Woman who fell into a fountain while texting may file lawsuit

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   Disturbiaposted 13 years ago

   A girl who fell into a fountain at a mall while texting is thinking about a possible lawsuit against the mall because she is upset that a video of the incident was leaked out and that no one from the mall security came to her assistance. 
   
   How the video was leaked is not exactly clear, but her attorney believes someone at security allowed a video of the security tape to be made with their cell phone.  The video was posted on YouTube, Facebook and TV stations around the world and has been viewed millions of times. Her attorney plans to conduct an investigation into what happened.
   
   What do you think? Does she have a legitimate claim or is she just after her 15 minutes of fame and a fast buck?

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      Wesman Todd Shawposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      So in other words, embarrassed, and stupid, a young woman blames someone else for her problems, and seeks to tie up the American legal system, and chase the amoral American dream of getting rich quick through a frivolous lawsuit.

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         Rafiniposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Exactly!

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      lyndreposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I would have lmao if I had seen that.The tricky bit is someone putting you on the internet,or television without your permission.
      Personally I don,t think this should be allowed.

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   3. 78

      kirstenblogposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      My first thought, welcome to 1984 everyone, big brother is watching. Or equally, welcome to the UK, the most heavily watched country in the world, we have the most CCTV cameras watching just about anywhere you go outdoors. This should be fun to watch unfold, the comedians will be having a field day of it if it goes to court. Next will be the lawsuits over anything posted to youtube of other people, non consenting, from mobil phone cameras and such. Oh what a wonderful world!

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      privateye2500posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      15 minutes and a fast buck - hit nail on head :}
      
      Good Golly - mizz molly - does ANYONE take responsibility for their own actions these days?

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         Mishaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Hi Melanie, long time no see

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            privateye2500posted 13 years agoin reply to this

            HAY!!  Misha!  Sweet!  How ARE You mate!? 

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               Mishaposted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Pretty good, thank you. How about yourself? You seem to be quite busy lately?

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      tony0724posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Like Forrest Gump said " Stupid is as Stupid does "

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2. 39

   Spacey Graceyposted 13 years ago

   If she is that embarassed why doesn't she say NOTHING at all. No one would know who it was if she just kept quiet.
   
   TBH I don't think it was very kind to post it on YouTube, but that didn't stop me laughing at it

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3. 61

   Daniel Carterposted 13 years ago

   Mall security probably posted the video on youtube. I'm not so sure that's a really legit issue to sue, but mall security SHOULD have had someone down there immediately to make sure she was okay. She obviously was humiliated, but despite the comedy, security, IMO, had an obligation to that mall patron to make sure she was okay, and assist if needed. If that's not part of their job, why do they have security?
   
   It's pretty crass to add insult to injury by posting the event on youtube. The better thing would have been to include mall security showing to help. That way the woman wouldn't have had a reason to sue.
   
   At least that's the way I see it.

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   Mishaposted 13 years ago

   You never know where you can make a buck or two

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5. 37

   adrainseanposted 13 years ago

   well  i  dont  correct  the lady is   about  suing for falling  while  texting ..i  wont   judge  her  i have done  it myself   few times
   
   what i want  to share here  is that many people  walk n text  at  same  time  including me  ..and  the new  google   mobile   with  android  platform   has   addressed  this  pretty  well.. it  detects  if you  are texting  while walking and   keeping  your horizontal   and  it  start  and  camera and   basically  shows the  road  ur   walking  on  on ur screen  so that u odnt fall  into  traps  or  hole..all  this   while  u  continue  texting.

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      Daniel Carterposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Oh good. Now we can enable people to be less responsible for themselves and other by encouraging them to not pay attention to their surroundings, which could adversely impact other people as well. Does this mean that we'll be able to drive and text with a similar justification?
      
      @Disturbia: I have to agree, I found it rather odd that no one came to her help at all, pretending to ignore that it happened. We all make silly mistakes now and again, and sure they are funny, but still I don't know that it's a good idea to ignore the possibility of a person needing help. There are other disturbing examples of this on video as well. In many ways, I think we've become a very detached society because of the electronic age we live in. Technology, perhaps, encourages us to be spectators without involvement, since so much of what we experience is on a screen these days.

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   Mighty Momposted 13 years ago

   Daniel, that is much too reasonable and sane. It will NEVER work !
   Seriously, mall security does sound like they were derelict in their security duties.
   Someone's in big trouble for leaking that tape to YouTube.
   But I don't think you can blame the mall for that.
   Not that she and her lawyers won't try...
   I personally hate it when stupid people (e.g., the McDonald's hot coffee in the driver's lap) get rewarded for being stupid.

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      Daniel Carterposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I agree, MM. I think at best, the lawsuit is focused on the person who posted the video. Even then, rights to free speech, etc., may make it hard to litigate. Mall security was still rather errant in there duties, I think, but I'm not sure that's a lawsuit. More like disciplinary actions from the employer.

