banned from website

[juliet065]

What is the name of your state? Illinois

This is going to be really long, so I'll just give the basics and if anyone truly wants to help me, feel free to ask for more specifics.

I've been subscribing to a parenting message boards since I got pregnant (my son is now almost 1). A couple of months ago I replied to a post by basically giving a contrasting opinion. My post started a heated debate, and I even received threatening emails. I therefore asked for my username to be deleted so I could sign up with a new name and just avoid certain forums. I've had no problems until this week. On Sunday, I was feeling very suicidal. I couldn't find any hotline numbers anywhere, and was alone, so I went to this website to ask if anyone knew what I should do. I was desperate, scared, and begging for help. The moderators of the forum deleted my post and those of anyone who replied to me. About 15 minutes later I slit my wrists, and was subsequently taking to the ER and then sent to a mental hospital. When I came online again on Wednesday, I saw that some people were asking about me and wanting to know if I was okay, so I posted what had happened and said that I was doing better now and thanked them all for their support. That post was also immediately deleted. The next day my father had a stroke, and so I posted asking if anyone had any personal experience with strokes and could give me some positive feedback. This post was also deleted. Shortly thereafter, my access was denied to post anymore messages. Now, they do have a disclaimer that says they don't want people giving medical advice, however they do not forbid it. They just recommend taking any of it without talking to a medical professional. Many, many other posts are on the board which are asking for medical advice and they are left untouched by the moderators. Plus, my last two posts weren't asking for any medical advice anyway. Do they have the right to do this, first of all, and would I have any sort of legal standing to sue them for my attempted suicide, since being able to talk to someone would have prevented me from slitting my wrists. Please don't give me any crap about how people are "sue-happy" lately, I just want actual legal advice. Thank you.

 

[HomeGuru]

What is the name of your state? Illinois

This is going to be really long, so I'll just give the basics and if anyone truly wants to help me, feel free to ask for more specifics.

I've been subscribing to a parenting message boards since I got pregnant (my son is now almost 1). A couple of months ago I replied to a post by basically giving a contrasting opinion. My post started a heated debate, and I even received threatening emails. I therefore asked for my username to be deleted so I could sign up with a new name and just avoid certain forums. I've had no problems until this week. On Sunday, I was feeling very suicidal. I couldn't find any hotline numbers anywhere, and was alone, so I went to this website to ask if anyone knew what I should do. I was desperate, scared, and begging for help. The moderators of the forum deleted my post and those of anyone who replied to me. About 15 minutes later I slit my wrists, and was subsequently taking to the ER and then sent to a mental hospital. When I came online again on Wednesday, I saw that some people were asking about me and wanting to know if I was okay, so I posted what had happened and said that I was doing better now and thanked them all for their support. That post was also immediately deleted. The next day my father had a stroke, and so I posted asking if anyone had any personal experience with strokes and could give me some positive feedback. This post was also deleted. Shortly thereafter, my access was denied to post anymore messages. Now, they do have a disclaimer that says they don't want people giving medical advice, however they do not forbid it. They just recommend taking any of it without talking to a medical professional. Many, many other posts are on the board which are asking for medical advice and they are left untouched by the moderators. Plus, my last two posts weren't asking for any medical advice anyway. Do they have the right to do this, first of all, and would I have any sort of legal standing to sue them for my attempted suicide, since being able to talk to someone would have prevented me from slitting my wrists. Please don't give me any crap about how people are "sue-happy" lately, I just want actual legal advice. Thank you.

**A: you have no grounds to sue. Read the website user instructions and disclaimer for starters. You did not get the message to stay off the website despite you post deletions and kept coming back on numerous occasions for more of the same.
There were/are suicide hotlines available by telephone so you were not just limited to using the internet.

 

[juliet065]

Just FYI, I know there are suicide hotlines available by phone, but I was terrified of being sent to a mental hospital. I don't know if you've ever been to that point in your life, but when you're that desperate and hysterical, you don't exactly think rationally. Sorry you think it should have been so easy for me to call someone, but you obviously don't understand. Thanks for trying to help though.

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

Just FYI, I know there are suicide hotlines available by phone, but I was terrified of being sent to a mental hospital. I don't know if you've ever been to that point in your life, but when you're that desperate and hysterical, you don't exactly think rationally. Sorry you think it should have been so easy for me to call someone, but you obviously don't understand. Thanks for trying to help though.

My response:

Perhaps YOU don't understand . . .

This is a "legal advice" website. You asked a question concerning the legalities of suing another website administrator/owner for having deleted your posts, and subsequently, deleting your membership. You received your answer from a qualified contributor from this website, HomeGuru.

We are not here for the purpose of understanding your reasons for wanting to kill yourself, or whether you're "terrified of being sent to a mental hospital." That is not our purpose, nor do we care. If you want to "off" yourself, that's your business, and whether or not we should "understand" that you want to "off" yourself is beyond the scope and purpose of this website.

You know, sometimes the herd needs to be thinned.

IAAL

 

[juliet065]

I wasn't trying to get sympathy or anything, I was just trying to explain why I didn't call for help. What the hell is wrong with you that you feel the need to say such hurtful things to me? What did I ever do to you? Your entire reply was completely unnecessary. First of all, just because I received ONE reply doesn't mean that I can't get more replies with people who have different opinions. HomeGuru is not the be all end all of advice giving, and why should I believe that he is even correct? Secondly, I was not asking for HomeGuru to understand why I did what I did, I just hoped to clarify some of the things he said in his reply. Thirdly, this has nothing to do with you and my reply was not directed at you, so why did you even feel a need to butt in? From now on, if you see any post from me, please don't even bother to read it, let alone reply. From what I've read of your posts, you don't seem to have any desire to actually help anybody, just to make people seem stupid and talk them out of suing. Myabe you just get off on making people feel like crap, I don't know. Thanks for making an already terrible week even worse, since besides the suicide attempt, I've also had to deal with my 11 month old son being very ill and my father having a stroke. I know this website is for legal advice and not emotional support, but there's really no need to make people cry either. And by the way, what does your "thinning the herd" comment have to do with legal advice anyway?

 

[I AM ALWAYS LIABLE]

My response:

Good for you - - you're fighting back !

If you were really interested in killing yourself, you wouldn't feel the need to fight back - - you would have been complacent. So, you see, you're fighting for yourself, and that's a "self- preservation" instinct !

Stay well for your child.

IAAL

 

[hellokitty]

no matter how bad things get, nothing is worth dying over. Ive been through hell myself lately so i know where your coming from, but nothing is worth that and i wish you well. Your baby loves his mother just remember that. About the site. Its hard to believe they would actually delate a post like that but i do understand why they would delete it, to avoid future problems. I dont think there is anything you can do either. I assume they have a disclaimer so that should account for something. Email the mod's and see if they will give you another chance. Hopefully they will.

 

[MSWCCC]

Julie, I understand the helplessness. I was 51/50'd a few months ago and taken to a mental hosp. If you'd like someone to talk to, let me know an e-mail address, even a Hotmail one, and I'll e-mail you as soon as I see it. I agree on a few other things you've said here, but to preserve the peace, I will leave them unsaid for the time being.

 

[juliet065]

Thank you so much MSWCCC! I would love to have someone to talk to. Most people who haven't been there try to help, but they just don't understand. I've been told one too many times that I just need to "snap out of it." Argh!! Anyway, my email is [email protected] so feel free to email me anytime.