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| John Suk sits with shoulders slouched and his head down at the defendant’s table in Courtroom 301, a stuffy wood-paneled space inside the Somerset County judicial complex. The 31-year-old middle school teacher scribbles in a notebook as his reputation is shredded. The plaintiff’s attorneys in Civil Docket No. L-000629-15 have spent two full days portraying the co-defendant as an inattentive and unqualified lout. He is, they argue, a villain who destroyed the future of a teenager he was supposed to protect. “He must be held accountable for what he did,” one of the plaintiff’s two attorneys tells jurors during opening arguments. The attacks intensify when Suk takes the witness stand to defend himself on a split-second decision he made seven years earlier. He is accused of taking a reckless course of action that showed a callous disregard for another person's safety. He sounds like an awful person. Then you remember what Suk did to end up here. He instructed a player he was coaching during a junior varsity baseball game to slide. Not into an active volcano. Not into a shark tank. Into third base. |
Talk about a waste of tax payers money.
Also, although I've followed sports for a long time, I don't think I've ever heard of an ankle injury being so serious. They almost amputated? Even avoiding that, the kid's not supposed to so much as jog anymore? He must have absolutely destroyed his ankle.
Never thought I'd utter these words, but God bless that insurance company for drawing a line in the sand. What's right is right.
Realizing that accidents, as harsh as the outcome may be, happen. Next thing you know a family who had their child plummet to death from a careless Grandfather will sue......
Talk about a waste of tax payers money.
Wasted the insurance companies money.
A. Yes.
Q. What distance is not a safe distance for a runner to begin a slide?
A. Any distance inside two feet.
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Maybe the coach WAS negligent. You're telling me you think a kid can start a slide running full speed from 2 feet away?
I ask him: Was all this fair? Suing a coach?
He says he is a business owner who would never file a frivolous lawsuit. He believes his son was wronged, that too many of the facts of what happened on that ballfield didn’t come to light in the trial.
He doesn’t lay all the blame at Suk’s feet. He wants accountability from administrators who gave him the job without, he believes, enough preparation to keep his son safe. What about the next kid? Who will protect him?
“You have people just taking the extra $8,000 who don’t know what the hell they’re doing,” Rob Mesar says. “Somebody’s got to be responsible. Nobody is!”
This idea that someone always has to be responsible is a fallout of the way society tries to assign blame to everything.
My son tore his ACL at age 11 in a football practice preparing for an All-Star Game. Based on this ridiculous case, I could have sued regarding the idea of having 11-year olds play an All-Star game. Did the thought of a suit ever enter the picture? Hell no.
A. Yes.
Q. What distance is not a safe distance for a runner to begin a slide?
A. Any distance inside two feet.
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Maybe the coach WAS negligent. You're telling me you think a kid can start a slide running full speed from 2 feet away?
re-read.
Quote:
Q. And by your past answer, I take it that it’s your position that being six feet from a base with a runner running full speed, that it’s a safe distance to begin a slide?
A. Yes.
Q. What distance is not a safe distance for a runner to begin a slide?
A. Any distance inside two feet.
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Maybe the coach WAS negligent. You're telling me you think a kid can start a slide running full speed from 2 feet away?
re-read.
Think you need to re-read... He clearly says any distance inside of two feet meaning two feet away running full speed is safe. Not sure I agree with that.
His answer was inside two feet.
The question before was "What distance is safe"
His answer was "6 feet".
What am I missing?
His answer was inside two feet.
The question before was "What distance is safe"
His answer was "6 feet".
What am I missing?
Ok so if someone says inside of two feet is when it is not safe, what does that say about starting a slide at two feet? It isn't inside of two feet when it isn't safe sooooooo... He should of said inside of 6 feet maybe
His answer was inside two feet.
The question before was "What distance is safe"
His answer was "6 feet".
What am I missing?
He doesn't say that 6 feet is point at which it becomes safe. He says that the kid was 6 feet away, which is a safe distance. Then says that within 2 feet is unsafe. So he's pretty clearly saying that beyond 2 feet is where it becomes safe, and the kid was well beyond that.
