KATHY MITCHELL AND MARCY SUGAR | Annie's Mailbox Teenager thinks mother is being overprotective

Dear Annie: I am 17 years old and have spent the summer working at a full-time job. The problem? Next weekend, my parents are going away for several days, and Mom insists that my grandmother stay here to "take care" of me. This is so unfair. When my older sister was 15, she was permitted to stay home alone.
I am currently saving up to attend university next year. I get good grades and am a conscientious student. I have never broken my curfew, I am responsible, and I don't go looking for trouble. I have never given my mother a reason not to trust me, and she agrees. Do you have any ideas? London, Ontario
Dear London: This has more to do with your mother than you. She may feel uneasy leaving her "baby" at home alone, but it's more likely an issue of safety. We hear horror stories every day about home intruders. Having another adult in the house reassures Mom that you will be protected.
Talk to Mom, and promise to keep the doors locked and the phone handy. Tell her you will call Grandma every day to check in. If that doesn't do the trick, remember it's only one year until you will be in college and can live independently.
Dear Annie: I would like to comment on the letter from "Sad Friend in Los Angeles," whose social group was being sued because a drunken woman fell at their annual ball. "Sad Friend" asked how they should behave toward this woman.
If these facts are correct, the woman should be ostracized. The filing and aggressive pursuit of dubious lawsuits in this country is all too common, and it is injuring us all. People who file these lawsuits in the hope of getting something they don't really deserve are despicable, and you ought to say so. Stamford, Conn.
Dear Stamford: Since we did not know all the details of the lawsuit, it seemed inappropriate to comment on its merit. The writer asked how to treat this woman, and we told her. Here's a letter with an understandably different take on the subject:
Dear Annie: That column is similar to a slander being circulated in a small town against a client of mine. In my case, there are specific acts of negligence committed by the group that led to a hazardous condition being present on the dance floor, none of which pertained to alcohol consumption.
In order to prevail in a personal injury lawsuit, one must prove there was negligence or fault of a third person (or organization) and that that fault caused the person damages. If negligence is caused by the person who was injured, that person cannot recover damages or will have their damages reduced.
Big business and insurance companies love to promote the notion that we have a judicial system that is out of control in awarding damages for any reason. In truth, I find judges and juries very conservative, only awarding money for those who are truly injured as a result of someone else's negligence.
In this particular case, there is insurance coverage, so the social group will carry on, and the town has imposed some needed restrictions on how alcohol can be used on public property, which is in the public's interest.
There are always two sides to a story. The beauty of our country is that we let an impartial judge or jury decide the facts, not a newspaper column. D.G. in Southern Louisiana
Dear D.G.: We did not attempt to "decide the facts," and we appreciate hearing your side. The question posed to us was social. When a member of a group sues, for whatever reason, justified or not, it damages the friendship. How to sue the group is your area of expertise. How to behave under such circumstances is ours.
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