(Warning for brief descriptions of a significant injury to the hand.)
I (20f) am the nanny for a family of 3 kids (2, 4, and 7). In a freak accident with a bicycle gear, the 7-year-old lost the tip of her finger. This was NOT due to my negligence; the child was safe when I turned to comfort the 2-year-old, and the accident happened in the half-minute my eyes were not on the child. (There is video proof of this). As soon as the child started screaming, i safely put the baby down, administered first aid, and put the finger tip in a large amount of ice. (I am certified in CPR and first aid, but I am not a professional). I then called for an ambulance, called the parents, left both of them messages as they didn’t answer, and called a trusted neighbor to come watch the other two children before the ambulance got there (Mrs. Neighbor was my hero that day). We got to the hospital, the mother met us there 20 minutes later. The child unfortunately lost the tip of her finger, and they had to remove a little more due to damage.
A nurse told me I did everything right, putting the finger in ice and everything else. She could probably tell I was doing my best not to break down, because I still had two kids under my care. I’m really not a professional nanny, just a glorified babysitter for a friend of my aunt’s.
I got home and cried the rest of the night. It was a lot to deal with. I got a few messages from the mother; a recording of the ring camera in the backyard showing what happened and how quick, her telling me that they did not blame me, and that she got work off the next day (Friday) so they wouldn’t need me the rest of the week.
Come this week, the mother has gotten work off for two more weeks. The parents are telling me that they “will not sue me if I pay for the ambulance”. I was literally speechless when I got that message. I have screenshots of other messages where they acknowledge that I am not at fault for the incident, but I am at fault for calling the ambulance when I “should have just driven the kids to the hospital if she was going to lose the finger anyway.” I understand there may be heightened emotions, but that comment from the mom floored me. I would not have been comfortable at all driving three crying kids in the middle of a crisis. Also how the expletive was I supposed to know the finger wasn’t repairable at that point?
I do feel terrible, as the accident happened under my watch. I also feel terrible that even after insurance, the ambulance was close to $1000. But I am barely able to pay this fee even if I wanted to. I feel like I don’t even mind if they take me to small claims court, due to the messages and video I have.
So would I be the asshole if I refused to pay this ambulance fee?
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(Warning for brief descriptions of a significant injury to the hand.)
I (20f) am the nanny for a family of 3 kids (2, 4, and 7). In a freak accident with a bicycle gear, the 7-year-old lost the tip of her finger. This was NOT due to my negligence; the child was safe when I turned to comfort the 2-year-old, and the accident happened in the half-minute my eyes were not on the child. (There is video proof of this). As soon as the child started screaming, i safely put the baby down, administered first aid, and put the finger tip in a large amount of ice. (I am certified in CPR and first aid, but I am not a professional). I then called for an ambulance, called the parents, left both of them messages as they didn’t answer, and called a trusted neighbor to come watch the other two children before the ambulance got there (Mrs. Neighbor was my hero that day). We got to the hospital, the mother met us there 20 minutes later. The child unfortunately lost the tip of her finger, and they had to remove a little more due to damage.
A nurse told me I did everything right, putting the finger in ice and everything else. She could probably tell I was doing my best not to break down, because I still had two kids under my care. I’m really not a professional nanny, just a glorified babysitter for a friend of my aunt’s.
I got home and cried the rest of the night. It was a lot to deal with. I got a few messages from the mother; a recording of the ring camera in the backyard showing what happened and how quick, her telling me that they did not blame me, and that she got work off the next day (Friday) so they wouldn’t need me the rest of the week.
Come this week, the mother has gotten work off for two more weeks. The parents are telling me that they “will not sue me if I pay for the ambulance”. I was literally speechless when I got that message. I have screenshots of other messages where they acknowledge that I am not at fault for the incident, but I am at fault for calling the ambulance when I “should have just driven the kids to the hospital if she was going to lose the finger anyway.” I understand there may be heightened emotions, but that comment from the mom floored me. I would not have been comfortable at all driving three crying kids in the middle of a crisis. Also how the expletive was I supposed to know the finger wasn’t repairable at that point?
I do feel terrible, as the accident happened under my watch. I also feel terrible that even after insurance, the ambulance was close to $1000. But I am barely able to pay this fee even if I wanted to. I feel like I don’t even mind if they take me to small claims court, due to the messages and video I have.
So would I be the asshole if I refused to pay this ambulance fee?
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> I might be the asshole because my actions are what caused the significant ambulance bill the parents have to pay.