He said when it was safe 6 feet sure, but when asked when isn't it safe. So when is it dangerous? When shouldn't you slide because it isn't safe... what does he answer? Not sure why you are struggling with this.
He stated that 6 feet is acceptable to start a slide. Unless he specifically taught kids not to slide until they were a dangerous distance (like a foot) away, it is immaterial to the case.
It is also the kind of detail that a lawyer hammers at that is meant to bring blame. If you tear an achilles playing on Field Turf, is it acceptable to bring the manufacturer to court and ask them what testing they've done to prevent achilles tears? What level of uneven blades of artificial grass could cause injury. Would asking teh manufacturer the safe level be pertinent? Why haven't these studies been done? It is a sidebar meant to cast blame more than actually wanting to understand the question
He stated that 6 feet is acceptable to start a slide. Unless he specifically taught kids not to slide until they were a dangerous distance (like a foot) away, it is immaterial to the case.
It is also the kind of detail that a lawyer hammers at that is meant to bring blame. If you tear an achilles playing on Field Turf, is it acceptable to bring the manufacturer to court and ask them what testing they've done to prevent achilles tears? What level of uneven blades of artificial grass could cause injury. Would asking teh manufacturer the safe level be pertinent? Why haven't these studies been done? It is a sidebar meant to cast blame more than actually wanting to understand the question
To be clear the lawsuit is stupid and should be thrown out. I just hope he isn't coaching if he thinks it starts being safe at under two feet sheesh.
His response was that at 2 feet it is very dangerous.
Am I missing a part of the story?
His response was that at 2 feet it is very dangerous.
Am I missing a part of the story?
Seriously, I'm having trouble following this. Genuinely.
It's become more the norm now that insurance companies won't settle. It started with the Med Mal insurers and has spread.
Also, although I've followed sports for a long time, I don't think I've ever heard of an ankle injury being so serious. They almost amputated? Even avoiding that, the kid's not supposed to so much as jog anymore? He must have absolutely destroyed his ankle.
Unlikely
Please understand that the plaintiff is exagerating the injury to maximize the settlement. All medical reports will be very biased until the case is closed.
Basic principles apply; by playing a competative sport, he and his parents should assume all risk. Ens of story
His response was that at 2 feet it is very dangerous.
Am I missing a part of the story?
Here is the question to him and his answer...
Q. And by your past answer, I take it that it’s your position that being six feet from a base with a runner running full speed, that it’s a safe distance to begin a slide?
A. Yes.
Q. What distance is not a safe distance for a runner to begin a slide?
A. Any distance inside two feet.
Lawsuit stupid... sliding two feet away from the base running full speed also stupid.
[quote] I wish the article went into more detail about how the plaintiffs successfully appealed after the case was initially thrown out. Seems like something that should have never proceeded, so it would be interesting to read more about why it did. At any rate, while it's frustrating that something like this went to trial, justice appears to have been served.
Yeah. NJ has pretty good law about summary judgments and rulings have encouraged judges to issue them. It would be interesting what the appeals court thought but that would be a pretty detailed and long legal analysis that doesn't sell papers.
It is dangerous to slide inside of two feet. Should he have said "4 feet, 8 inches??"
And frankly, there probably isn't a place to find the right answer as if would vary by player, by height, weight and skill level.
The stupidity is a lawsuit trying to trap the guy into saying something he shouldn't.
The two feet distance answer was a great question by the lawyer to create confusion or doubt. Which it has here. Glad some of you weren't on that jury.
It is dangerous to slide inside of two feet. Should he have said "4 feet, 8 inches??"
And frankly, there probably isn't a place to find the right answer as if would vary by player, by height, weight and skill level.
The stupidity is a lawsuit trying to trap the guy into saying something he shouldn't.
He is wrong. Probably the best answer would have been as you said it... It would vary by player, by height, weight, and skill level. This is who I would want coaching my kid right. I mean less than two feet? Meaning if he was coaching the kid was two feet away he would be fine having him slide... ummm no and here is the best way to try this. Go to a field, mark two feet away from the bag, run full speed, and slide at the two feet mark. I would wager the majority of the planet with have a bad outcome.... maybe not seriously injured, but definitely not going to be on the bag and will most likely be out. Horrible coach.
