Damaged Read Free Page B

papers. He grew more upset, his lined skin mottled with pink. “Then the next thing I know, yesterday, I’m being served with a lawsuit.”
    â€œWho would be suing you?” Mary asked, incredulous.
    â€œRobertson hired a lawyer named Machiavelli, if you can believe that, and they’re suing me and the school district, claiming that Patrick attacked Robertson with a scissors.”
    â€œWhat?” Mary felt her blood begin to boil.
    â€œIt’s a complete fabrication.” Edward handed Mary the suit papers. “Here, take a look. But I know my grandson, and he did not attack anybody with a scissors. He’s not aggressive. He doesn’t have it in him. It’s not possible.”
    â€œBear with me while I read this.” Mary skimmed the cover letter on Machiavelli’s letterhead, then she turned to the facts and read aloud: “… the Defendant Patrick seized a scissors from the teacher’s desk and lunged at Plaintiff with the weapon, attempting to do him grievous bodily harm.”
    Edward scoffed in disgust. “That’s false.”
    â€œHas Patrick ever been disciplined in school, for fighting or violence?”
    â€œNo, not once.”
    â€œWhat about when the other kids tease him?”
    â€œNo, never. He just cries or gets sick. He won’t hit back, he’s little.”
    â€œDoes he tell the teacher?”
    â€œNo, he hides it, like with Robertson. He doesn’t want trouble.”
    â€œPoor kid.” Mary flipped the pages to the causes of action, where it set forth claims against the O’Briens for battery, assault, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Again, she read aloud, “… Plaintiff was so frightened by the assault and battery by Defendant Patrick that Plaintiff has been unable to return to his position and was compelled to terminate his employment and seek psychiatric counseling…”
    Edward groaned. “Can he win on that?”
    â€œDoubtful. He has proof problems with the assault and battery claims, and to qualify as intentional infliction, an action has to be extreme and outrageous. I doubt a court would find it met by a little boy lunging at an adult male, even with a school scissors.”
    â€œGod, I hope not.” Edward frowned. “Why are they doing this, then? Is it a money grab?”
    â€œYes, but you’re not the deep pocket here, the school district is. Wait ’til they find out it’s not so easy to sue the district, they have immunity.” Mary returned her attention to the Complaint and flipped to the causes of action against the school district, which were for Negligence and Breach of Contract. She read aloud: “Defendant School District has a duty to keep the Plaintiff safe from harm while performing his jobs on school grounds and also has a duty to train Plaintiff on how to deal safely with violent and emotionally disturbed ‘special education’ students at the school. Defendant School District breached each such duty to Plaintiff and Defendant School District was grossly negligent in compelling the Plaintiff to deal with a violent, emotionally disturbed ‘special education’ student on his own, untrained and unsupervised.”
    Edward shook his head. “Robertson punches my grandson, then turns around and sues us and the school?”
    â€œIt’s hard to believe.” Mary wondered if Machiavelli knew that Robertson was lying, but she wouldn’t put it past him. To Machiavelli, the end justified the meanness.
    â€œRobertson’s asking for half a million dollars in damages, claiming he can’t return to work, and he’ll have psychiatric and medical expenses.”
    Mary fumed. “But wait, if Patrick really attacked Robertson, why didn’t Robertson report it to the police? Or the school?”
    â€œI don’t know.”
    â€œI bet I do. Robertson didn’t think of it right away. It’s some