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Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
NTA. An ambulance was completely reasonable in this case and you did everything you could. They can set up a payment plan as the guarantors and fit it in their budget. If it were my kid, I would be fine with everything you did.
Absolutely NTA.
It’s unfortunate – but accidents happen. I have several children and there have been stitches and broken bones. That’s the nature of children no matter how well you supervise them.
If there was clear evidence of negligence (and the parents can certainly claim that), then we have a different discussion, but that is for a court to decide.
You’ll need to leave the employ of these individuals, because it’s probably toxic at this point.
NTA. Wow! You did an amazing job caring for their child in difficult circumstances….and they pull this stunt? Absolutely pay them zero. If they are crazy enough to sue you (they won’t – they are just trying to extort money from you) get yourself a lawyer and countersue them. NTA.
>should have just driven the kids to the hospital if she was going to lose the finger anyway.
A) How would you have known she was going to lose the finger? That’s what the medical professionals are for. B) She wanted a panicked driver to endanger all three children to get everyone to the hospital, while her 7yo was likely crying in the backseat and bleeding? Talk about bad parenting.
NTA. It sucks, but ambulances are generally a private company and aren’t covered by insurance. It was the only thing insurance didn’t cover when I broke my ankle.
Screenshot every text or message from her, keep the recording of the ring camera, and be prepared to lawyer up if you need to. Stand firm on not paying for the ambulance, you did the right thing by calling them!
NTA, but consult an attorney before you do or say anything else with regard to this family. I don’t think they can hold you liable, but I’m not a lawyer.
For what it’s worth, I think you did everything right, and they’re being categorically unreasonable. This is just over Reddit’s paygrade and I really, really don’t want you getting sued.
Calling the ambulance was clearly the proper decision. NTA, and parents are coming across as shysters.
NTA. I almost said N.A.H. because you know the parents are in full blown panic mode over the cost (American medical costs is the real asshole), but threatening to sue is a bridge way too far. And very unlikely they have any grounds to due. On the flip side, they could sue you if you hadn’t taken her to the ER or if the injury was worsened by a delay.
Definitely quit if you haven’t already. Hopefully they calm down and apologize.
No. What would they would have done in your shoes probably call an ambulance. If they didn’t that’s concerning on there end and shows signs of neglect. Having a nanny is a privilege you work under them they definitely have the funds to do so especially for their child. That’s manipulation on there end for making it seem like a part of it was your fault. The doctors told you that you did everything right the people you work for probably saw your tears and instead of gratitude they chose manipulation.
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Insane parents and healthcare system. NTA.
Wow. Parents should be so grateful. You handled this perfectly. Find another job and ditch them. I can’t believe they’d put this on youn. This is exactly why people are afraid to act in emergencies.
NTA – but you NEED to document everything anc contact a lawyer just in case. Don’t pay the fee, don’t communicate any more with the parents, and make sure you’ve got all of the screenshots and the camera footage. They’re hoping you’ll call their bluff and pay the fee, but if they can afford a nanny, they can afford to pay their kids’ hospital bills. You’d almost certainly win in small claims, and you may even get your legal fees back.
OMG NO NTA! Those parents should be kissing your toes! You did everything right! You’re a responsible woman who handled a freak accident exactly as tou should have. If they have the audacity to take you to small claims court, find a good lawyer to defend you and countersue for his time and court fees.
If you HADN’T called the ambulance, she would be threatening to sue you for negligence and for the loss of the child’s fingertip.
It sounds like you were very clear-headed and professional, and while Mrs. Neighbor stepped up, so did you.
NTA.
I mean, you’ve given notice, right? Claim aside you can’t work for this family any more.
NTA, obviously. Don’t feel badly, you did everything right. I’m glad you kept screenshots of them admitting it’s not your fault!
Are you still working for this family?? NTA. You aren’t responsible for their kid’s healthcare costs. What grounds would you have to sue?? They’d probably be laughed out of court.
NTA
If you hadn’t called for an ambulance, they’d be trying to sue you for only driving instead of calling.
NTA At all. Let them take you to court. If they do, counter-sue them for them not paying you that day. And if you have a contract for certain amount per week, them taking a vacation means they have to pay out the rest of whatever the contract says for the time they took off. Guessing since you are not an actual nanny there is no contract. But it is super f*d up for them to sue you or even ask you to pay. Let them take you to court. If they happen to win, which i think would not happen, but I don’t trust the justice system at all. Then you set up a gofundme and go to the local press. Tell them your story and give them the video.