It's sad, and it sucks. I hate it.
The two feet distance answer was a great question by the lawyer to create confusion or doubt. Which it has here. Glad some of you weren't on that jury.
You are so focused on the lawsuit.... forget the lawsuit. Would you want him coaching you to slide two feet away from the bag running full speed? Saying yes doesn't mean he should have lost the lawsuit. It just means he is a bad coach.
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he felt that was a safe distance to call for a slide. It was.
The two feet distance answer was a great question by the lawyer to create confusion or doubt. Which it has here. Glad some of you weren't on that jury.
You are so focused on the lawsuit.... forget the lawsuit. Would you want him coaching you to slide two feet away from the bag running full speed? Saying yes doesn't mean he should have lost the lawsuit. It just means he is a bad coach.
He didn't, though. He called the slide from six feet away. It was, as the article said, a bang bang play/decision.
The lawyer, on the spot, asked him what he thought wasn't safe. He answered inside two feet. Does that mean he coaches kids or calls for slides up to two feet? No, it was just an answer to trick question that served it's purpose.
Forget the lawsuit - but also forget that answer. What did he do on the play in question? He signalled for the kid to slide at 6 feet.
Anything else is just hypotheticals.
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In comment 14678597 Britt in VA said:
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he felt that was a safe distance to call for a slide. It was.
The two feet distance answer was a great question by the lawyer to create confusion or doubt. Which it has here. Glad some of you weren't on that jury.
You are so focused on the lawsuit.... forget the lawsuit. Would you want him coaching you to slide two feet away from the bag running full speed? Saying yes doesn't mean he should have lost the lawsuit. It just means he is a bad coach.
He didn't, though. He called the slide from six feet away. It was, as the article said, a bang bang play/decision.
The lawyer, on the spot, asked him what he thought wasn't safe. He answered inside two feet. Does that mean he coaches kids or calls for slides up to two feet? No, it was just an answer to trick question that served it's purpose.
Feels like you are being obtuse so I would just stop after this one last try.
No one agrees with the lawsuit.
We all agree the lawsuit it is crap.
It is a shame this even went to court.
Now if you can, try and use that brain of yours outside of the lawsuit for a second. Would you want a coach, any coach (not your brother like this guy must be) telling you (or your kids if you have them) to slide at two feet away from the base while you are running full speed? Because by saying you thought inside of two is when if because dangerous, then you are saying anything two feet or more is safe. It really is simple when you stop holding onto your, "but he made him slide at 6 feet" mindset and try and listen.
There is a lot of bad coaches in the world and sliding that close to the base is not safe. Therefore while being a bad coach doesn't mean you should be able to sue him, being an unsafe coach means that this guy shouldn't....... come on you can do this.
That he actually told any of the kids he's coached to go ahead and slide up til two feet away from the base?
Does that sound right?
You've determined he's a horrible coach and basically negligent because he said it was not safe to slide under two feet.
Quote:
Would you want a coach, any coach (not your brother like this guy must be) telling you (or your kids if you have them) to slide at two feet away from the base while you are running full speed?
That he actually told any of the kids he's coached to go ahead and slide up til two feet away from the base?
I have proof of his willingness to do this by his answer. He feels two feet is safe. Are you actually arguing that while he thinks two feet is a safe distance to slide, if he continued to coach he would only have them slide at 6 feet because that is what this one slide was?
Does that sound right?
You've determined he's a horrible coach and basically negligent because he said it was not safe to slide under two feet.
So to be clear here. You want to defend a coach (not the lawsuit) that gave a dangerous answer of when it was safe to slide? That he could be a safe coach even though clearly sliding that close at full speed no one would agree with as a safe proper answer?
I have proof of his willingness to do this by his answer. He feels two feet is safe. Are you actually arguing that while he thinks two feet is a safe distance to slide, if he continued to coach he would only have them slide at 6 feet because that is what this one slide was?
Did he actually tell his kids to slide up until they were 2 feet from the base? If not, than your proof isn't proof at all, just a poorly worded answer to a professional interrogator.
The only argument I can see for this case would be if the coach never taught kids how to slide. But even then, it was HS JV, it's not like these kids had never played before.