Congrats to Belinda's boy for winning the American lawsuit lotto.

I know the boy's foot was really hurt. However, I imagine there are a lot of shoes out there that would do the same.

Stuff happens.

Boortz is looking mighty pathetic defending Belinda over this trivial nonsense.

I can't believe this lawsuit is going forward. Perhaps Crocs ought to file a countersuit and go after Belinda for negligence since she did not properly supervise her son. Because Belinda failed to supervise her child, he was injured. Her son could have been wearing sandals or sneakers and the same thing would have happened because Belinda was just too preoccupied to see her child was engaging an a dangerous activity.

Belinda, you made a mistake. You allowed your child to ride an escalator wearing soft sole shoes and put his foot right up against the side. This is not the fault of anyone but you. You feel guilty because your inattention caused physical harm to your child but the answer isn't to flail out and blame everyone else. Grow up, apologize to your son and be a real parent.

Wow. NONE of you get it. Crocs should not be a risk AT ALL. One shouldn't have to take all their kids in elevators. If ANYONE knows about the Atlanta Airport it's that it is extremely busy. You cannot justify what happened here. Who wants to worry about losing their feet just because of shoes. It's a pain in the ass just to get shoes on and off 4 year olds in the airport anyways. This isn't an accident. How many bloody cases have you freaking heard of crocs getting stuck in elevators prior to this. YOU JUDGEMENTAL BASTARDS. SUE CROCS FOR EVERY LAST PENNY. THEY ARE UNSAFE AND A THREAT. AND ON THE STUPID RESPONSIBILITY ISSUE, OFFICIAL ELEVATOR SAFETY WARNINGS SHOW A PARENT OFF TO A SIDE AND THE KID STANDING IN THE MIDDLE. THIS IS ASSUMING THE ESCALATOR IS 6 FEET WIDE. I HAVE DONE COUNTLESS RESEARCH ON THIS SUBJECT SEEING AS I ALMOST LOST A FOOT DUE TO ONE OF THESE CROCS AND I'M IN MY 20'S. THE BUILD OF CROCS CAUSES THEM TO BE SUCKED INTO THE CREVICES. SO YOU IGNORANT STUPID OAFS, SHUT UP. THESE PARENTS WERE DOING THE BEST JOB THEY POSSIBLY COULD. This is not a frivoulous suit and I think this lady puts it perfectly. Crocs knew and told no one.
Had Belinda known the danger she could have decided not to buy them or be more careful around escalators. But she didn't know because Crocs didn't let it be known. That makes it their fault and this NOT a frivolous suit. Had she known beforehand this would be an unwarented suit, but that isn't the case here. Thank you Tech. Now you close-minded ignorant fools. TELL ME WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY NOW!!!!

Don't listen to these a-holes. Belinda, I am on your side. Make Crocs put the labels on. Even though Crocs has been in the media for this type of accident before people are so desensitized these days. We forget it can happen. My children wear them and I forgot. Don't let Crocs forget what their negligence did to your child! Don't let them take advantage of us. Make Crocs put the label on the shoe so we can remember. Heck, radio stations are playing the audio of 9-11 so we don't forget that horrific event!

This is gonna be my last post on the subject, but I do remember that Boortz said he removed the warning labels on his car because he felt they were too intrusive. (paraphrase). Now Skelton and Boortz are two different people, but you would think that he would at least have an opinion on this warning label thing. Perhaps he has said something, perhaps not. And by the way, it is really not Boortz's fault that Skelton has decided to file this bogus lawsuit, he can't control what she does. But he has to be there for her, especially now after his listeners have "let Belinda have it."

i say sue crocs for the two million. BUT, then i think your child should immediately turn around and sue you for making him wear those ridiculous things. i would be much more worried about what mental anguish wearing crocs may cause than any physical harm that may result. seriously Belinda, don't force your kids to wear those hideous things.

Hey Neal, Why dont you post transcripts of all of your rants against frivolous lawsuits and add them to your daily reads section. Please include all those that touched on the sue first society we live in or parental responsibility. I would liek to compare them to your recent opinions on this Croc of a case.

I lost a toe and a half 18 years ago when I slipped while mowing the lawn in sneakers. Do I sue Nike or Toro, the brand of lawnmower I was using? Give me a break, I had an ACCIDENT, and it was nobodys fault but my own, I used to think Boortz was a champion of personal responsibility now I see he is a hypocrite.

Neal, putting that link on your Nuze was not a great idea. You should have taken a step back and not gotten involved. It makes you look like a hypocrit. I understand your feelings about Belinda. But she is wrong and you know it.

Belinda,
This law suit as bogus as it gets. You should know better that the flip flop won't protect your toes. What were you thinking? Seriously. Your law suit is the kind of lawsuit Boortz loves to make fun of. Wonder what he would be saying about you behind your back.

Neal -- I am very disappointed you use your show this way.

Who doesn't monitor a 4 year old on an escalator?

Real simple -- watch your children. If you aren't going to watch the young ones -- put some shoes on them that won't get caught on an escalator.

It is not the shoe company's fault.

Are we going to sue auto makers when our kids run out in front of cars? This is not a new, unknown phenomenon that only happens with Crocs. When my kids were small (they are 16 and 18 now) my wife and I were aware of the possibility of this type of accident. We were careful when we got on escalators to make sure our kids kept there feet in the center of the step. We also installed child latches on cabinets, kept the guns and other dangerous items out of reach etc.

