Is my employer legally obligated to protect me from my own stupidity?
I was playing with a staple remover. You know the kind - they look like a robo-PacMan. Anyways, I managed to clamp the thing down on the soft, fleshy pad of my right thumb. Right in there, baby. It went in about a quarter of an inch.
My first thought was: “Holy puncture wound, Batman!”
My second thought was: Ouch Ouch Ouch. Must… Remove… Staple Remover… From… Thumb…
So I pulled it out, and applied direct pressure like a Good Boy Scout should, and after I stanched the river of blood flowing from my thumb I got a Scooby Doo Band Aid™ on there. Did I mention that I’m supposed to play golf tomorrow afternoon, weather permitting? Well, I am. And I’m afraid this gaping wound on my thumb is going to effect my grip and swing. Not that anyone would notice. I’m really a dreadful golfer. It’s just the point of it, you know? So what do you think, fellow Dopers?
Can I sue my employer because I’m an idiot, and happened to prove that fact while performing my jobly duties? :rolleyes:
[Jerky Boys]
Can I sue you, then?
Me?!?
Yeah, you.
ME?!?
Yeah. Sue EVERYONE!
[/JB]
Just don’t expect your golf buddies to give you any additional strokes for this act of genius.
If you live in the US you cannot usually successfully sue your employer for workplace injuries unless they are the result of willful misconduct (and probably not your own). This is becuase of workers compensation. At this point, your best bet may be to file a workers compensation claim.
By the way, if you actually file a claim for WC or sue your boss for this one, you will epitomize the problems that exist in this country’s legal system–most plaintiffs are a bunch of over-privleged, litigous, ass-holes who never want to take any responsibility for themselves and those plaintiffs that are truly wronged don’t get a fair shot because the other ass-holes have gummed up the system too badly.
You really should just grow up.
Fell better soon and good luck on the links.
db
I’ve done this several times (punctured myself with a staple remover, not sued my employer).
It sits there on my desk, taunting me until I pick it up to dice with its spring-loaded, razor-jaws and satisfyingly smooth scissor-action, absent-mindedly tumbling it in my hands, clickity-click, clack-ack-ack-ack,… until it bites.
Nasty little buggers, staple-removers, nasty.
Dinsdale, I suspect I will not find much compassion out there, as you have indicated.
db4530, Are you f’ing kidding me?!? I thought I made it pretty obvious this was tongue-in-cheek. The point you make regarding the abuse of the legal system was what I was taking a pot-shot at with this thread. And thanks, I need all the luck on the links I can get. The only hole in one I’ll see is the one hole in my thumb.
The Great Unwashed, I’ve been bitten by these damn things in the past, but never this bad. Nervous energy, indeed.
Of course I’m f’n kidding. Good luck on the course. If nothing else, enjoy the 19th hole.