I am so sorry this happened on your watch. NTA and you would win this in small claims court! I am just floored by how inconsiderate the parents are when you did everything right for their child.
NTA but get urself a consult with a lawyer and no more babysitting for that family as they have now bullied you with a potential lawsuit.
Tell her that from now on all communication to you goes through your lawyer (got any friends who are lawyers??).
Make sure you have a copy of the video footage first
NTA – I am guess you live in the states, because in Canada ambulances (and mostly all health care/emergency visits) are paid for in our taxes so there’s no out of pocket. Unless, an ambulance was called for a non-emergency. then it’s up to the hospital to determine whether it was an emergency or not. Even then, you may only pay about $250.
All that to say, I’m sorry you’re in this situation, you did exactly what was right, you got medical attention for an injury where time is of the essence, no one has any way of knowing whether the finger ‘could’ have been saved, much better to gamble on the hope that it can. And as others have said, no good can come from you driving to the hospital with someone else’s kids, when you’re in a bit of shock yourself.
Stick by your guns, tell them you’re sorry they feel that way, you also were entirely shaken up at the accident and did the absolute best you or anyone could have possibly done, and even if you went back in time, you would have done the same thing because NO ONE would have been qualified enough to say whether the finger could have been saved, and you made a safe decision NOT to drive when there were extenuating circumstances and time was important.
If you (family) feel you believe I acted in bad faith and by my own fault caused this needless charge, then I guess you will have to bring me to court. It makes me very sad that you’re questioning my judgment after the fact
NTA. Not a lawyer but have some advice.
Stop communication with the parents immediately. Don’t block them. Save all the messages. Screenshot. Record. Whatever you need to do.
Call an attorney and do what they say.
You also said this is a friend of your aunts? Do not talk to her about any of this. She will 100% go back to tell her friend. Keep tight lipped about it all.
NTA. You did everything right. They have no grounds to sue you. And frankly both parents should have answered their phones if their Nanny was repeatedly calling them. It’s on them that you had to call an ambulance and that they didn’t come home and get their kid.
NTA. This has been said before, but you need to immediately cut contact with this family and save every text message, email, the ring camera video, and ANYTHING they send you. Do NOT talk over the phone or in person, only through email or text. This job is finished. They are threatening to sue you and you need to take that seriously. Even if they change their mind and beg you to come back to work once they realize how difficult it is to secure childcare on short notice, don’t risk it.
NTA.
What a backwards healthcare system.
NTA and I don’t think there is a lawyer in the world who would take this case to “sue” a 20 year old girl
NTA. But only if this ain’t your fault. You’re saying there’s video proof of this. Let them take you to court then. If it’s solid proof there’s a good chance that it’s gonna be in your favour. The parents also have acknowledged that it’s not your fault. Maybe find a lawyer just in case and take advice. There should be a lot of legal advice subs too.
Yeah NTA here. Be prepared to lawyer up.
NTA, let them take you to court. No judge is going to rule against you in that case. Kiddo was having a medical emergency, ambulances are for medical emergencies. You would have been a huge liability on the road.
NTA but definitely screenshot any messages in case they try to unsend them(depending on what phone they have) and consult a lawyer to see what else you might need to do. And download the camera footage they sent you.
NTA – I would just block them. If they can’t afford the ambulance, they won’t be able to afford the lawyer, and it seems to me they are just bullying a young woman bc they think they can.
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NTA. Those parents should be ashamed of themselves.
Jesus Christ
NTA and no you shouldn’t pay!
If you DIDNT call an ambulance, and the child was hurt more because you took longer to get to medical professionals, they would be blaming you for that too.
Honestly the thought process of “you should have put my kid, and other kids, at more risk so we didn’t have to pay an ambulance bill” is insane.
Calling an ambulance was absolutely the right thing to do.
I think your relationship with this family is done in the long term. I, personally at least, wouldnt be able to go back to work for them, knowing that they would expect me to pay for the ambulance cost if there was a medical emergency in the future. AND the fact that they are basically trying to blackmail you into paying it. Basically “if you don’t pay we will sue you”
Nope. Natta. No way. Do not go back to work for them either.
NTA. You need to have limited further contact with them now that they have threatened to sue. Text or email only and you are not responsible for the ambulance costs.
Fuck those parents. Make sure everyone you know is aware they are trying to extort you. See if they ever get nanny services from anyone again. Nta
As someone else mentioned, for $1,000, they are not hiring an attorney. Could they file a small claim case, yes but, I don’t see any reasonable Judge ruling that an ambulance wasn’t warranted.