It is the responsibility of parents to ensure the safety of children, not manufacturers. If we knew the dangers 17 years ago, Belinda should have been aware and taken steps to avoid the injury.

Shoelaces and escalators don't mix either but common sense dictates when a parent leads a child into a possible accident zone. Who hasn't helped a child off and on an escalator as we know them to be hazards. Don't we?

Ron, you are an idiot! Belinda, ignore the comments from these morons. I listen to the Boortz show every day and one thing that is very clear is how much you love and care for your children. Just because Andrew got his foot caught in an escalator does not make you a bad parent. Accidents happen.

ABC reported this in 2006, and there were numerous reports of the same in 2007. To be in media and claim not to follow news is being naive, to buy these for your child is the parent being negligent. Not the shoe company.... Go do a google search in 2006 and 2007 and there are numerous accounts.

If this lawsuit can prevent even 1 family from buying any of these hideous looking shoes(?) then justice will be served........

Oh, and Belinda? Get the kids a dog- and let him live INSIDE the house where a dog belongs!

Others people have pretty much summed up who the "twit" is , Boortz.
As I remember Belinda telling the story, she was alerted to the problem by a lady behind her screaming. That being the case, she admits to not watching her ankle biter on a moving device. So?
They are goofy shoes anyway.
The same mentality of a parent that would let the kid wear fip flops traveling and think it is someone elses fault when they stub their toe.

...to Belinda for winning the lawsuit lottery. If she prevails, the buyers of those stupid shoes will be the ones paying.

Two mil will certainly buy a lot of Zero Res...

Or is she going to donate the amount after medical costs to the Fairtax foundation?

As most have said, take some personal responsibility. Obviously you were not looking after your child, nor teaching him how to "safely" ride an escalator. Maybe Croc can counter sue for "lousy parenting"!

Quote: "I submit that Crocs acknowledges the danger of the shoes by announcing they will place warning labels on them in 2009"

No, Greg, this is not correct. Often labels are merely an attempt to ward off frivolous lawsuits by idiots who don't know how to use a product and their ambulance chasing attorneys. Is this label really necessary? "For external use only!" -- On a curling iron.

I was surprised when I heard Neal commenting on this on his show this morning. I thought "this is something he would usually criticize". Not only that but he has also said that the loser of the case should be forced to pay $$ for these "frivolous" suits. Does he think that Belinda should have to pay if she loses? Bet he doesn't. She's got a right to do what she wants but Boortz should have let it be and not publically support her as he has lambasted others in the same situation in the past.

Somehow, Mary, I feel a little dirty after reading your "they've got deep pockets and the child has to have care and that makes it so right to take their money because it makes me feel good...entitlement...insurance fraud is okay if the ends justifies the means...work the system...I'm owed...get rich quick opportunity...". Get a grip and a mirror.

I can imagine the trauma and terror Belinda experienced during this tragic event. I now have teenage twins and I remember as young children getting on escalators, I would literally lift them both by the hand and set them on the steps, carefully noting the positioning of their feet. I then monitored their free hands and watched for any lurking hazard I could imagine and guard against. I feared for the hazards I could not imagine. Any parent who assumes the world to be a safely padded cushion, especially machinery, has dropped the ball. As nicely as I can possibly say it, Belinda, the issue here is not what was on your child’s feet, but what was the priority in your head. At moments we all suffer from lapses in responsibility but this one was unfortunately very costly to you and you need to come to understand that and own it. I hope all the best to you and your family.

As it states in a very good press release from July on Crocs website, feet in shoes have been getting stuck in escalators for more than 40 years. Why the outcry now? Crocs is already putting warning labels on their shoes (without a requirement to do so), but I don't think that's enough to stop a parent from letting their child wear them. The parent has to be responsible. My children are not allowed to wear anything but tennis shoes when we have to do walking (shopping, sporting events, theme parks, airports). Even tennis shoes have gotten caught in escalators - why is there no outcry to make escalators safer, instead of blaming the shoe. I truly believe his foot would have been injured in any type of shoe if it was between the side of the stair and the stationary well. I am so sorry he is injured, though, and I hope he recovers. I think the airport should pay for his medical expenses (as they would pay if somebody slipped and fell, etc.), but I think that's where it should end. Anyway, God bless you, Belinda - the guilt you must be feeling has to be enormous - even if you were watching him very closely, when your child gets hurt, you feel responsible. I would reconsider who you are suing and look for the root cause of the injury (the escalator). If they've been causing injuries like this for more than 40 years, then they should be fixed.

I don't believe in frivolous lawsuits. If you don't have health insurance and are out money maybe the public location's insurance could help out. Anything beyond that is just shameless exploitation of the system. DUH, a small kid is in potential danger on an escalator. I guess now either Croc will stop making their inexpensive shoes for little people, or they'll ban everyone's small children from elevators because of YOUR action. Very disappointing choice

I know a child who was permanently injured on a swing set. Her parents sued and settled, not because they wanted to sue, but because due to the lifelong nature of the girl's injuries, they had to provide for future care once she was an adult and no longer covered by her parents' health insurance. Insurance companies often will not cover an individual with pre-existing conditions.

