• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Slander

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

saabsta

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? Masschusetts

I am a techie who supports my company's sales staff. I was at an offsite meeting, in the carribean, with a sales group. We had an awards dinner, open bar, etc. After the dinner ended, a bunch of us went to the hot tub. We were all like 10 year olds again, grabbing people and dunking them under the water...

The VP of this group, as well as their boss - the SVP, were also in the hot tub. After a period of time..everyone was done playing. The VP was sooooo inebriated they couldn't even walk. They were holding onto my arm as we were walking to the stairs that lead back up to the resort. Prior to going to the hot tub, this VP couldn't walk well then....they almost ran into the metal railing of their loft bedroom (accessible only by a spiral staircase).

Low and behold, the next day this individual apparently was in some pain. Almost passed out...was taken to the local hospital by their boss, the Senior VP....possible broken rib or ribs....

I found out one week later, that they told one of their associates that I was the cause of the broken ribs (the fact that I am larger than the VP). I immediately called the VP, apologized profusely, in between my sobbing fits...I was told that they were not angry with me, they thanked me for calling to apologize, it could've been a real tragedy as it ended up lacerating the liver....and if they had bled more, they would've been hospitalized. However....after all of my research, and the fact I wasn't inebriated, I don't see how I was the cause of this. Unless they had stage 3 osteoporosis or some other bone brittling disease (unlikely as they are an active exerciser/skiier/etc) could a dunk in the hot tub cause the problem.

So....here are some bullet points to help with sorting out my verbage:

1. VP very drunk on way to hot tub....
2. Senior VP with all employees in hot tub
3. I was the only person not part of the sales force in the hot tub
4. No evidence of pain from VP at any time in the hot tub or on the way back

I have spoken with some other people regarding this and we've come to the conclusion that the VP hurt themselves somehow, in a drunken stupor, and are using me as a scapegoat. This is because nobody is pursuing it, no accident reports being filed, no names being mentioned, everyone is downplaying the incident....but here I am, or was, feeling like a schmuck!!! Now I'm beginning to become very aggravated, angry and resentful. I have since lost all respect for these VP's......as I bend over backwards to make sure they receive the upmost customer service....

Does anyone have any thoughts?????
 


Beth3

Senior Member
Does anyone have any thoughts?????

Yes, which is that you are way over-reacting. The VP hypothesized that you might have fallen on him, causing the broken ribs. His mis-assumption was subsequently straightened out.

I have spoken with some other people regarding this and we've come to the conclusion that the VP hurt themselves somehow, in a drunken stupor, and are using me as a scapegoat. This is because nobody is pursuing it, no accident reports being filed, no names being mentioned, everyone is downplaying the incident....but here I am, or was, feeling like a schmuck!!! Now I'm beginning to become very aggravated, angry and resentful. I have since lost all respect for these VP's......as I bend over backwards to make sure they receive the upmost customer service.. It appears the only one making a big deal out of this and keeping the issue "alive" is you.

None of this remotely amounts to slander.
 

saabsta

Junior Member
Thanks for the quick response....I guess I used the word slander as that was the word used by HR....

The VP did tell another employee that I 'crushed her ribs' in the hot tub.....

After I hung up from speaking with the VP, I was crying, feeling awful, and explained the story, what was said to a colleague, who happens to be an HR director. I didn't talk with HR from an employment perspective, she just happened to be with me....

I may be overreacting, which is fine, but the sequence of events leading up to the trip to the hospital don't mesh with the stated outcome. And the fact that I am the only non-sales direct report seems odd, at best. I am just looking to see what other people think of this situation. It is not going to HR, there isn't any research going on...this is for me, the fact that I feel I'm being used as the scapegoat for her being drunk and getting hurt.
 

cbg

I'm a Northern Girl
Since you're looking for other people's opinions, I have to concur with Beth. By your own admission no one is pursuing it, the whole incident is being downplayed, no one is yelling at you, YOU are the one who is keeping this incident alive. And yes, I think you are overreacting seriously.
 

Beth3

Senior Member
The VP did tell another employee that I 'crushed her ribs' in the hot tub..... So what? Sounds like she was so drunk that she has no idea what happened that evening.

I may be overreacting, which is fine, but the sequence of events leading up to the trip to the hospital don't mesh with the stated outcome. And the fact that I am the only non-sales direct report seems odd, at best. I am just looking to see what other people think of this situation. I think you're imagining things.

It is not going to HR, there isn't any research going on...this is for me, the fact that I feel I'm being used as the scapegoat for her being drunk and getting hurt. How are you remotely being used as a scapegoat for her getting plastered? I doubt anyone suggesting you poured the booze down her throat.

Anyone who was there or who's heard the stories about the evening in the hot tub knows the VP (and most of the others) were rip-roaring drunk and couldn't even walk. The drunken exec's are the ones who have something to live down, not you. Nobody is pursuing anything because there's nothing to pursue. A bunch of them got drunk, got in a hot tub, and someone ended up in the ER. No big surprise there.

You need to move on. It's over and done with. I expect it's only a big deal in your own mind.
 
Last edited:

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top