am not laid up with a broken neck and the prospect of living a totally different life than the one I envisioned.

I am not willing to pass judgement on her, or those looking out for her best interests.

[Itse]

Bad ice IS a safety problem and brings down the quality of the game. I support efforts to highlight the fact that the quality of ice matters.

The players don't really have a choice of not playing if the ice is bad, so absolutely it's on the organizers to provide them with respectable playing conditions.

[Knut]

Originally Posted by CMPunk

I'm surprised she hasn't named USA Hockey yet. If they had let the Pride Olympians play, she wouldn't have been there.

Sorry, can you expand on this .

[Split98]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Maybe she did ask for help?

Maybe there is an issue with the insurance the Women's league carries.

I am not laid up with a broken neck and the prospect of living a totally different life than the one I envisioned.

I am not willing to pass judgement on her, or those looking out for her best interests.

Sure, it's possible. But if she did ask for help and their response was 'no' I'd hope we hear about something like that. As long as her request for help is reasonable, I hope we live in a world where these organizations would do the right thing.

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Itse

Bad ice IS a safety problem and brings down the quality of the game. I support efforts to highlight the fact that the quality of ice matters.

The players don't really have a choice of not playing if the ice is bad, so absolutely it's on the organizers to provide them with respectable playing conditions.

In what world?

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Split98

Sure, it's possible. But if she did ask for help and their response was 'no' I'd hope we hear about something like that. As long as her request for help is reasonable, I hope we live in a world where these organizations would do the right thing.

What is "reasonable"?

That is a pretty subjective term as is "do the right thing".

I am not being flippant or a dick, but it does bother me when people (not simply a shot at you) pass judgement on situations with little information or knowledge of the situation.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by troutman

This could end all outdoor games. Too much risk.

It is going to end (or severely curtail) outdoor games at low levels of the minors or low junior hockey. But that should have been obvious from the momeny Laing's injuries became known. Independent of lawsuits, insurance companies were going to take notice. The NHL can afford it. The AHL maybe. ECHL? Junior A? American Junior. Kiss all that goodbye.

As far as the lawsuit goes, that was also pretty obvious. She went down in a corner of the ice that had already been called out as dangerous. Whether or not it was actually a stick that caused her fall, there was probably already an army of lawyers clamoring to file the suit.

[CMPunk]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Sorry, can you expand on this .

This whole women's game was a poorly planned rush job. I believe there were 6 or 7 players for the Pride that couldn't attend the game because USA Hockey was having a training camp the same weekend. So the N.W.H.L added 8 players from the Pride's practice squad and from the Connecticut Whale. Laing was one of the replacement players chosen.

My comment was mostly tongue in cheek based on the whole sue anyone involved culture.

[Split98]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

What is "reasonable"?

That is a pretty subjective term as is "do the right thing".

I am not being flippant or a dick, but it does bother me when people (not simply a shot at you) pass judgement on situations with little information or knowledge of the situation.

I can't throw numbers around as the American Health Care bills always surprise me, but help with getting her on her feet in general.

If her bill comes to $300,000, would it have been unreasonable for her to reach out to the NHL and Patriots and ask for $150,000 each? $50,000 - $60,000 for 5 years to get life in order? What was her annual income before this incident?

A reasonable request I would think is covering her hospital bills and 5 years expected annual income +$10,000 for 5 years annually for the expected life expenses to recover and outfit the home.

The fact that we're guessing at it is the issue. I'm not making a personal stance that Deanna Laing is wrong and immoral herself. It's just irritating to me that this is the standard way we can expect this to be handled. She's just a part of how this whole thing is carried out. As mentioned earlier, she might not have had anything to do with the decision.

If we were going to see a negative headline, I'd have much rather seen 'NHL and Patriots Refuse to Help Deanna Laing' than another lawsuit is all. Ideally, Laing shakings hands with NHL and Patriots execs and a happy story would be the outcome without all of this.

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Split98

In what world?

You seriously think the players can just say "Sorry coach, not playing today, the ice is too bad. Maybe next game, we'll see how the ice is."

They're obligated by written contracts, and hockey is generally the only job they are qualified for. Breaking your contract is not a real option.

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Hesla

Sorry, can you expand on this .

USA Hockey had an event scheduled at the same time, meaning members of the team (including Hillary Knight) were not able to participate due to the conflict. Denna Laing was one of the players called up to take the open roster spots for this game.

That being said, USA Hockey was not involved in this event, so there really is no basis for anyone to sue that organization.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Split98

I can't throw numbers around as the American Health Care bills always surprise me, but help with getting her on her feet in general.

If her bill comes to $300,000, would it have been unreasonable for her to reach out to the NHL and Patriots and ask for $150,000 each? $50,000 - $60,000 for 5 years to get life in order? What was her annual income before this incident?

A reasonable request I would think is covering her hospital bills and 5 years expected annual income +$10,000 for 5 years annually for the expected life expenses to recover and outfit the home.

The fact that we're guessing at it is the issue. I'm not making a personal stance that Deanna Laing is wrong and immoral herself. It's just irritating to me that this is the standard way we can expect this to be handled. She's just a part of how this whole thing is carried out. As mentioned earlier, she might not have had anything to do with the decision.

If we were going to see a negative headline, I'd have much rather seen 'NHL and Patriots Refuse to Help Deanna Laing' than another lawsuit is all.

I think the reason that this is the "standard way we can expect this to be handled" because organizations don't always "do the right thing".

[Lubicon]

Originally Posted by CMPunk

I'm surprised she hasn't named USA Hockey yet. If they had let the Pride Olympians play, she wouldn't have been there.

Originally Posted by Hesla

Sorry, can you expand on this .

Long story short is she is not an active roster player for the team but was playing because several Pride players were away attending a development camp for USA Hockey.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

Long story short is she is not an active roster player for the team but was playing because several Pride players were away attending a development camp for USA Hockey.

As mentioned above, I don't think USA Hockey had any involvement on the day. The players could have said they didn't want to attend the development camp to play in the game of a lifetime (and would have suffered, or maybe not).

[Resolute 14]

Originally Posted by Itse

You seriously think the players can just say "Sorry coach, not playing today, the ice is too bad. Maybe next game, we'll see how the ice is."

They actually have contracts that tell them they have to play. Being that it's their job, it's not much of a choice to not play.

Yes, they can. Among other things, the players and teams will be subject to OH&S requirements. Among them is the right to refuse work they deem unnecessarily dangerous.

[Split98]

Originally Posted by Itse

You seriously think the players can just say "Sorry coach, not playing today, the ice is too bad. Maybe next game, we'll see how the ice is."

They're obligated by written contracts, and hockey is generally the only job they are qualified for. Breaking your contract is not a real option.

If the ice is so bad that it warrants obligatory financial responsibility on behalf of the NHL and Patriots... then yes. I would hope so.

If coach ignores her concern, and something ice related causes a terrible issue... then we have a problem.

My point is that if the ice was so bad it warrants a lawsuit, why wasn't this voiced before the game? And if it was, why aren't we talking about that?

[Itse]

Originally Posted by Resolute 14

Yes, they can. Among other things, the players and teams will be subject to OH&S requirements. Among them is the right to refuse work they deem unnecessarily dangerous.

Have you ever heard of anyone refusing to play on those grounds?

That says pretty much all you need to know about how real that possibility is in ice hockey.

(Plus it's not the players responsibility to check the ice quality.)