So, rather than blame Belinda, crocs, or escalators, think about how the insurance racket works. They win some, they lose some, but their methodology forces this type of lawsuit.

I have to agree. The simple fact is that she should have realized the possible issue, and avoided it. What if I am wearing sandles and I drop something on my toes? Is it the fault of the sandle manufacturer because they didn't protect my toes?
I think this should fall under personal responsibility.. and yes, I would love to get $2M too, but this isn't the way to do it.

I just looked up "golddigger" in the dictionary. There was a picture of Belinda and her husband.

Neal:
I love to read the Nuze every day, and I agree with you on nearly every issue. However, if this were someone other than Belinda, you'd probably have posted a link to the article in your daily Reading Assignments deriding the parent for a frivolous lawsuit. I'm sorry that her child was hurt, but it isn't the escalator's fault, and it isn't the Croc's fault, either. Sometimes bad thing sjust happen, and no one person is to blame. If there is someone to blame in tjis case, though, it's Belinda herself. You are the biggest advocate of personal responsibility that I can think of, and as a parent, it is one's own responsibility to protect one's children from the daily hazards of life.

Mark,

Your comment "None of this is anyone else's business except for those involved." is way off. If this reaches a courtroom ask those pulled from work for jury duty if it affects them, ask the taxpayers who will be paying for the judges time and courtroom costs if it is their business, ask the workers at the Croc parent company who will see millions spent on a legal defense instead of on employee benefits if it is their business. When a public figure like Belinda (lord knows there isnt a commercial she wont do, yes she is a public figure)decides to push off her parental responsibilities on a pair of shoes it becomes all of our business.

I certainly wish Belinda's son as speedy and full a recovery as possible.

I do, however, disagree with Belinda's pursuit of damages. If our shambling legal system delivers justice here, it should be to dismiss this suit.

Escalators are known hazardous machines. There are standard warnings to keep us away from the edges of the moving surface to prevent getting fingers/toes/clothing caught and damaged.

Nothing Crocs does can mitigate all risk. It is purely down to individual responsibility (and, in Belinda's case, parental supervision) to be wary of risk and act accordingly.

Too many people seem to think that the legal system can be used to provide total compensatory coverage against risk. We do not live in a risk-free, zero-cost world. Sometimes there simply is nobody to blame, nobody to assume liability, nobody to extract money from.

Belinda and her family need to learn to accept this. They should not receive a penny.

look where ur kids going, so easy to shift the blame onto someone else, as a father of 2 kids, I ultimately am responsible

Kids get hurt - its what they do. Why confiscate my money for your child? Were you promised, at his/her birth, to be protected financially from every hardship at my expense? I didn't get the memo on that one. Sorry.

Assumptions sure can turn out nasty, which is why I hate to make them. Most of you here are screaming junk lawsuit without having all the facts. I havent been following along closely with this issue, but I can almost guarantee nobody posting here has the full story.

What do we know? Someone was supposedly injured, someone may be responsible, and a suit has been filed in an attempt to compensate. We don't know if there was a direct dialog between Crocs and the family about getting expenses covered. If there was and it went south, I'd sue as well. This is just one example, out of the thousands of possibilities. It's disgusting to watch other pass judgement so quickly and harshly.

Boortz sent us over in support of Belinda, but why? How in the wide world of sports can we blame Crocs for this? As another poster said loose shoelaces, sandals, etc could cause the same problem. They stated there really is no "fault"; no one to blame. And i agree! Thus, this lawsuit is frivilous and it further proves that Belinda is a closet liberal, driven to protect her precious progeny at any expense. We NEED tort reform! We NEED loser pays!

Nothin' but a shakedown.

Belinda, First and foremost, I am heartsick at your sons injuries. Any injury for a child is traumatic, and one that might have lasting ill-effects is even moreso.

But I have to be honest and say that I disagree with the lawsuit, not because I blame you or the escalotor or whatever, but because (as other commentors have noted) this could just as easily have happened with shoestrings, loose clothing, sandals, etc. I'm not blaming you because, Lord knows, it's impossible to protect your kids from every last thing out there that could hurt them. You aren't at fault for buying the shoes. The escalator isn't at fault for catching onto the shoes, and Crocs isn't at fault for making the shoes. There isn't a "fault" here. The only way to avoid liability in America is to have a label that says, "Caution: something bad might or might not happen in, on or around this device or equipment."

I know many people are being nasty and angry, but I'm not one of them. I'm trying to be logical and honest. But whatever you choose, I know you will choose it because you think it is the right thing to do. That's the best any of us can do. So, chin up! ;)

I am certain that thousands have gone up the escalators wearing crocs with no problem. It appears that your child was not properly riding the escalator. Either had his shoes near the side or jambed up next to the next riser. However I bet he will next time.

