Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

bevs2251 — Thu, 20 Dec 2018 00:56:56 GMT

Another case here in Australia recently.

" An unhappy review posted online has sparked a four-year legal battle and cost one family $100,000. Carrie Barlow was walking her dog Valentine four years ago when another dog ran out of a nearby house and bit Valentine on the head. Ms Barlow took her pooch to her local vet, where she said she had been a customer for two years Valentine needed two stitches, medication, and a dose of antibiotics, and was promptly seen to by staff. She admitted to A Current Affair she had a heated discussion with the practice manager about the bill, which ended with Ms Barlow asking for Valentine's records so she could take her business elsewhere. "

She then made several disparaging comments to a couple of on-line sites. Vet decided to sue after asking for the posts to be taken down, a public apology and damages . Owner never sued the owner of the other dog that bit hers !!

I always tell people in these instances that they have to pursue the other owner legally themselves but I am prepared to write affadavits etc as required. However, the account for treatment for their dog's wounds needs to be paid when going home (quote given before any treatment).

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

grumpyoldman — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 21:26:37 GMT

I think you have to read it ,but if they are just trolling keyboard warriors its probably best not to get involved in an on line slanging match as long as your happy in your own mind that everything you did was fine do not loose any sleep over it as the current buzz phrase is "mind matters".

We had a guy give me a one star review when I plated his whippets distal radial and ulnar fracture, for £750 ,it was fine, he said he was never ever coming back to the practice ever again, we were money grabbing etc etc when he was chased for an outstanding balance. About 2 years later he presented at one of our branch surgeries with a new puppy for vaccination. I recognised him in the waiting room. I said I recognised him remembered his review( he went a place shade of green obviously did not realise it was the same practice) and told him he could either leave under his own steam or i would be happy to help him on his way. With lots of Fs he legged it muttering Bs Cs and the rest of it. On the way out of the car park he hit the wall and left so we rang the police ,no damage just thought he had left the scene etc. Turns out he was banned with no MOT tax or insurance. A sentence followed. What goes around etc.

No amount of counselling therapy sympathy etc gets you over the antics of a nasty little twat like some natural revenge.

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Silvia Maldonado — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 12:32:25 GMT

Sometimes a bad review tells more about the client than about the vet.

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Oliver Morrison — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 12:24:43 GMT

Although its never nice to get bad reviews, I think we have to accept that with social media, and other sites such as trip adviser, give people that like to have a moan the platform to express their opinions. With the sort of people that complain on them they were going to complain to other people by word of mouth if they didn't have access to these sites. We've all got to realise we are never going to please everyone, no one should imagine that everyone likes you, or is going to be 100% happy what you do, as long as you know you have done your best for that patient or client, then be satisfied. I think its probably more of an issue with the newer generation of vets, and there needs to be more resilience, and we need to take less to heart. If they want to waste there time and effort spouting out to the world, let them. I wouldn't waste my time engaging them. The vast majority of people will ignore what they say, and your reputation for your excellent work with other clients will say far more than getting into arguments online with that awkward person who was always going to complain.

As long as we stick as a profession, and back up what our colleagues say and do, these people will get bored and go else were to complain about something else.

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Clive Ansell — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 10:55:54 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]No. I would reply once stating facts and correcting any inaccuracies, in a polite and firm, yet professional manner. Review readers can then make up their own minds.[/quote]

Which is a perfectly reasonable course of action, and probably the right thing to do in most cases.

I just think too many people just do not realise the impact of writing a bad review and think they have a god-given right to write whatever they want, often somewhat dishonestly.

And I do disagree with the idea that review readers can make up their own minds. A bad review always affects my decision whether or not to buy. Sure you can mitigate by trying to drown it in a sea of positive ones, but if I read it, I will take it into account. Can't help it.

[/quote]

I always read negative reviews, but try to put them in to some sort of context.

I bought a fairly expensive electrical item this week as a present, an item I have never owned and know very little about. Most of the online reviews, about 80 are very positive, with only 2 negative ones. Both of the negative ones were tosh, and it seems those reviewers leave almost all negative reviews - in this case I would just ignore them.

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

bevs2251 — Thu, 13 Dec 2018 03:23:48 GMT

This might become more commonplace (taking court action), particularly in the USA. There seems to have been quite a few veterinary suicides there of late. Social media and negative on-line reviews are another added burden veterinarians now have to face. I doubt accountants would be too bothered by a negative review whereas a young, hard-working dedicated vet, especially one on "production" rather than salary, and feeling unsupported by their boss may find this the last straw. I constantly read on VIN accounts by stressed, on the precipice vets where these negative on-line reviews have impacted them greatly. This has to be the bane of the 21st century, on-line bullying and BS comments.

