DC - Justina gets standing ovation from Congress

[SeeAlice]

The $15,000 reference is not the amount they are suing for. That just distinguishes it from a small claims court filing. It's standard language in every personal injury suit. They could request millions. Would probably settle for a few hundred thousand.

[I don't have a link to CT civil law procedure so just take this as my informed opinion.]

 

[sweetmom]

The $15,000 reference is not the amount they are suing for. That just distinguishes it from a small claims court filing. It's standard language in every personal injury suit. They could request millions. Would probably settle for a few hundred thousand.

[I don't have a link to CT civil law procedure so just take this as my informed opinion.]

Thanks for the explanations of who is suing for which accidents, and when. And about the $15,000 reference. This legal stuff is pretty complicated, but IMO, the Pelletiers have got it pretty well figured out. So not only are they medical experts who know more than those dopey doctors at BCH (and even YaleNH), they are legal eagles too. What a family!

<modsnip>

 

[annahanna]

Regarding the individual Jessica lawsuit, I am certain that is a different Jessica. Even with that said, the other two lawsuits are revealing, imo.

Looks like you are correct. Similar circumstances but different address. I guess I am primed to believe the worst about this family. :blushing:

 

[stormshine]

<modsnip>

Eh, in my opinion there's nothing wrong with that. They know they can't validate the facts of all those families and that it could hurt their reputation further if they show open support for someone who turns out to be completely guilty of medical abuse. If I was in their situation I would probably do the same thing and only privately provide other families with contact information for helpful resources.

 

[annahanna]

Eh, in my opinion there's nothing wrong with that. They know they can't validate the facts of all those families and that it could hurt their reputation further if they show open support for someone who turns out to be completely guilty of medical abuse. If I was in their situation I would probably do the same thing and only privately provide other families with contact information for helpful resources.

I might agree with you if the family had not made such a big deal about saying that this was a fight for ALL kids in similar situations. Since they have put themselves out there as advocates for "ill children that have been medically kidnapped by DCF," I personally think that posts about other kids in similar situations deserve at least an acknowledgement. Even if that acknowledgement is "Gee, we wish we could help, but we are just so busy with Justina's Heath challenges."

 

[sweetmom]

Some thoughts:
IMO, it is further evidence of the narcissistic behavior of the family that they did not make an effort to help or at least acknowledge the other kids in similar situations.

Regarding their claims of permanent back injuries to Jessica and Jennifer in the auto accidents: Just as the video of Justina moving about easily in the swimming pool contradicts their claims that she had been paralyzed from the waist down by BCH, their Christmas photo shows the sisters holding Justina up in the air, something I strongly doubt they could do if they were suffering from ongoing back pain.

But most seriously...and while I do not mean to say there is a direct connection with the maniac who shot and killed the doctor yesterday at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston, apparently because the gunman was enraged that his mother died there while undergoing treatment...IMO, the kind of wild accusations made by the Pelletiers and their most rabid supporters, some of whom posted calls for people to bring guns to BCH or the courts and kill the doctors or judges, creates an atmosphere that encourages this kind of heinous behavior by people with mental issues .
IMO, BCH and the Massachusetts DCF and court system...and the Pelletiers themselves...are damn lucky their nuttier followers didn't decide to "help" Justina with a "2nd Amendment solution." It still upsets me that the family never posted responses calling out those posts urging violence.

 

[sweetmom]

This appeared in today's Hartford Courant in reference to a case similar to Justina's (17 YO wants legal permission to refuse chemo; DCF takes custody)

http://www.courant.com/opinion/op-ed...121-story.html

Kudos to the girl's lawyer for a sane, well-reasoned examination of the issue that condemns anyone calling for violence against DCF.

This is EXACTLY the kind of statement that, IMO, the Pelletiers should have made when belligerent posts calling for a violent attack on BCH or the Mass. judicial system starting appearing in comments on stories about Justina.

 

[sweetmom]

Oops. That link may not work. Try this one instead

http://www.courant.com/opinion/op-e...n-cassandra-case-bad-0122-20150121-story.html

or
http://www.courant.com/opinion/op-e...n-cassandra-case-bad-0122-20150121-story.html

 

[i.b.nora]

Precisely.

 

[sweetmom]

She's been there, done that and may have the T-shirt.