What surprises me when I read the comments here is that so many who are opposed to Neal's political leanings are the same ones who are spouting such negative things about Belinda. Logical reasoning leads me to suspect that if they are opposed to Neal's politics then they are most likely Democrats. Don't I keep hearing how Democrats want to take care of their neighbors? They are so much in support of taking care of others that they are willing to give the government the right to take citizen's money and give it to those in need. Yet, here is a Mom trying to protect her son and she is attacked so vehemently (means strongly if you don't want to look it up). I'd have to agree with Neal on his statement that it must be envy. You see someone who is fairly successful and feel that she should not be allowed to bring suit. Fact is folks, she is allowed to bring whatever suit she likes. It is still, currently, a free country. It is up to her and her attorney to build a case and prove the point in court. She may win, she may not....but she has the right to try. And for those of you who question Neal's 'loser pays' stance on this...why does his support of Belinda automatically mean that he no longer supports 'loser pays'?? I'm amazed at the stupidity shown in some of these posts. *shakes head*

And if you don't understand what that means, maybe try this one:

"Judge not, that ye be not judged.
FOR WITH WHATEVER JUDGEMENT YOU JUDGE, YOU SHALL BE JUDGED, AND WHAT MEASURE YOU METE, IT SHALL BE MEASURED TO YOU AGAIN."

Iow----how's about everyone who's being so quick to condemn Belinda, having what happened to Belinda's son happen to YOUR child?

And how about you getting the same reaction from others as you've given her here?

Shame on each and every one of you.

And Belinda, as a mom of a child who's also gotten into situations where we were screaming down the highway to emergency rooms after accidents, I hope your son recovers fully and indeed does NOT have any "lasting damage" from the accident.

Blessings,
Countrymouse (I call as Ruby)

What a great idea! I stumped my toe going up my steps. It hurt like a you-know-what, I broke my toe and it is forever crooked. I'm filing a lawsuite against 1)cement manufacturer, 2)builder who built my house, 3) sub contractor who poured the cement, and 4) Crocks when I stumped my toe because I was wearing them.

None of these 4 entities saw fit to put a warning lable on each of my steps or on the shoes. It's a proven fact that there have been a significant number of serious injuries cause by people tripping and falling on cement steps. Some of those people were wearing crocks.

These businesses should be responsible for my crooked toe! They knew beforehand that accidents like mine have happened.

And if you don't understand what that means, maybe try this one:

"Judge not, that ye be not judged.
FOR WITH WHATEVER JUDGEMENT YOU JUDGE, YOU SHALL BE JUDGED, AND WHAT MEASURE YOU METE, IT SHALL BE MEASURED TO YOU AGAIN."

Iow----how's about everyone who's being so quick to condemn Belinda, having what happened to Belinda's son happen to YOUR child?

And how about you getting the same reaction from others as you've given her here?

Shame on each and every one of you.

And Belinda, as a mom of a child who's also gotten into situations where we were screaming down the highway to emergency rooms after accidents, I hope your son recovers fully and indeed does NOT have any "lasting damage" from the accident.

Blessings,
Countrymouse (I call as Ruby)

Not nice kicking someone when they are down. If the Croc company was aware since 2005 that this was an issue then they were neglegent in their duty to inform or warn customers of the possibility of injury. A little tag would have saved them a bundle.

"get a clue people.
Until this happend to Belinda's child I had never heard of this happening. I truely believe that if she had heard of it she would not have let it happen. On the flip side Crocks DID know of this problem and did nothing to warn the public. it could have been as simple as a disclaimer on the lable. they are liable!
By Kevin Walsh @ 09/11/08 10:39:46 AMreport abuse"

Thank you Kevin Walsh! I remember when this subject first came up and Belinda was wondering if she should go through with this suit. These are the points that made me think she should.

Crocs knew and told no one.
Had Belinda known the danger she could have decided not to buy them or be more careful around escalators. But she didn't know because Crocs didn't let it be known. That makes it their fault and this NOT a frivolous suit. Had she known beforehand this would be an unwarented suit, but that isn't the case here.

I hate frivolous lawsuits too, but this doesn't fit that bill. I hate excessive payouts, but until the system is revised with caps this is what we are stuck with.

I know Neal Boortz has made fun of the McDonald's hot coffee litigants repeatedly in the past. I live in Canton, GA. About 15 years ago, my then ten years old daughter spilled a cup of McDonald's coffee on her lap; she was wearing blue jeans. She was holding the coffee cup with a lid on it for her mother as they pulled out onto Hwy 5, when another driver forced a quick stop. Ice was applied shortly after and by the time they drove home, she was screaming in pain and her entire crotch area was blistering. I immediately made an autobahn-rules drive to Kennestone Hospital ER, where she was treated for burns and pain. A couple of years later when I was with her at her first Ob-Gyn appointment with a female doctor, I related the coffee-burn incident. The doctor asked if she had seen a plastic surgeon and when I answered "No.", she looked at me like I was a child abuser, saying that scarring in that area could make pregnancy and childbirth more difficult. Upon exam, the doctor found what I already knew from her pediatrician: there was no scarring due to the speed with which she was treated. No lawsuits were filed and no publicity was sought.

While I feel for the kid's toes, parents assume certain risks and liabilities when they they take their children into public places, dressed in certain ways. Loose clothing can get caught, whether a dress or shoes or shoe strings. Adults with small children who don't recognize the danger of machines with moving parts and open places for things to get caught are irresponsible and negligent. It's no different from leaving the child in the running car while you go pay for gas. My daughter's pain and suffering was made worse because the denim material of her jeans held the heat against skin, but that doesn't make it Levi's fault. The fault was mom putting her daughter in danger with a thoughtless "hold this a minute". Put responsibility for the child's welfare where it belongs: on the parent. It's not Croc's fault that mom took her child's feet into a danger zone. It's not the escalator company's fault that mom is so dense she isn't aware that people are routinely hurt on escalators. Malls and airports have elevators because the escalators are not safe for certain people, like small children with loose shoes. Sorry for the kid's trauma. Quit looking for someone else on which to lay the blame, and to ease your conscience with cash. Neal laid out the rationale for this one with his ridiculing McDonald's coffee injurees. Seems like the same sort of product liability complaint versus parental responsibility. Blame somebody else and get paid: ain't America great.

