"Grateful" family sues host country

[byzantineklibanophori]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au...25-601,00.html

I thought this ironic, a bit tragic and altogether inconducive to future opinion of refugees in the future.

Basically, Iraqi family is accidentally attacked by Australian soldier when they were mistook for enemy fighters. Australian government later grants them entry into Australia for specialist medical treatment. The Al-Saadi family is grateful and "professes gratitute" (as described by them) for the lifestyle they have.

Despite the injuries they've suffered in war (accidentally, and not intentionally), they've decided to sue the same government which allowed into the country in the first place.

I can understand the grievance they have with their injuries. But it was an accident, not intentional and were specifically given specialist treatment by the Australian government (for injuries incurred) and subsequently granted permanent residency. Furthermore, Australian government policies regarding refugee welfare benefits are extremely generous (they get more welfare money from the government than Australian pensioners).

Are they entitled to sue, or are they being ungrateful?

[danzig]

Id like to chalk it up to an overzealous lawyer getting a hold of the family. The father is learning English so it wouldnt surprise me me if this was a lawyer taking advantage of rather then the family going "sue, sue, sue". That said by the goverment letting them into the country, housing etc they pretty much admit their blame in it and dont see how they could actually win. Bloodsucking lawyers

[Avendiel]

K, so a civilian family consisting of a man, a woman, and three young children are all shot as they go to their car because they were "mistaken for the enemy" (easy mistake to make, all those people look alike I suppose).

Australia shows inestimable charity (really beyond the call of duty) and offers haven and medical treatment to the entire civilian family one of their soldiers shot up for what I must assume to be completely unquestionable, perfectly understandable reasons, the government's refusal to release information on the investigation into the shooting aside.

And those filthy, ungrateful "innocent civilian" bastards have the gall to think they might get some compensation for the bullet/shrapnel wounds that half-blinded two of them, left them with permanent facial scars, etc.

Don't they know there's a war on? They were practically asking for it, living in Iraq and everything.

[Tominokar]

In the attack, Mrs Saadi lost the sight in her left eye, suffered skull and jaw fractures, hearing loss and scarring to her face. Ahmed, then aged 8, was blinded in his right eye.
Mrs Saadi still has severe headaches and may soon have further plastic surgery and be fitted with an artificial eye.
All of them were traumatised by the shooting and still undergo counselling.

Many people in the West sue over far more ridiculous things than this.

[B-DizL]

Many people in the West sue over far more ridiculous things than this.

Oh I know this one time I spilled a cup of coffee in my lap and..... just kidding

[ivan_the_terrible]

Oh I know this one time I spilled a cup of coffee in my lap and..... just kidding

How hot d'you say the coffee was??

[Exarch]

they are entitled to some form of compensation but if this case succeeds, it'll create a dangerous precedent where anyone who suffered say cluster bombing can sue whichever gov.

[Avendiel]

they are entitled to some form of compensation but if this case succeeds, it'll create a dangerous precedent where anyone who suffered say cluster bombing can sue whichever gov.

Just noticed this, you've got a good point man.

Damn if I let anyone interfere with my government's right to clusterbomb the out of civilians.

Ship this family of ingrates back to Iraq, and if they keep whining, shoot 'em again, say I!

[Exarch]

Just noticed this, you've got a good point man.

Damn if I let anyone interfere with my government's right to clusterbomb the out of civilians.

Ship this family of ingrates back to Iraq, and if they keep whining, shoot 'em again, say I!

aye that's another thing
even guided missiles etc have a margin of error, remember the 'friendly fire' incidents.

[Avendiel]

aye that's another thing
even guided missiles etc have a margin of error, remember the 'friendly fire' incidents.

Totally agree, those people knew what they were getting into when they decided to be born in a future warzone.

They need to acknowledge the inherent risks of war, and stomach the consequences for their actions.

If the coalition decides, out of the goodness of their hearts, to extend the hand of mercy and patch up the gaping hole that used to be their 8 year old son's eye socket, they should be their pants with thanks.

[Mangalore]

they are entitled to some form of compensation but if this case succeeds, it'll create a dangerous precedent where anyone who suffered say cluster bombing can sue whichever gov.

Yeah, that would be really insane for people to sue for getting bits blown out of their bodies because of someone's zealous quest for glory.

It's probably a coincidence that there is a ban of cluster bombs floating about in the international forum...

[MathiasOfAthens]

Yeah, that would be really insane for people to sue for getting bits blown out of their bodies because of someone's zealous quest for glory.

It's probably a coincidence that there is a ban of cluster bombs floating about in the international forum...

Perhaps they shouldnt have been at that funeral for the dead terrorist.

[War lord]

Perhaps they shouldnt have been at that funeral for the dead terrorist.

Was there enoght left of that guy for a funeral?

[MathiasOfAthens]

Was there enoght left of that guy for a funeral?

No but the family was laying to rest his favorite ihram (or dress).

[Mangalore]

Perhaps they shouldnt have been at that funeral for the dead terrorist.

Just one of the reasons you don't indicriminately fire into a crowd with military weapons to catch one or two "evil" terrorists... Surgical strikes should be surgical, cluster bombs aren't

[Erik]

they are entitled to some form of compensation but if this case succeeds, it'll create a dangerous precedent where anyone who suffered say cluster bombing can sue whichever gov.

Funny you call it dangerous.

Because I think it will make countries think twice before using weapons like cluster bombs in civilian areas or shoot at anything that moves, and therefore it will likely save lives.

Still, I highly doubt they will win unless the Australian government clearly blundered.

[JustShoveJayOhBe]

they are entitled to some form of compensation but if this case succeeds, it'll create a dangerous precedent where anyone who suffered say cluster bombing can sue whichever gov.

Oh I know, God help us all if they can just... just SUE us for dropping shrapnel and horrendous munitions on their houses and families!

[Angrychris]

which isnt going to happen

[S.L.I.G]

Revoke their residence, kick them out of the country. Problem solved.

[Kjertesvein]

These things happen all the time in Iraq. Why did the Australian gov. give them this most unusual treatment in the first place? Was the action done to great for reporters to pick apart, that it had to be absorbed in this manner?
Then Australian gov. are practicaly asking to give/get sued for -compensation in the first place, the art of sue is invented in the west you know.