Keep the video and all the messages that you received from the parents regarding the incident. It appears that they were fine with your response. That is, until they received the ambulance bill.
NTA You do not owe them the ambulance costs and should quit your job. If you called both parents when you would normally text them, and they did not answer, they were neglectful. Perhaps a call or just a threat to call the child protective agency in your area would result in a very quick change of attitude. And as far as suing you, you might a case for a counter suit because they are causing you emotional distress.
Absolutely not. You did everything right. It’s not your bill. I’m fairly sure it’s also illegal for them to ask. A labor lawyer could tell you.
Let them try to sue you, they will lose!!! Get a lawyer right away.
NTA
I bet they would sue you if you DIDN’T call the ambulance . They are probably out to get you. You need to leave them and make sure you never delete the evidence of what they said
NTA. You are in no way responsible for paying this. I say let them bring it to court if that’s how they are going to be. No judge is going to look at this and say you are responsible for this bill and more than likely will see them a neglectful towards their child that they are even saying this.
I would look for a new job too.
I have been told multiple times by both fire department and ambulance personnel that it is better to call and err on the side of caution and not need the service than it is to not call and have an emergency situation get worse. You did nothing wrong here
NTA. Let them take you to court. No judge will say you should be responsible for the ambulance, but they WILL be required to pay any of your costs related to defending yourself from the suit when they inevitably lose. (Not a lawyer)
Imagine how little there would be to post about in AITA if Americans had free Healthcare
NTA
Save the text about “should have just driven the kids to the hospital if she was going to lose the finger anyway.”, that’s pretty much ordering you to neglect the kid and is gonna look reallllly spicy in court. Also don’t go back to work, they won’t pay you anyway I bet
Absolutely NTA
It’s time to 100% stop babysitting for these people. They can pay for a nanny
Get a restraining order against the parents. Make sure it is really really public so that nobody ever babysits for them again.
>The parents are telling me that they “will not sue me if I pay for the ambulance”
I’d talk to a lawyer asap. The Good Samaritan Act should cover you. But you want the parents to know you take their threat seriously.
You did the right thing by calling the ambulance for their child. The EMTs are trained to take care of emergencies like this. It’s absurd they’d even suggest you load a bunch of crying children into your car, one of which with a severed finger. Given your mental stress, you may have gotten into an accident, or hit a traffic jam, or even gotten lost in your panic.
The parents should be thanking you, not seeking reimbursement because you got the fastest, best help for their child that was available.
NTA
Don’t pay. You didn’t do anything wrong. Tell her you have the video or the accident and you are not to blame. Calling an ambulance was the right call for the child.
NTA and tell them effective immediately they need a new sitter.
NTA, let them sue you and waste their money
You are NTA. Those parents should be kissing the ground you walk on. You did EVERYTHING correctly. Please do not continue to work for them.
nta. its their kid. they should have given you more direction then ahead of time. i dont think what you did was wrong however the kid didn’t need life support of any sort so an ambulance tech wasnt needed. but if you did drive them they could just as easily be mad at that. thats why you are not the asshole. They really needed to specify before holding you accountable for something like that. and even if they did give you directive ahead of time, I still see it being a slightly gray area.
Keep all your screenshots, all your proof, and I’d be done babysitting for them
$1000 for an ambulance??? Holy shit.
As a PI paralegal, I can single handedly tell you no lawyer would take this case for a prem liability and even if they did- they would punt it so quickly after discovery
NTA.
NTA. It varies state by state (if you’re in the US) most homeowners insurance policies have an automatic endorsement included on the policy that covers ambulance fees.
I’m licensed in insurance for my state and it’s a clause included on the home policies we sell at the company I work for. It does and can vary state to state
NTA. PLEASE I BEG YOU, DON’T PAY IT!!! let them take you to court honestly cause you’ll win, you’re not at fault, they acknowledged you’re not at fault, got a medical bill and were mad. they should be glad the situation was handled both correctly and well and that their children are fine.
NTA. Save ALL of your communications with them up to this point.
That was traumatic for you. They can go F themselves for tying to make it worse.
NTA….Personally, I would not have called an ambulance for this type of emergency. I would have driven the child there myself.
But, this was an accident. I would tell mom via chat, as your communication has been, that you did what you felt was right in that emergency and that you are not responsible for their child’s medical care. If they feel the need to sue you, that is their choice. And say nothing further regarding the incident. Only speak with an attorney if they decide to pursue legal action. And if she responds as such, state, you cannot discuss this situation any further unless your attorney states otherwise.