Neil, Your Hypocrisy is showing! I understand that you like the little tyke. I understand having sympathy for both the child and the family. However, having a child that age myself I have never let them get on an Escalator without holding my hand nor have they been allowed to wear Crocs when on an escalator. That's what parents are supposed to do.

You preach parental responsibility in so many cases that are more debatable than this one. All I can think is that if it weren't Belinda you'd be hammering her.

This is just as stupid as the idiot suing mCDonalds for hot coffee a few years back. Just another opportunistic, grabastic, self-centered lame-ass looking for a free ride. These people are criminals...period. Why are these lawsuits even allowed?

There has been plenty of previous publicity on the dangers of these shoes. Belinda isn't stupid, so how can she possibly explain letting her child wear Crocs in the airport? Did she think there were no escalators in Hartsfield----maybe it's her first trip.
Neal, this is beyond hypocritical!

I understand the concept of personal responsibility on the part of the parent but what about company responsibility?
Crocs has a responsibility to the public to ensure a safe product. They have been aware of the danger since 2005 and have done nothing about it.
Belinda's son is not the first or only child injured in Atlanta. How many other kids across the nation have suffered similar injuries?
I think the lawsuit is justified in order to hold Crocs accountable for the safety of their shoes.

Plenty of blame to go around

1. escalators are by their nature somewhat dangerous. I'm surprised there are not more accidents as in today's world people "expect" things to be idiot proof. They're not.

2. The parents bear some responsibility. When I was a child my mother would make sure I was paying attention and stepping off correctly on the escalator, certainly holding my hand at age 4. I do so also with any young child I'm in charge of. I'm concerned about being careful on escalators. Where was the parent here? My parents would actually lift me over the end of the escalator. They certainly would not sit idly by while I jammed a toe into the mechanism. And they had enough sense to know that rubber shoes and escalators do not mix.

3. If the crocs manufacturer was made aware of previous accidents and didn't at least post warning labels on the box for the unthinking idiots out there, they probably chose money over safety, and should be responsible to some degree.

That said, Belinda is a strange personality type, obscenely house-proud and hard to deal with according to numerous contractors who've worked for her that I have heard reports from through a source in that business. I also note that she seems very busy "cashing in" doing commercials that she didn't do for the previous 15 years or so. Perhaps she's a little more into the money involved in this than the principle of keeping manufacturers safe.

If this were anyone other than an employee of WSB Neal would be sayin how rediculious the lawsuit is and "this is why we need a loser pays system."

But Belinda, you are wrong here. Honestly, how many people and children go through Hartsfield Airport all day long and have no problems. You put the crocs on him, you put him on the escelator, and I'll bet the first 1000 or so men women and children didn't have a problem. Get over it. Don't put your child in crocs, problem solved.

It's sad what happened, but to sue over the accident is really pathetic. I wear sandles made by Keen that have a hard rubber toe and I imagine they would behave the same way on escilators so maybe name that company in the lawsuit as well Belinda you twit.

Ever heard of a Jesse Jackson shakedown, Belinda? That's what you are doing to Crocs. All you have to do to ensure that your child isn't hurt on an escalator is to hold his hand as the escalator is close to unloading. That's it. I do it every single day with my child. What a trumped up lawsuit! This is where we need a loser pays system.

And you wouldn't get a cent

Belinda allows her child to wear a cheaply made soft shoe on an escalator and does not carefully watch her son while his little feet are hurt by moving parts. How about a little common sense here.

How many times have we heard Boortz preach personal responsibility and rant against frivolous lawsuits while proposing a loser pays system? And I completely agree. So how about stepping up, Neal? It would be a little hypocritical not to.
Ultimately it is the parent who is responsible for the child, and that means exercising a little common sense when it comes to protecting the child...from the comments here I'd say most folks agree with that. Maybe Boortz should make that the poll for the day on his website.
If that makes me a "twit", so be it.

What if the shoe company recalled all of the shoes still on store shelves, added a warning label to them and accepted responsibility for all expenses - medical and legal? I bet Belinda and her family would take that deal.

The thing is, even though I agree that a parent should be more careful and precautious about products for their children and monitoring their behavior, primarily for safety, I think this could easily happen to anyone. Although Belinda and her family would probably be satisfied with the above mentioned settlement, I think they should also receive compensation for pain and suffering. I don’t know all of the legal terms for compensation but they should definitely get more.

I initially thought that the family was being negligent in this instance, but not anymore.

Realistically, this could happen to any family. This lawsuit may make it less likely to happen again - to someone else. The money being asked for is not frivolous. Just because Belinda and her family seem to be prospering quite well – as a result of working and making positive decisions – that doesn’t guarantee that their son will prosper just as well in his adulthood. This money would not be for Belinda and her husband. This money would be for their son [the real victim that most posters on this board are not taking notice of]. He is injured – permanently. Later on in life, he may need additional medical treatment for this injury. He may not have the same career choices in life as a result of his injuries.

