Nurse Amber Vinson (or her family?) hires DC lawyer Billy Martin?

[Fumesucker]

Hmmm...

https://twitter.com/SuzyKhimm/status/523971869272440832

Amber Vinson, 2nd nurse to get Ebola, has retained DC lawyer Billy Martin. His previous clients: Michael Vick, Larry Craig, Lewinsky's mom.

https://twitter.com/SuzyKhimm/status/523972808389693440

Vinson's family doesn't explicitly say why they've hired a lawyer, but mentions "we are troubled by some of the negative public comments."

[elleng]

1. They want a buffer from the media frenzy, can't blame them for that,

and this guy or others may have 'offered his services' to them.

[kestrel91316]

2. Oh are they going to sue everybody who said mean things about her?

How about they sue the hospital that utterly failed to protect its employees???

US law 101: you can't sue people for speaking their negative opinions of you. I really hope this isn't what this is about.

[Fumesucker]

3. You come across as really having it in for her

[kestrel91316]

5. Actually I was really starting to see her as more of a victim of an employer who utterly failed in

their obligation to train her in infectious diseases, and perhaps as someone who never learned enough about infectious diseases in nursing school because of poor curricula.

But this news bothers me. The part about the mean comments. REALLY??

IMHO they have EVERY reason to go after the freaking negligent hospital. Going after people's speech when we have a First Amendment is beyond the pale. My anger now is against the ambulance chasers if this is what they are doing.

[Fumesucker]

10. It's interesting that you didn't see it that way from the beginning

I appreciate your dedication to your patients and to your craft/profession, I also appreciate you sharing your technical expertise on something I really don't know much about.

That being said I think you were a little naive to start with and jumped the gun on criticizing the nurse, it was such an easy bandwagon to get on board and I get the impression it was pushed hard in the media.

One thing I've found about the M$M, if you are part of an emotionally driven "majority" on some big public issue then check your premises and the facts again because the M$M uses emotion to drive us the way they want us to go, it's much easier than using those silly facts.

Sure you have a right to criticize whoever you wish, as a professional your criticism carries a bit more weight though which is why you kind of surprised me by taking first reporting to be accurate when we've already seen how miserable the media is at getting the facts remotely straight.

I get it that this is an emotional subject for you so..

[lunasun]

4. Oh really?

these are published or televised character tear downs happening

http://www.alllaw.com/articles/nolo/personal-injury/defamation-character-lawsuit-proving-harm.html

[kestrel91316]

6. People are entitled to their opinions always.

[lunasun]

9. And sometimes they wind up having to $ pay for them later

She has had death threats and possible professional injury to reputation and possible mental anguish
http://m.wikihow.com/Sue-for-Defamation

[kestrel91316]

11. Mental anguish from people's OPINIONS of her is not something she will win on in court.

[LisaL]

14. She is now the public person.

She'd not only have to prove that the statements about her were false, she'd have to prove people who made them were lying on purpose.

[hedda_foil]

20. Sorry, she absolutely is NOT a public person.

She is a private individual whose name has been publicized by virtue of having contacted Ebola in the course of her employment. News coverage doesn't make her a "public person" in legal terms.

[LisaL]

22. When her name was publicized she became a public person.

You can become a public person even if you didn't want to.
That's called involuntary public figure.

[JI7]

7. i wonder if the lawyer contacted the family first and convinced them

they need a lawyer(him specifically).

[kestrel91316]

12. I'd almost bet money on it.

[Fumesucker]

13. Given what I'm hearing it probably wasn't very hard to convince them

[Texasgal]

8. I don't blame her family

the nasty calls for her head is quite scary!

[LeftInTX]

15. The statement released today seemed professionally written

I wish it contained some info about her condition and how she is doing.

[Fumesucker]

16. Releasing anything that isn't professionally written is just asking to get ripped

Communication is difficult, it's remarkably easy to say the wrong thing and convey meanings you did not intend.

I'd like to know about her condition also, they will share when they feel they can.

[morningfog]

17. As far as I have found, I have never read one report on her condition.

Only that she was flown to Emory.

It stands in contrast to Pham, whose condition has been reported on regularly.

[LisaL]

18. Doctors are prohibited by HIPAA to comment on her condition unless she authorizes them.

[KMOD]

19. She is in stable contidion

That information was included in the statement.

The family is asking for privacy, so I'm not sure if we'll get updates very often. The family does seem to understand the concern though, so I expect updates to leak from time to time.

I just want her to get well. She's in good hands at Emory, so I am staying cautiously optimistic.

[MannyGoldstein]

21. The #%^*ers are trying to shift blame onto the people responsible

This. Will. Not. Stand.

Regards,

TWM