Saw where this is a friend of your Aunt’s. Another commenter said not to discuss with your aunt and I agree. Tell your aunt you cannot discuss due to her friend stating she is going to pursue legal action against you. Aunt will say blah, blah. Just tell her no. No discussion.
INFO: did you even have carseats for the children? Because if you didn’t have seats already installed and fitted for each of the children ready in your vehicle, I would counter that the parents are expecting you to either drive without car seats which is unsafe and illegal, or to delay the child’s care while installing multiple car seats.
Still not your responsibility to pay, and you could have discussed it with the parents if they answered their phone promptly, but they didn’t so you had to make a judgement call.
Do not pay for the ambulance and tell them to go ahead and sue you. You have the nurse as a witness and the ring camera. I hope the mom sent the message about not blaming you via text as well. You did nothing wrong!
As soon as a lawsuit is threatened, retain a lawyer and tell the other party that ALL communication must be directed to your lawyer. Period.
NTA. You are not a doctor or experienced nurse. You called for help due to the trauma and that was the correct thing to do. Every area is different regarding emergency services. Some are private, some volunteer, and some city / county owned. All will bill but many will write of anything not covered by insurance. In either case, you are not responsible for the bill as it was an emergent need.
Nta and best babysitter in the world! Fr, you did good! Not many people can act so quick in a crisis. You deserve a gift from the parents. They are bad people. Find another babysitting gig.
NTA. You did everything you could have. No more communication with the nanny family. Screenshot all the texts and prepare to consult a lawyer if they do decide to sue you.
NTA. IMO the worst thing you could have done was drive to the hospital! Whether it was the one kid or all of them, having crying, scared kids distracting you while you drive would’ve been a terrible idea. Plus, your adrenaline was probably through the roof trying to deal with the situation, which again, not the best situation to be in while behind the wheel. Imagine if you had decided to drive and then had an accident – instead of just losing the tip of her finger, the kid could’ve lost her life!
It sucks that you all live in a place that would charge so much for something as basic as an ambulance ride, but that isn’t on you. You did the reasonable, responsible thing, and this would 100% be laughed out of court (IANAL). Unfortunately, I don’t see how your relationship with these parents is salvageable so I would recommend finding a new job.
NTA . . . And as a nanny I think you made the right call. As the parent and living 5 minutes from the nearest hospital, it wouldn’t have occurred to me to call an ambulance but to do damage control and drive.
NTA. They can use, all day long. You can countersue.
Wait until Mom’s PTO runs out. She’ll be begging for you to come back. I think it’s time to update your resume, though.
NTA if you‘re in the US, which from the ambulance price is a bit of a giveaway, there are Good Samaritan laws that, I think apply to you. Not a lawyer obviously. They might have no intention of seeing you and are just trying to scare you. So do your research and CYA just in case, but try not to sweat it too much.
And goes without saying never babysit for them again.
NTA at all. It sounds like you handled it amazingly well. And btw, at 7 years old a child is old enough to take your eyes off of for a moment or so. At that age accidents still happen but it isn’t like this was a one-year-old. This was a freak accident that happened through no fault of yours, honestly. I would save ALL your communications with the family but DO NOT respond to them in any writing. Don’t say anything to them until you’ve gotten some legal advice, if possible.
NTA.
If you HADN’T called the ambulance, they would be suing you for delaying medical care and “causing” her to lose her finger. They’d be coming after you for ALL the bills, plus pain and suffering.
They’re probably reasoning to themselves that you should help somehow defray the bills because it happened on your watch, but really, they’re not entitled to any relief from you on this.
Do Not Pay this fee.
They will lose in small claims court I’m guessing.
Go back to the hospital and get the name of that nurse… she is a witness. She can write a statement.
Tell them that you’ll see them in court and to find a new babysitter. They’ll change their tune, or they won’t but you still won’t be in trouble, they won’t see a dime, and you are NTA
NTA. I think it is ridiculous they would ask you to pay this bill when you did a great job handling the emergency situation and caring for their children. Sadly, I am not surprised. At my workplace, we have had to call an ambulance for people who are legit dying many times. There has been a handful of people who wanted our corporation to pay the bill because we called without their consent. I guess we should have just let them die /s.
NTA. And such a lawsuit for $1k would be small claims. Keep the video evidence. You did the right thing through and through.