Try to look at this over the lifespan of this child. I think you would do the same thing for your children. This is nothing like the “Stella” McDonalds-coffee incident. This is about a 4 year old child. That is why Neal is not condemning Belinda for this. It is very reasonable and I hope the little boy is doing better and will have the best possible recovery.

People who would object to this are just people who resent others who seemingly have it better in life than they do.

This was a terrible accident, but it was just an accident. Common sense and parental responsibility dictate that when a soft object (the shoe) meets a hard object (the moving parts on an escalator), the shoe and anything connected to it will loose every time. I assume that you are grateful that it was no more serious than it was. I just wonder what if he were wearing flip flops or jelley shoes, would you still sue. We can't live in a society where everything has warning labels, oh wait, we already do. Now it has come to shoes. I love the show, and I know Neal will defend you until the end of time. Privately ask him if he still believes in looser pays in this instance. If I were on the jury....nada.

Honestly, Belinda's lawsuit is disgusting. I have heard both her and Neal discuss crocs on the Neal Boortz show well before this accident with her son. She knew that it was dangerous to let her son wear them on an escalator and she let him wear them anyway. As I see it she is the one who should have legal trouble because of her bad parenting. I'm thinking maybe a child neglect investigation would work to wake her up to reality. It's just sad that she is trying to deflect her own poor parenting decision by bringing a lawsuit.

Is two million dollars going to make her son's nightmares go away?

Well, it's a free country. She can sue whomever she wants to. I certainly wouldn't advise that anyone have her children over. That lawyer husband of hers would probably sue if one of them got hurt. I just can't wait to hear how her cross examination goes if this thing goes to trial or depositions.

Another unless lawsuit. Personal responsibility gets tossed out the window when big bucks might be available. Shame on the family for trying to claim their lottery winnings for an unfortunate accident.

I find it to be amazing that so many listeners to Neal's program are all so hardcore about personal responsibility...when it is convienient! I don't know what happened to Belinda Skelton's child, I wasn't there, but one of the more annoying things is that people want her to be Neal Boortz. She isn't. She is an employee of the guy, and she definitely has a life of her own.

I am all for rugged individualism and personal responsibility, but 100% of the time, and apply it to my own life before I judge someone by the same standard.

Not all listeners to Neal's program are like this, I'd dare say it is a small minority. Hell, I'm one of those multitude of listeners when I get a chance.

There just seems to be a disaffected set of cowards who glom onto his message of freedom, only to broadly template the message to situations where it is out of context.

Case in point: Went to Afghanistan with a fellow like this, all full of bluster and and willing to jump down the throat of everyone not "meeting the standard," in his so-called professional opinion. In fact, he even said that "Neal Boortz said," to refute people with whom he disagreed. I tried to have a civil conversation with him more than once, adding that I listened to the guy and Royall Marshall, too...but this was approaching worhip, and all that he needed was a "WWND" bracelet! Yet, when the bullets started flying, this guy proved to be little more that a crying bitch. Oh, and the excuses offered up were priceless: "Man, it was sleep deprevation, I hadn't heard from my spouse and was worried, blah blah blah."

I asked, " Wasn't it your responsibility to maintain command and control of your organization, and to maintain your composure?" The reply was alywas "But, INSERT EXCUSE HERE."

There is an old saying to people willing to burn Belinda in effigy via message board: "People who live in glass houses should not throw rocks."

Ok people, listen up, it doesn't matter if this incident involves Belinda's family or not. What matters is this shoe has had issues with escalators for YEARS! Yes, the poor kid has to live with his injury and it is horrible, but is it the shoe manufacturers fault that a parent recently purchased the shoe and allowed their child to wear that shoe on an escalator? All it takes is a second for a parents attention to be diverted for a preventable accident to occur, doesn't mean the parents are bad, it is a fact of life.... can't watch your kids 24/7. The shoe should not have been purchased at all.

Is this lawsuit real or is this a joke? I hope Crocs fight it in court and win.

I understand the concept of personal responsibility on behalf of the parents but companies also have a responsibility in regards to their products.
Crocs has been aware of this issue since 2005 and Belinda's son is not the first and only child injured in Atlanta. How many more kids across the nation have been injured in the same way?
I think the lawsuit is justified because it holds the company liable for the safety of their products.

I hope when the child gets old enough he sues the parents for not having common sense enough to supervise him on the escalator.

Education and Modification! When cars first came out, there were no seatbelts or airbags. We learned that people could be made safer w/restraints and other modifications to safety, but not without someone having said “these aren’t safe as they are, and need to be changed”. This is what Belinda has done with Crocs. There have been incidents and allegations made about the safety of these shoes for years. Modifications need to be made, but the company to this point has been unwilling to take responsibility for the fact that they’ve made a dangerous, cheap product that appeals to children. If you weren’t consciously looking on the internet about it, you probably wouldn’t know about the issue. Google “crocs, escalators” and see how many hits there are, and how far back.
As for parents saying that she wasn’t monitoring her child...I think they’re just massaging their own egos because it hasn’t happened to their kids, so somehow they’re superior. Other parents also don’t want to have to acknowledge that there might be a problem with the shoes because then they’d also have to deal with parenting their children responsibly by removing the crocs from their own kid’s kicking, protesting feet, and they’re not able to do that. Study and be mindful, heed the warning for your own kids and stop trashing these parents. My girl knew a long time ago that she’d never own a pair of these because of the defect to their design. Maybe she wouldn’t ever have had a problem...like all of us today who managed to survive not being in a car seat as a child...but some people didn’t survive then, and some families now will lose something precious that the rest of us skip along and take for granted.

