A Judge said it best

What part of hot in hot chocolate you just do not understand!

Remember in Australia last year a chap dove off a bridge that had a sign “NO DIVING” but because the sign did not include the phrase “serious injury may result or death” he won in the case.

Poor Dustin Stringer, I bet his mother didn’t allow him to play outside with the other kids!

Don't do that Dustin, you might fall down and hurt yourself if you ride your bike.

Al of this reminds of the following

“False is the idea of utility that sacrifices a thousand real advantages for one imaginary or trifling inconvenience; that would take fire from men because it burns, and water because one may drown in it; that has no remedy for evils, except destruction. The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm those only who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes... Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicide, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. They ought to be designated as laws not preventive but fearful of crimes, produced by the tumultuous impression of a few isolated facts, and not by thoughtful consideration of the inconveniences and advantages of a universal decree.”
-Ceasare Beccaria, 18th century criminologist, in On Crimes and Punishments

It is a travesty that companies must pay through the nose to insure products against such individuals. I was talking to a fellow who is a higher up in a big time tree stand company. He told me almost 20% of the cost of each unit the company sells goes in one way shape or form into liability insurance.

Common sense as long flown out the window in this country. Throw in bottom feeding attorneys and judges who will hear almost anything now days and we get such as this.

We dearly need tort reform in this country, but as long as trial lawyers reside in our state houses and in govt at the national level it will never happen.

Definitly "Operator Error". Not product malfunction.

It's sad to hear about anyone getting injured but these lawsuits have got to stop. There are inherent risks associated with hunting, guns and climbing trees. If you are not responsible enough to handle those risks get a new hobby. Personal Accountability 101 should be added to the public school curriculum.

it is just simply insane that this is allowed to happen. how is it that these people are not accountable for their own actions and stupidity . STUPID SHOULD HURT that man and his attorney should both be locked up .

like my grand mother used to say YOU WANT TO CRY I'LL GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO CRY ABOUT MR. JOHNSON !

This topic really is a catch-22, of sorts; Product liability is the cost all manufactures pay to do business. I don't know all the facts in this case,while it may be human error that caused his injury, and maybe it was product error? We simply don't know, but I can tell you "common sense" and LAW do not go hand in hand.Many examples have been noted on the blog, but we still need to have our day in court as an alternative that's what sets us apart from a dictatorship type of government. Lawsuits, or theat there of, do motivate R & D among companies to build a better product.
NOW, if only people would stop trying to take advantage of the HOT COFFEE I DIDN'T KNOW WOULD BURN ME reasoning we would a more responsible society and not one looking for a retirement check around every corner!

"Hunter in defective condition, can't stop whining." is what the headline should read.

I hope Ameristep's attorneys are able to prove Dustin is an idiot, and not have to pay him a dime. Sounds to me like he's trying to create his own "economic stimulus". Our court systems must STOP letting people profit from ignorance.

Thanks, Clay. I now have another book to go find and read. Ranger2, the kids will get that one.

What we need is a loser pays system. What do you want to bet Dufus Stringer has a lawyer working on spec? If they lose their case the lawyer is out his time and Dufus is no worse off. They should have to pay Ameristep's (reasonable) legal fees and court costs.

Makes you wonder what this is doing to us genetically. A breeding program promotes the positive. What are we doing?

No one can build a product that is sold to the general public and expect that product to always be used safely. There are tons of people out there who could hurt themselves with a feather and the problem comes when they try to sue the bird that made it! Absolutely nothing in this world is foolproof. We always used to take the blame for accidents on our own shoulder and admit that we could have taken better care of our well being; but no anymore. Now our society wants to search the Yellow Pages for the biggest ad that says "You've been wronged and I'm here to help" Our hunting heritage is so precious, we can't afford to have lawsuits muscle their way in. Know what your using and use it properly. Does anyone remember commonsense?

There are those that God never intended them to leave the ground!

WATCHA DINK!

Wonder by how many pounds he exceeded the safe operating load limits of the step? Probably more than a few....

Back in the day my tree stand (house) ladder was sections of 2x4 and nails. Lumber and nail people never told me that wasn't a good idea. What's the statute of limitations? I still got a scar.

Typical these days. Someone always has to be at fault and it's never me. I'd bet this was a case of user error and i hope the courts see this. Also, he assumes the risk, any idiot knows this.

Unbelievable. This is just a microchasm of what is wrong with this country today. "It's not my fault and someone should pay me for my ignorance." That is the central theme in these United States. Can you say AIG, GM, etc? Like a previous poster said, the trial attorneys have a giant presence - and they literally buy candidates. This happens at both the state and federal level. Hopefully we will see a follow up story that says the case was dismissed.