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   lulavaposted 13 years ago

   I don't see how security could have helped...she seriously rolled out of it and took off as quickly as possible.  She's just embarassed and sees an opportunity for some money-very skeezy.  It was completely wrong of them to leak it, however.
   
   A little info-this woman is FAR from young, and this happened in the US not the UK.

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      Daniel Carterposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Security showed up 10 minutes later. That seems awfully slow to me. It would have been pretty easy for them to track her down if they wanted. It's not like a trail of water didn't follow her...potentially causing a risk for other patrons to slip and fall.

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         Stacie Lposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         First of all,the video should have been used to teach people not to text while walking 'cause you could fall into a fountain...
         second,this is private property and anyone entering it can have their photo and video taken.once you enter the doors you agree silently to the terms of the property owner.
         third; she has a checkered past of her own and has some history with the law.
         
         "READING, Pa. (KABC) -- There's a new twist to the story of the woman who was caught on tape falling into a mall fountain while texting.
         
         Cathy Cruz Marrero, 49, was threatening legal action against the mall, saying security was too busy laughing to help her. But it turns out she has legal problems of her own.
         
         
         Marrero is being accused of identity theft. Court documents show Marrero used a co-worker's credit card to purchase more than $5,000 in merchandise at Target and Zales.
         
         She also has four other convictions on her record for retail theft and a hit-and-run accident.
         
         When it comes to the mall incident, Marrero's attorney said she no longer plans to sue, but instead wants an apology.
         
         she should have kept quiet....
         http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?secti … id=7912536

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   ralwusposted 13 years ago

   She didn't appear to need any help getting out of there at all. I think she is just really embarrassed, rightly so. I know I had a good laugh out of it. LOL still am thinking on it. hahahahahaaha

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   Disturbiaposted 13 years ago

   I've seen the video and what surprises me most is that there are other people around and nobody else even seems to notice what happened.  If I saw somebody fall anywhere, I'd try to assist them. But it's like nobody noticed it. 
   
   She's also an employee of the mall which made me wonder if the whole thing wasn't just staged.  I'm sure I'm not the first one to think that she might have planned it with one of the security guys.  Let's fake an accident, video it, leak it, sue, and split the take.

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10. 85

    rebekahELLEposted 13 years ago

    it just makes sense that you watch where you're walking.. and driving.

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    Rastamermaidposted 13 years ago

    Does this mean that robber's can sue for being caught on camera and having it televised or given to the cops?
    
    The robber's didn't give consent for it to be shown or used as evidence.
    
    What's next?

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    SomewayOuttaHereposted 13 years ago

    ...fast buck for the lawyers.....no wonder liability premiums went through the roof....

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13. 0

    Aleister888posted 13 years ago

    I cant believe this kind of stuff actually goes on honestly... mind you i did work with a guy once who claimed workers compensation because he had his own lunch spill on himself ...

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14. 81

    thisisoliposted 13 years ago

    To be honest this girl has no one to blame but herself, if she fell in to a fountain because she was not watching where she was going, thats her own damn fault, and she did it in public, so she has to be aware that there will be public repercussions.
    
    The fact she made an ass of herself and now the whole world find it hilarious is nobodies fault but her own.

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15. 83

    b4murrayposted 13 years ago

    If she didnt come forward she would have nothing to be embarrased about... The video was too grainy to identify her. But now everyone knows who she is!

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16. 68

    Flightkeeperposted 13 years ago

    I think the mall should make a training video to all security guards in the entire world and feature the stupidity of this woman so that everyone knows what an idiot she is.  She fell into a fountain, she didn't drown.  She could get out by herself.  Security is there to look for thieves and other bad characters trying to do criminal things.  Doing stupid things to yourself doesn't count.

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    arthurchappellposted 13 years ago

    Seems she has a few concerns 1/. no assistance when she fell - haven't seen the video so don't know if she was in danger of drowning or injury. b/. Invasion of privacy - the footage going public. She should have had help, yes, if only to be sure she was ok. The footage may not have been copied to a phone as it happened - the video footage itself might have been oon playback - most stores would would keep footage to be able to show in shop lifting cases, etc. I'd have seen the funny side of it but wouldn't be happy to see others benefitting, possibly even financially from my embarrasment, but I wouldn't sue. It's outh there now so what's done is done.

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    melporposted 13 years ago

    No, I do not think she has a legitimate reason to file a lawsuit. For what,  just to get money. It was 100% her fault. She should not have been texting and walking at the same time as I have seen so many people doing these days. That is why most states in the U.S. are passing laws to stop texting while driving. People are simply not paying attention to what they are doing. The end result is serious injuries or loss of life if you are not careful. Easy solution, set yourself down for a few minutes if you have to text. Turn it into a break.

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    Jeff Berndtposted 13 years ago

    If she hadn't sued, nobody would know who she was.

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