Isn't this one of the frivolous lawsuits you are always talking about on the show?????

Pretty sad to sue over lack of common sense.

I heard Neal say this morning that AJC blogs are attacking Belinda. Actually, AJC reported last night that Belinda is being attacked by WSB blogs. I find it pathetic that Belinda's own listeners are attacking her. If you listen to her regularly, you know that she is very protective of her children and I think she is doing the right thing by standing by her child and filing this suit. If you open your ears and learn about her, you will know that she makes good money and she has real estate investments, not to mention that her husband is a professor. She obviously does not need the money. Pay attention people.

I understand she is angry that her kid was hurt, but this is one of the most rediculous lawsuits I've heard of in a while.

Hope her boy is ok, but she should be ashamed of herself for even considering this lawsuit.

While I may question the validity of this lawsuit, I am not going to call it frivolous because I do not have enough information to do so. However, I have long been a supporter of Neal’s calls for a “Loser Pays” style of tort reform in the U.S. So, I must wonder if Belinda would be filing this lawsuit if Loser Pays were the law of the land.

The way I see it, the only way for Neal & Co. to stand by their principles in this situation is to agree, right now, in writing, to reimburse Crocs, Inc. for all expenses associated with the defense of this lawsuit if Belinda’s family loses the case. It really is that simple.

I've got a good idea; let's all put flimsey, rubber, open-heeled sandals on our kids and let them walk or stand on moving stairs with heavy duty parts driven by powerful electric motors! And if something baaaaad should happen, oh well, call one of these 1-800 law firms that you see on TV (that Neal is always whining about). Let us know how that works out for you.

People should recongnize this as a frivolous lawsuit.

Pathetic.

Sometimes you only find out about previous incidents AFTER the fact. I had a laptop that I didn't know was subject to a class action lawsuit + 1 year of extended manufacturer warranty until it broke on me (same problem as cited in suit) 3 times.

Every kid wants Crocs nowadays, just like everyone has an ipod. If you found out your ipod battery explodes in certain instances, and you had no way of knowing until after you got injured, wouldn't you sue for medical expenses/damages? 2 mil is actually quite reasonable since she won't really get anything after crazy lawyer fees and medical expenses. 2 million is probably pocket change to Crocs. It's not like she's trying to get an injunction against selling Crocs or bankrupt the company, just slap a dang warning label with the other tags on the shoe. "Shoe can potentially get caught in moving parts, such as escalators. Enjoy your new Crocs but play safe" or some other BS.

Maybe we should also put warning labels all over cars. They are involved in many more accidents than Crocs. Of course, it may be that cars are not inherently dangerous, but only if not used correctly and carefully and therefore no warning is required. Maybe that applies to Crocs as well. Use correctly and carefully. What an idea. Neal and Belinda, you dropped way down in my opinion of you based on this.

Crocs is who is at fault here. Not the airport, not the escalator company, not the parents, but the shoe manufacturer. Nor is this a frivolous lawsuit.

Texas Marlin, I do not know how you can assert that she would not have bought Crocs or allowed her son to wear them if they had warning labels on them. Look at all of the other warning labels and see how well they work. For instance, cigarettes have had warning labels for years, but people still smoke. I agree with the others. It is using common sense and then not trying to blame others when you make the wrong choice or an accident happens. Accidents do happen. It is not what anyone would want to happen, but they do occur.

where can I buy a pair of these shoes, Im going to the airport tomorrow and I'm really tired of working for a living

I was getting so upset about the things being said about Belinda, then I realized these people don't even know the difference between "where" and "wear". Stupid people say stupid things. Why get upset? Belinda, your son is in my prayers.

Isn't this warning label mentality getting a little goofy? It is getting ridiculous to put warning labels on products to cover areas where common sense should prevail. For example, there is a warning on the sunshade for my car windshield that says that the car should not be operated while the sunshade is in place. Duh. The same thing goes for Crocs and escalators. Pay attention and use common sense. Frivilous lawsuit in my opinion.

I have heard a lot about the injuries at Hartsfield, but why not any other locations that have escalators? I would think that some of the MARTA stations would also be reporting foot injuries. If the bulk of the incidents are at Hartsfield, then why not look at the escalators as the culprit instead ofthe footwear?

Sorry, Neal, Belinda. Not on your side this time and have lost a good deal of respect for you both. You know if this had been anyone else, Neal would be slamming them on his show. The measure of a person's character is standing up for his or her beliefs even when it doesn't benefit you. Sometimes bad things just happen. There isn't always someone to blame or someone who must pay. But I guess it's now okay with you that future buyers of Crocs will have to pay more because, win or lose, you will cost this company money with your suit.

