A Canadian in Sweden

Benefits for Tooth cracked on the job

So let me get this straight.

Some Swedish dude bites into a cookie offered by a customer and breaks his tooth on a cherry pit inside. $680 of dental work is required.

Since he broke the tooth on the job, he makes a claim against his employer who, not surprisingly, tells him to take a hike.

If I had been in Broken-Tooth-Guy's shoes, this is where the story would have ended. Broken-Tooth-Guy, however, decides to sue his employer.

I never know whether to admire these people for taking a stand, or to ridicule them for the unbelievable loss of productivity and voluntary misery they put themselves through while fighting a lawsuit.

He filed the lawsuit in 2002. He got a decision this week. So he has arguably spent over 4 years fighting for $680. To me, this just seems retarded. The cost-benefit ratio just isn't there. How much more money could he have generated if all those hours fighting this lawsuit were spent working instead?

My experience with the justice system is limited to the Régie de Logement - the quasi-judicial body that regulates rental disputes in Québec. I had to lodge several complaints over unpaid rent and I would rather lose two or three months rent than have to go through the Régie for a decision. It is long, takes up my time and it generally aggravates me.

I am a big believer in the Chinese proverb "Better a lean agreement than a fat lawsuit".

Translation: Even if you win a lawsuit, you lose. Enough said.

posted by Jeff @ 11:17 PM