 

[sweetmom]

By the way, I checked the status of Justina's Law yesterday. Since a new Congress is now in session, all pending but not passed bills from the previous one are wiped off the to-do list, and its prime sponsor, Michele Bachmann is gone. So unless another paranoid Congresscritter refiles it, and that certainly could happen, for all practical purposes it's dead.

 

[sweetmom]

In the first posting in quite a while from the family, dated Jan 30, they reply to a question about how Justina is faring by saying things are still being figured out and they are waiting to see what the next step will be. It adds that she is still having the gastrointestinal problems and pain and has a long way to go.
Poor Justina. This most recent of her problems has been going on for more than two years now, with no end in sight. Even with the resilience any teen has, even one who is ill, this must be so hard to bear.

And the near cessation of messages posted by the family suggests they no longer know what to say.

 

[sweetmom]

A posting! First in a long while. It congratulates a young woman named Melissa, who has finished her chemotherapy. The family says she has been a longtime supporter of Justina and wishes her well. The family also repeats that Justina has a long way to go and they are waiting for the next step. They promise to update their site soon. No appeals to donate money to Melissa, who may not need such help.

 

[JLSChook]

Here is Websleuths Thread #1:
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...92s-Hospital-to-bring-teen-home-for-Christmas

Here is Websleuths Thread #2:
http://www.websleuths.com/forums/sh...s-Hospital-to-bring-teen-home-for-Christmas-2


Early Boston Globe articles:
1.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/12/15/justina/vnwzbbNdiodSD7WDTh6xZI/story.html

2.
http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/20...l-uncertain/Y7qvYTGsq8QklkxUZvuUgP/story.html

Quoting to save links. Thanks!

 

[sweetmom]

Happy Valentine's Day, one and all! Hope you are not all as buried in snowdrifts as we are here in New England.
The Pelletier family took advantage of the holiday to wish their supporters a happy Val Day and to repeat their protestations that Justina was fine, just fine, two years ago, just before being admitted to BCH. They say at that time she could walk, skate, sit and stand...conveniently neglecting to mention that they took her to BCH BECAUSE she was NOT able to walk, skate, sit or stand unaided, take food by mouth, swallow and talk normally, all of which is what Linda P. told the Globe in its deeply detailed story. The photos posted today show Justina is still using a naso-gastric tube, which is sad to see. She's making a Valentine heart shape with her fingers and appears to be sitting (in her wheel chair) unaided by straps, etc.

The inconvenient truth that the family IMO does not discuss is that she was in dire shape, by their own account, when she entered BCH but came out in much better, though not complete, health...and then reverted to the same poor health as she experienced before BCH shortly after returning to care by her family.

The new post says that what happened to Justina should not happen to anyone, and we all agree, but we do not all agree that "what happened" was the fault of BCH or Massachusetts DCF.
IMO, it was her family's foolish and stubborn choices that kept the poor kid hospitalized for an extra year and also may have contributed to her various ailments.

The comments on the post are the usual toxic mix of hyper-religiosity and calls to sue, damage and shut down BCH and DCF. It may be Valentine's Day, but IMO, for these people, it's Groundhog Day too: same old same old.

 

[i.b.nora]

Apparently there is going to be an update on Justina at 7pm EST on FoxTV Connecticut.

 

[sweetmom]

I'm assuming that is 7 pm EST on Sunday?
the reporter is probably Beau Berman, who got the media ball rolling with his IMO initial (and gullible and sensationalistic) stories that swallowed the family version whole and never included confirmation of what they claimed nor contradiction by anyone outside the family who had a different perspective.
IMO, the new report will mention it's the 2-year anniversary of her admission to BCH (which he may call a "kidnapping") and a brief update and more of the family's spin on the whole situation.

 

[stormshine]

I haven't see the interview it one of the facebook followers mentioned that it was about doctors refusing to take her as a patient. Yeah, well, that's what happens when you doctor shop. Eventually you run out of options.

 

[sweetmom]

Apparently the report was on Saturday night at 10. I missed it. Waiting to see if Fox 61 posts it online.
From what I can glean from a long, hysterical, repetitious post from one of their god-bothering followers on the Miracle page, IMO it was what was expected: more spin from the family. Will comment further if I actually get to watch it.

 

[SeeAlice]

I haven't see the interview it one of the facebook followers mentioned that it was about doctors refusing to take her as a patient. Yeah, well, that's what happens when you doctor shop. Eventually you run out of options.

Thank you for the heads up. I wonder why Fox CT doesn't have it anywhere on their website? Even a search of her name on there shows nothing from 2015.