You can be sued for everything but doesn’t mean that they’ll win. They know they’re getting nothing out of a 20 year old so they’re trying to shake you down. Tell them to kick rocks and get a lawyer. NTA
My best friend has 2 under 5 and she says her job as a mother is to prevent her children from killing themselves (she turned her back for a second and her youngest was climbing up the window bars just to slip when he reached the top and almost land head first). You did the best you could and every move was right, I’m sorry it’s so expensive ($1,000 dollars??? Why don’t you have free government ambulances considering how essential they are????), rest and take it easy as much as you can🫂
“Any further communication should be sent to my lawyer”.
I’m sorry you won’t be working for them anymore.
What if you’d chosen to drive and gotten into an accident because of how much adrenaline you were feeling? Things could have been much worse. You did the right thing.
NTA. Take screenshots, keep the messages, and lawyer up if they take you to court. DON’T babysit for these people again.
NTA but do NOT contact them or speak to them. Once someone threatens to sue, you stop talking to them and EVERYTHING goes through a lawyer. They will use anything you say now against you.
I would also advise that you take this post down, as social media may be admissible in court. You saying you feel ‘terrible’ may be seen as an admission of guilt.
First they’re the AH for not answering their phones when the person in charge of their child’s care calls. Second there is no way you should have driven this child to the hospital. She was very upset and bleeding. The state she was in could have caused her to vomit and she could have aspirated and died. You also couldn’t have gotten to the hospital quickly without speeding which would have endangered her. You made the absolute best choice for the safety of their children. You deserve a bonus! Make another good decision. Quit immediately. These people are cheap and don’t have the best interest of their children as their priority.
NTA. These parents are cheap, and probably borderline neglectful if they are willing to argue this wasn’t worthy of an ambulance.
I can’t imagine my child having an accident requiring emergency attention, and then faulting my sitter for getting them emergency attention.
You did the right thing getting her care the quickest way possible. I think you would have been stepping out of your lane of decision-making authority to decide “Oh they’re not going to be able to reattach this! No rush, we will just drive to the ER.”
It’s ridiculous that they expected you to do that, and I don’t think it would ever hold up in court.
NTA – In my opinion, you need to quit immediately. Do not work another 5 minutes for them. If they ask why, my response would be, “you have threatened to sue me.”
DO NOT pay them anything and make sure they pay you what they owe you. Unless there is more information that we do not know, I doubt they will actually sue, unless they have a family member that is an attorney, who will do the work for free.
Find another job immediately and God bless. You did the right thing. Imagine if you HAD taken the time to get ALL 3 dressed, shoes, packed in the car seats and the time to drive to hospital, traffic, etc. If you had done that, they would have threatened to sue you for being the cause of her losing her finger part.
This was a no-win situation. They were going to be mad and want to blame you no matter how you handled it.
NTA
Do they think they can do something like this, and still keep you as a Nanny?
They also just told you they don’t need you for two weeks. With what income will you pay this bill?
People who threaten to sue are often bluffing. It would cost more than $1k to hire a lawyer, but, I’m not an expert, so small claims court might be different.
You did everything right. If the parents had been there when this happened, I guarantee they would have called an ambulance.
Expletive America and its crazy high hospital bills! (I live here too).
Nta, I am a professional full time nanny and you responded the exact way I would have. Calling an ambulance was the right call and I’m sure you wouldn’t have been the best safest driver driving the kids to the hospital under those conditions. There is also no way I would pay for the ambulance unless it had been my fault. Keep the messages and video proof, I’m not a lawyer but it sounds like they have no case at all. I wouldn’t ever work for them again though.
NTA – you did what was medically necessary for their child. If you hadn’t taken the ambulance, where initial treatment was already occurring – I’m assuming painkillers, redressing and inital inspection of injury, as well as reassuring a very frightened 7 year old – then the injury might have been worse. Ambos are excellent for if nothing else, providing a calm reassurance that you are in the hands of experts.
NTA. Wow. They are though. I would just find employment somewhere else. Keep the messages.
They hired you to watch their children. The child had an accident which was videoed and shows that you did nothing wrong. The parents then acknowledged you did something wrong.
There’s no way in hell you owe to pay for their own child’s doctor bill for the ambulance. They are out of their mind. And what they’re doing is attempting to blackmail you so I would put in a police report. I would also talk to an attorney but you have not done anything wrong and there’s no way that anyone is going to hold you liable.
This is a small case for most lawyers. AND you are not rich, so check on Legal Aid or the local bar association to see if you can get free or pro-rated assistance.
