Halloween is here. You have the pumpkins carved, the candy purchased and your costumes made. But don’t even think about forgetting this year’s Halloween must have: candy liability waiver.
Yes, Halloween has gone legal. What used to be a holiday for dressing up like a witch and eating gobs of free candy has become a litigation nightmare.
Greedy lawyers who are up to no good have inspired this new lawsuit trend, according to Insurancejournal.com. Unsuspecting Halloween lovers give out the standard holiday treat to trick-or-treaters, only to get sued for handing out candy without notifying the children of the negative affects of overeating.
Did you fail to warn children (and their parents) about the nutritional facts (or lack of) of the treats you give? Or how about notifying them about other healthier options? And my favorite, did you let little Johnny know that candy corn is not made of real corn?
Ridiculous, no? But greedy lawyers are duping families by suing for contributing to obesity and not providing the necessary information to combat said obesity. The only way to protect yourself is to have each child sign a waiver relieving you of any responsibility.
I almost can’t type this without laughing. Isn’t this just as bad as the guy who sued McDonald’s for making him fat? Have we become a nation that cannot accept responsibility for our own decisions? These are choices people. While you might be unhappy after you have made them, what good is it to hire a lawyer? Are we going to sue the candy makers for cavities, even though we didn’t brush our teeth?
Here is how I see it. Kids and their parents choose to go trick-or-treating. They choose to go to their neighbors and they choose to accept and eat the treat.
Don’t want your kid to eat himself into a candy coma the day after Halloween? Don’t hire a scheming lawyer to take down your neighbor’s demonic ways. After the Halloween excitement, spread out the loot. Let the kids pick a few of their favorites and stash the rest. This will avoid tummy aches and will avoid padding the pockets of a lawyer.
Or you can use that candy to make some cash. A dentist in my area pays kids for their candy. He wants to help kids avoid cavities so he will trade in the treats for cash. (What he does with the candy after he gets it is his own secret.) While he could make a bundle on filling cavities, he tries to help kids avoid the painful procedure by eliminating the treats.
Can’t handle the anticipation of a lawsuit this Halloween? Try some alternative treats to spice things up. And no, I don’t want you to become the ‘raisin house.’ Glow sticks or Play Dough can be great alternatives to treats, but they won’t be something kids will turn their noses up at. And if you really want to avoid problems, just turn off your light and let the kids trick-or-treat at the neighbors. You might seem like a Scrooge but at least you won’t get sued.