this post was submitted on 22 Jun 2024
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A family in Naples, Florida, whose home was struck by debris that fell to Earth from outer space and punched a hole in the roof is pursuing $80,000 from Nasa in compensation for damages.

The law firm Cranfill Sumner said in a press release that it filed a claim on behalf of plaintiff Alejandro Otero and his family.

A metallic cylinder slab from a cargo pallet that had been released by the International Space Station in 2021 hit the Otero family home on 8 March 2024 while their son Daniel was home. No one was injured, though it created a hole in the roof and floor.

Otero told Wink News that the object almost hit his son, who was two rooms over.

The US space agency later confirmed the debris was from its flight support equipment. A section of the debris remained intact rather than disintegrating after it entered Earth’s atmosphere before falling to the surface.

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[–] [email protected] 98 points 4 months ago (3 children)

I hate frivolous lawsuits as much as anyone, but this seems very reasonable. Fix my stuff and let me keep the piece and we're cool.

[–] [email protected] 43 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I thought the same thing. This doesn't seem frivolous at all. They're not claiming that they're living in constant fear of the sky falling.

And I'm with ya, I'd totally want to keep the debris.

[–] [email protected] 19 points 4 months ago

Yeah some people would bubble this lawsuit as like “we’re seeking millions in psychological damages” but 80k is what I would expect for home repair and a little “you almost killed our kid”

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago

Anything that survives deorbit might be slightly radioactive so they can have it back, if it were me.

[–] JackbyDev 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)

The fact that you even thought frivolous lawsuit when reading the headline is a sign that McDonald's campaign to vilifying suing worked.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

That's quite the reach. It certainly could have been the McDonald's propaganda of whose details I was fully aware, but it was more likely the "My Mac and cheese took too long to cook" suit, the "Texas Pete isn't even made in Texas" suit, the infamous "$54 million because my dry cleaner lost my pants" suit, or any of a litigious litany of loonies trying to sue for exorbitant sums of money over minor inconveniences.

Space junk comes through your roof and you want the damages repaired? Cool. McDonald's not included.

[–] [email protected] 97 points 4 months ago (3 children)

80,000 seem like a reasonable amount.

[–] [email protected] 38 points 4 months ago

That was my thought as well. Seems like a reasonable amount to cover repairs and some extra without being excessive.

[–] [email protected] 36 points 4 months ago (1 children)

New roof and floor. Plus whatever other damage to the room, plus a bit of buffer for legal fees.

[–] [email protected] 17 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Surprised that they having to go to court. Like “we pay your repair bills, some for the lawyer. Everyone wins.”

[–] [email protected] 38 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Might be required for whatever insurance process NASA has to follow.

Policy requirements like that are why you see scenarios where people are suing family members when the issue is clearly covered by insurance.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

Federal government agencies rarely have insurance for things like these. The federal government is self-insured.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

I’d be asking for more — emotional distress, rent to live somewhere else while they fixed my house for months, additional money for the inconvenience.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 months ago (1 children)

You overestimate the worth of your inconvenience.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

I very much don’t. My time is valuable.

[–] [email protected] 56 points 4 months ago (2 children)

That's hardly even a story - house repairs cost a lot of money, and NASA's equipment (by their own admission) caused the damage.

It's only the police that get away with ruining people's things without paying.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 4 months ago (2 children)

yeah whats newsworthy to me is the low value. Is the guy doing the work himself?

[–] [email protected] 14 points 4 months ago (1 children)

$80,000 seems more than reasonable to fix a roof and floor imo.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Guessing the ceiling took a hit as well

[–] JackbyDev 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Space debris hitting a house is newsworthy in and of itself. It's rare and fascinating.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago (1 children)

yeah that story was like a week before.though. maybe longer as I first saw it on broadcast news. this is a followup.

[–] JackbyDev 1 points 4 months ago

Ahhh, I didn't see it before.

[–] [email protected] 27 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Probably just suing so that insurance covers it.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago

Just a matter of time before they add a higher deductible specifically for space junk. 😒

[–] [email protected] 15 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Imagine if space shit killed your dog

[–] [email protected] 11 points 4 months ago (2 children)

Fuck right off, my life sucks enough. My precious little dog is my one ray of sunshine in my life, he's always happy to see me and never fails to bring a smile to my face. Dogs are just the best, idk how anyone could possibly not like them, it just doesn't compute for me.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

Dogs are the best, I'll never understand how people can dislike them.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

People who have been mauled by dogs get a pass in my book

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Yeah that's completely fair, there are valid reasons for not liking dogs, I'm just being a bit hyperbolic.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago)

I like dogs, but would never own one. To much love, to needy.

I want a cat to resent me for rest of its life cause I smoosh it every day.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 4 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 4 points 4 months ago

Or in this case, their son, who was home at the time, and just happened to be in a different room

[–] [email protected] 8 points 4 months ago (1 children)

NASA probably doesn't want to pay this because it would set a precedent that they have to pay for other space debris incidents. The days of counting on debris landing somewhere harmless or burning up in the atmosphere would be over.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 months ago

Good. It's a flawed system that did damage to someone's home and almost killed their kid.