I have read of at least two other escalator/croc injuries to kids. Somewhere down the line there is a flaw in the design of either the shoe or escalator, and since the escalators have been around a lot longer I'm leaning towards the shoe.
As for the hypocrites among you screaming at this woman for an injury based lawsuit, keep in mind it is one of the least frivolous kind and about the only way to afford the medical costs.

This is nothing more that the parents not being responsible. Why not let the kids go barefooted on the escalator? Crocs are nothing more than souped up flip-flops. This case should be dismissed and the parents investigated for parental neglect.

This kind of injury could easily run up 2 million after the surgeries and rehab(due to a number of problems with how Insurance and Government have all but destroyed competition in the Medical industry).

Crocs makers knew of the issue and, unlike Cigarettes, were not compelled to at least put a warning on the product.

The Parent and the Crocs company (and possibly the escalator company) were both partially to blame. Unfortunately the child is the one who suffers.

2 million after the expence of the medical care and lawyers is actually low. And perhaps Crocs will begin putting a warning on the shoes.

Why not sue the escalator manufacturer, the airport and the city of Atlanta? Weren't they somewhat responsible too?

Strict liability, period. The only question is how to split the liability between the shoe manufacturer, the escalator manufacturer, and the airport owner - and whether the penalty is too much, too little, compensatory, or punitive. Who filed the law suit should not even be a point of discussion, and you gossips should all be ashamed of yourselves.

now that Boortz has posted a 'please defend Belinda' in his notes, expect the groupies to come out in force.

Fact it, if this were anyone else, Boortz would be blaming the parent.

Kinda like claiming sending your kids to public school is abuse, while acknoweldging he sent his own offspring to public school.

That's why this guy is always# 7 and cannot catch on outside the South.

I can't believe the comments. People have been getting injured wearing these shoes, but the information about these injuries hasn't been released til recently.
Also, why is the company waiting until '09 to put on a warning tag?
What arrogance! What stupidity on the part of Crocs.

its all over man! if belinda will do this just for money, we are doomed.

Stop frivolous lawsuits! Parents should watch children on escaltors regardless of the shoes they are wearing.

The risk of Crocs and escalators have been common knowledge for several years. It has been in the news, it was reported on WSB radio. Incidents in the Atlanta airport had been reported previous to this incident, and not long before it happened, if I recall correctly.

The shoe itself is not a risk. The risk only exists when it is inappropriately positioned on an escalator. Would you sue a necktie manufacturer if one's tie were caught in the office shredder, strangling the wearer? Well, I guess there are those who would.

As much as I hate Crocs, I think they are pretty far down the line in the hierarchy of blame in these cases.

I think we are seeing another example of "busy mom" syndrome. I guess the only answer is to pass another law. Maybe outlawing Crocs altogether. Or forcing people to remove them before boarding an escalator.

The shoes are very dangerous for the children around escalators.

Why can't she ask someone to decide if they are a danger?

You people have no compassion. For shame on all of you.

Come on Belinda - don't hide behind your husbands name - we know it is you. When I was a child my mother always told me to stand in the middle of the escalator stairs and to pay attention to my shoes. I did the same for my children. You need to take responsibility and chuck the lawsuit.

Clark A Meyer is Belinda Skelton's husbancd. So, I believe this suit is about Belinda's son, Andrew.

I I remember when I was a kid and my momtook me to Rich's to purchase school cloths.She was always on me to becareful on the escalator. I did the same with my kids. Crocs are a danger, so are flip flops and tennis shoes. Get a life people, live up to your parent responsibilities and stop blaming others for your own shortsightedness.

In the interest of fairness, I believe that you should have disclosed the connection of this child to one of your on-air personalities.

"This is actually their punishment for making their child wear such a hideous trend-shoe."

and you believ in Karma?

Watch out!

This is actually their punishment for making their child wear such a hideous trend-shoe.

And for not watching what they're doing and sticking their feet in strange places on an escalator.

Howsabout not putting lightweight rubber shoes on your kids? What if they stepped on a nail or broken glass, or stubbed a toe, or dropped something on their foot, or got it caught in a door, or were walking across an extremely hot parking lot (just thought about that one--I know someone who got severe burns in "real" shoes)...? I really have a hard time thinking of any proper place to wear those exept around a public pool or shower where you don't want any skin touching the floor.

Anyone remember "jellies"? I wonder if this was a problem with those?

Belinda said on Boortz that she only wanted out of pocket expenses repaid.$2 million is a lot of expenses.

How does one spell parental R-E-S-O-N-S-I-B-I-L-I-T-Y????? ORDER OF BUSINESS: (1) buy your kid(s) crocs, (2) let them knowingly wear them on an escalator after previously reported incidents of injury, (3)find a slick haired tort lawyer, (4)pay 50% of 2 million to said lawyer, (5) console child by donating the balance to the private school Meyer teaches at, (6)Belinda to do yet another syrupy, phoney southern accent commercial for the shoe manufacturer.
Would love to hear the dialogue between Boortz and Belinda on this one !!

There will be no comment because it is Belinda.

What part of the shoe is supposedly getting caught in the escalator? Is the child old enough to be wearing shoes of this type? Was the child playing on the escalator? who bought the shoes for this child? I don't see this as the shoe manufacturers problem.

If they knew the company knew about the problem with the shoes (since 2005) - why did they let their kids where them? Some people want to blame others for their bad choices. It's all about choices that have consequences.....every choice has its own consequence.