The only assholes here are the government that makes people have to pay to call an ambulance.
NTA. If you still have access to the video, make a copy of it in case it’s needed. Your response was reasonable.
NTA! You did exactly what you were supposed to do and more! I commend you for being quick on your feet and handling the situation to the best of your abilities ❤️
NTA, and this is not an appropriate thing to ask a caregiver to pay for. As others have said: cut all contact with the family and get a lawyer. Be prepared: they will likely sue you anyway, not out of malice, or because you did anything wrong, but because their insurance may require it before it pays out coverage.
If you’ve ever seen cases described as “THIS LADY SUED HER 2 YEAR OLD NEPHEW OMG!!11!!,” that’s almost always why. Could be health or homeowners, but the insurer is likely dragging their feet to pay anything (you say $1000 after insurance, but also: you don’t actually know their financial or insurance situation and I wouldn’t take anything they tell you at face value.)
Don’t pay for the ambulance. Don’t respond to her messages. You were an employee. You did the right thing.
This job is over. Find another job with a family who aren’t utter cheapskates.
If we had universal Healthcare, this would not be an issue.
NTA, you wouldn’t have been able to drive her to the hospital and keep appropriate pressure on the finger either.
You did the right thing. Follow the advice to get legal counsel. You can ask legal aid or Google free legal advice or post on Reddit legal advice to ask for help. They need specifics about where you are i think to help.
Sorry this happened, get to therapy if you can to help deal with this trauma as well.
NTA In order for them to win any suit against you they would have to prove you were negligent that caused the child to lose the tip of their finger. By all accounts and thankful it’s on video, you were not. An accident occurred that you had no part in, but your responsibility was to get the child to medical services asap. You found the tip of the finger, iced it and called the ambulance which took the child the fastest and safest route to medical assistance. You organized the remaining two children to be under the emergency care of a neighbour as you went with the injured child.
So, tell the mother if they wish to lose more money in trying to sue you to go ahead. As they would have to prove you were negligent in causing the child’s injuries or the in the follow up care afterwards, and you feel confident you acted in the best interest of all the children in the moment. But if you or your family has to hire legal representation, then don’t forget to recoup their costs against the family in the suit.
Do not baby sit for them again after they have threatened you with court action. Even if it goes nowhere. Your time babysitting for this family has come to an end.
NTA
Don’t pay, the mother should also NOT pay. The for profit medical industry is ridiculous. What are they gonna do, Repossess another finger?
And if you would have drove the they would have blamed you for the loss of finger
NTA. It’s unfortunate that the cost of the ambulance is a hardship for them, especially considering the lost pay staying out of work to take care of their child. I can definitely sympathize as a mother. But fact of the matter is emergencies are what ambulances are for. You are not a licensed or trained medical professional. You opted for normal emergency protocols which is exactly what you should have done. I’m no lawyer but I expect a judge would agree with me here, especially with the evidence. It’s okay to feel bad for the situation, that’s to be expected, but it doesn’t sound like you actually failed in any capacity. You did a very good job in an emergency and those kids are lucky they were under competent care when the accident happened.
NTA. Let them sue if they want to and do not ever agree to watch their children again. WTF is wrong with these people… you did nothing wrong and everything right.
NTA. Honestly, with their threats I would notify them that due to their threats you no longer feel comfortable watching their children effective immediately. I would also document everything. Save all evidence. And contact an attorney for an initial consultation.
As a parent- I had a child get seriously injured in a freak accident while with a sitter at a third party’s house. I never once blamed the sitter, other kids, or homeowner because it was a freak accident. The sitter was sure I would never want them to watch kiddo again, but they earned my trust for doing everything right and continued to watch kiddo for two more years.
NTAH and make sure you get paid for the shift where you got her child to hospital.
It’s a bluff. No lawyer will take the case even under contingency because it would cost more to represent than the damages.
If they try in civil small claims, it still wouldn’t slide, and they would be out their, plus your, court fees.
It sucks, but I had someone try and counter sue me during my lawsuit, and if it doesn’t have merit, it won’t go anywhere.
The system is absolutely broken, but what you have going for is cost.
Money moves the court and legal system. You will be okay.
NTA. Keep all the documentation, texts, etc, and get them printed. Save the video to a thumb drive if you can. Do not return to work for them. Right now you don’t need to do anything else, unless or until you are actually served, which they may not follow through on once they consult with an attorney. If they do follow through, lots of attorneys will do free or cheap consultations where you can get advice on how to proceed.
