Lawyer Sues Over "Seizure Triggers" in Videogames

[Iron Mal]

Just what we need. As Thompson gets smacked down, it leaves a power vacuum of attorney assholery.

I have this game, let me dig out my manual...
...
Ah, here we go.

For your health, be sure to take a break of about 15 minutes during every hour of play. [...] Some people experience epileptic seizures when viewing flashing lights or patterns in our daily environment. These people may experience seizures while watching TV pictures or playing video games. [...] Consult your doctor before playing video games if you have an epileptic condition or immediately should you experience any of the following symptoms during play; [reads symptom list].

When it SAYS you might get seizures, that IS ENOUGH for legal pardon. Once again, it's up to sloppy parenting that kids gets seizures whilst playing, because they DO NOT DO THE F**KING RESEARCH.

Given that it says "WARNING" in big, capital , bold, 28-point letters, I'm pretty sure "Well, you were warned" will hold up in a court of law.

This pretty much sums up my opinion.

If it's written in the manual and you have a seizure then it's your own damn fault for not checking (someone should literally tell this lawyer to RTFM).

 

[bladester1]

Game Development team meeting:


Bob: So whats on the agenda today.

Steve: Well we have to test to see if our game is seizure free.

John: How the hell are we supposed to do that? Put a person in front of the TV while playing the game and see if the person has a seizure?

Cathy: That's a horrible way to test if the game can cause seizures.

Bob: I know, but does anyone have another ideas?

 

[ae86gamer]

Don't most games tell you that they can cause seizures? And don't certan game boxes also warn you?

I don't think this lawsuit will end well for the lawyer.

 

[KrakFoxx]

This is really, really, really stupid. You don't sue florists when you get an allergic reaction.

Videogames=(Moving Pictures + Flashing Lights)=Epileptic reations

God, this is so stupid.

This

 

[SnipErlite]

This is really, really, really stupid. You don't sue florists when you get an allergic reaction.

Videogames=(Moving Pictures + Flashing Lights)=Epileptic reations

God, this is so stupid.

pretty much this

Indeed. As though every game ever made doesn't have epilepsy and seizure warnings somewhere on it, either in the manual or at the startup screen :S

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

Anybody else hearing the ambulance he is chasing? Because I do...

Kenny: "Hey! Stop the vehicle! What happened?"
Person: "I got stung by a bee"
Kenny: "FUCK IT, SUE THE BEES!"
Person: "Uuuuuh...."
Kenny: "EDDIE IZZARD WAS COVERED IN BEES! I HAVE ANOTHER PERSON I CAN USE TO HELP ME GET RICH!"
Person: -starts to flat line-
Kenny: "I'LL SUE MYSELF! HEHE! I'LL BE RICH! RICH I SAY!"

Kenny has been arrested for holding up an Ambulance, and causing the death of the man inside​

Precisely, too bad Lawyers don't have defined rules that state they will be punched without penalty when they present stupid cases...

Or, a better rule: If you waste the court's time with stupid cases, you get fined, and if you can't pay the fine, you get arrested for x amount of days/months/years. They could be using that time in court for more important cases than something you can see on the back of a case, or in a manual.

Awwwww, fine... Be that way. I just wanted stupid to hurt more. >_>

 

[TheLefty]

It's a legitimate argument until you hit that huge seizure warning in most games and on pretty much every manual I've ever seen.

 

[Twilightruler]

Hey while were at it, lets sue the developers of paranormal activity for giving people nightmares. We can also sue the creators of the A Team because an explosion scared a 4 year kid who's parents left the TV on with him in the room. This is a parental issue in the first place, there has been disclaimers on all of these games for years on end about seizure warnings. If the parents were honestly worried that these kids were going to have seizures, they wouldn't have bought them the games in the first place. I'll be surprised if this case makes it past Judge Judy...

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

Considering how the fine would probably be a lot (or I'd make it a lot), he'd be pretty fucked anyways. Plus, prison if he can't pay, you ever see the movie Let's Go To Prison? Put Kenny in the place of Nelson Biederman IV. Exactly. (Wikipedia Let's Go To Prison. You'll see what I mean).

Eh, I know. I'm just being facetious at this point and really liking the image in my head of a lawyer presenting such a case and the judge solemnly looking it all over before socking him hard in the jaw. My weakness for old school Warner Bros Humor... XD

 

[DeathWyrmNexus]

Considering how the fine would probably be a lot (or I'd make it a lot), he'd be pretty fucked anyways. Plus, prison if he can't pay, you ever see the movie Let's Go To Prison? Put Kenny in the place of Nelson Biederman IV. Exactly. (Wikipedia Let's Go To Prison. You'll see what I mean).

Eh, I know. I'm just being facetious at this point and really liking the image in my head of a lawyer presenting such a case and the judge solemnly looking it all over before socking him hard in the jaw. My weakness for old school Warner Bros Humor... XD

Oh, that would be hilarious as hell, and I would no doubt piss myself from laughing xD
This reminds me of at school, when my friend slammed his locker shut, and it bounced off his backpack in his locker, and flung out fast and hit some girl in the face right beside his locker, really hard. She just blankly stared at him, with no emotion in her face xD

Ouch, that would be hilarious to see though. Hopefully she wasn't hurt badly. Still funny as hell.

 

[Bat Vader]

Considering that developers state in the manual that video games may cause seizures there really isn't a case to be had here.

 

[DemonicVixen]

Maybe he should start suing movie companies e.t.c or cinemas for showing movies containing flashing content. I find this story pointless. I think this guy probably just wants some money, business is probably bad so he makes up crap.

As already said, most games and films also have warnings either on the box, first screen, manual or somewhere easy to see. As also mentioned, how can a game or film not contain flashing e.t.c??

 

[Morganan]

Issuing a warning does not relieve one of liability. Just look at tobacco companies. For 40 years warnings were issued about smoking being bad for one's health before the companies were finally taken to court where they lost. If steps are being taken in other similar markets to ensure this isn't happening, then why aren't they being taken here?

 

[Nothankyou]

.

 

[Vohn_exel]

"Players may experience small lapses in consciousness, excessive blinking, eye twitches, and other symptoms, all the way up to grand mal seizures associated with full-blown epilepsy."

I have tourette's syndrome, so I twitch all day anyway. Can I sue? I want lots of money so I can buy more video games!


But seroiusly I can now see this coming on TV like those annoying lawyer commercials. "Have you been hurt while playing outside? You might be entitled to some money from nature..."