I put that information first because it’s more important but please let me reassure you that you did everything right here. I’d be very, very grateful to have someone as level-headed and calm as you taking care of my children- you handled that situation perfectly and under immense pressure. You deserved a raise and a reward, not threats to sue. I’m sorry it turned out that way and hopefully these people come to their senses.
NTA Don’t pay. If you DIDN’T call for an ambulance they would want to sue you for not calling. You did call for one and they mention suing you. The sad truth is that these people are all about the money, not their children. They don’t want that money to come out of their pockets.
Nta, do not communicate further with any of them or your aunt. Backup all the texts and videos and pics. Don’t respond to messages but don’t block any sent by them. Backup medical records for the kid if you have them. Send them your notice via email or certified mail and DO NOT GO BACK. No more phone calls or in person conversations. Everyone is saying, “oh it’s only $1000 it’s small claims court” BUT that’s not what they are actually saying. These assholes could easily sue you for ten of thousands of dollars (negligence, suffering, ALL medical bills, etc) and are threatening to do so if you don’t pay the $1,000. A very, very simple ER visit is around $10,000 in the US – and that is WITHOUT them suing for emotional distress, etc. You might also approach the hospital and make sure you have names of doctors and nurses and ask if they would write you a statement/affidavit (and get it notarized) for if these people pull you into court later – tell them it’s MUCH cheaper than them needing to be subpoenaed later and lose a day of work for a deposition or court appearance.
Most importantly – do NOT let them guilt you into coming back. You cannot ever trust these people again. Ever. It’s going to hurt being away from those kids. You will miss them. But you cannot risk seeing them again. These people are threatening to saddle you with debt potentially for decades.
Nannies are in HUGE demand right now in every city across the country as daycare costs rise. If these people threaten to damage your good name or smear you online, have a lawyer write them a letter threatening to sue for libel. You’ll win as you have the texts to show they acknowledge it wasn’t your fault, but they may still smear your name and reputation online. So, might consider preemptively sending that letter stating you will sue for defamation if they speak poorly about you.
You WILL find a new job and a new family. I promise you – there are better families who will appreciate you, pay you well, and not threaten to sue you for doing everything you could to care for their children. It’s clear you are a caring person and I promise – most families would give anything for a nanny who will care about their kids enough to spend a night sobbing after the child was injured. You will be okay. You have to move forward.
One more thing – accidents happen to the best parents and caregivers in the world. Kids fall, break bones, get scrapes, etc. Don’t beat yourself up for an instant over this.
NtA. Counter sue. For emotional distress. Maybe lost wages? I assume they have paid you for your time. You did everything right.
NTA: I am guessing that job is over, or it should be over. You now know what type of people they are. $1000 is not worth suing over and I doubt any person could be found against you.
NTA you were far calmer about the whole thing than I would have been. Well done. I would text her that given that she’s talking about suing you you’re no longer comfortable working for her. And then lawyer up. Save everything.
NTA don’t pay and look for another job. Keep all the evidence you did nothing wrong
NTA
I’m a nanny and I just want to say, I’m so sorry you’re in this position. I know it’s hard for a lot of people to fathom what a nanny and employer relationship looks like and I just wanted to speak to how hurt and betrayed you must feel. So so so sorry this is happening. I’d disengage and look for a new job and I don’t think they have any way to win against you.
This is truly terrible and you were wonderful and proactive and I think you’ll do well as a bona fide nanny with all the benefits if you want to continue this path with another family
Nope, NTA. Let them sue. They won’t win. The catetaker of a child is not responsible for the medical expenses of the child. You weren’t negligent. Did you purchase the bike, clear her to ride it, create unsafe conditions as she rode it? Nope. It’s not on you. They’re just trying to strong-arm you into paying their bills. Literally everyone in that situation would have called an ambulance.
NTA Calling an ambulance was the best, safest, and most appropriate thing to do. You would not have been in the appropriate state of mind to have safely driven him to the hospital under the circumstances. This is one of those things where they were not there in the moment, and are viewing things in hindsight. They are not even angry about you calling the ambulance as much as they are angry about is having to pay the bill. I guarantee if insurance had covered most of the ambulance costs they would have still been telling you that you did everything right.
NTA
Don’t talk about any aspects of this with them (or your family really, in case they talk), document everything, and move on. You no longer watch those children. You cannot trust those parents ever again… What the actual F.
What you did is 100% what I would hope you would do for my kids. I’m so sorry that this is happening to you.