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Niall Taylor — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 16:28:24 GMT

[quote user="Judith Archbold"]He knows I can’t comment on his two dogs ( ref GDPR) [/quote]

Dogs have no rights under the GDPR legislation, it is purely there to protect people from having their personal details made known to all and sundry without good reason. Saying somoene declined treatment for their pet, especially when you are addressing a point they themselves have raised, is not in breach of GDPR.

Niall

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 13:53:52 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"] A bad review always affects my decision whether or not to buy. [/quote]

Yes. Sometimes it makes me more likely to buy! Like the review from some obese American about a small family-run hotel in Rome – dreadful place because nobody spoke English. I booked there immediately.

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 12:03:49 GMT

[quote user="Bob Russell"]I thought it would be water off a ducks back for the practice but it was not so. Emotions ranged from upset to downright anger at the unfairness.[/quote]

That's what I'm talking about. It's not just the cost to the business of the loss of business (which may or may not be small), it's the emotional cost and the way it distracts people from what they should be doing ...

I wonder if there is a difference in terms of the impact that negative reviews have on people working in different professions. ie do veterinary professionals take poor reviews much more to heart than, I dunno, accountants.

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Bob Russell — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 11:50:32 GMT

We have only had two bad reviews (from the same family, same case, same visit) but it was surprisingly hurtful as we had reorganised our day to help them. They were not our clients in the first place either.

I thought it would be water off a ducks back for the practice but it was not so. Emotions ranged from upset to downright anger at the unfairness.

Still rankles now and we are a little less accommodating when a client from that particular budget practice wants us to help out because they won't!

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 09:33:28 GMT

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"]I was talking about flat earthers. Not all bad reviews are made up. [/quote]

I wasn't talking about your flat earthers, Francisco! And yes, for sure they are not all made up. But I'd bet you more than half are dodgy for one reason or another (person writing was just wrong, or wanted to get their own back (because they didn't get their way), or just plain malicious).

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Francisco Gomez — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 09:24:56 GMT

[quote user="Arlo Guthrie"]

[/quote]

I was talking about flat earthers. Not all bad reviews are made up.

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Arlo Guthrie — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 09:03:39 GMT

Which is a perfectly reasonable course of action, and probably the right thing to do in most cases.

I just think too many people just do not realise the impact of writing a bad review and think they have a god-given right to write whatever they want, often somewhat dishonestly.

We all used to rely on professional reviewers for impartial, well-written advice. Now every half-wit can write a review. Businesses CAN be badly affected by it, perhaps very unfairly.

I just think there needs to be a big test case. A business in this country that takes a customer to court for a demonstrably malicious review and wins huge damages in a high profile case.

Just to make people a little bit more aware of their responsibility when making public allegations ...

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Clive Ansell — Wed, 12 Dec 2018 08:41:01 GMT

[quote user="Francisco Gomez"]

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]

maybe a better approach would be to respond to a poor review with some hard hitting home truths.

[/quote]

The problem with debating flat earthers in social platforms: once you allow the debate taking place, they've won the game they were playing.

[/quote]

No. I would reply once stating facts and correcting any inaccuracies, in a polite and firm, yet professional manner. Review readers can then make up their own minds.

The last one I was involved with, was a young pruritic SBT, no money and all investigations to try and establish a diagnosis were declined. Negative review accusing the practice of being money only orientated and charging £30 to be told a dog is a dog and just giving out more preds. Practice responded with some truths, and the negative review was lost in a stream of positive ones from supportive clients.

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Judith Archbold — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 22:28:39 GMT

I’ve recently replied to a google review from a client which we ( my nurses and receptionists) all thought was very unfair. The client is a serial reviewer .....he even gave Stonehenge a poor review!

I‘m sick and tired of “ corporate answers” saying how sorry we all are for doing our jobs and cowering down to the few clients who write vindictive rubbish. It’s online bullying and I’m prepared to put my head above the parapet to let this client know I won’t tolerate it.

He knows I can’t comment on his two dogs ( ref GDPR) .... needless to say treatment options declined by them for both dogs seen!

He wasn’t even in the consult , it was his wife. I asked their child to turn down the music on her iPad game so I could speak to the woman about her dog. He wrote how I was “ often rude to children”.

I asked him to “ define often” ? .... and informed him that I will happily send the dog’s clinical notes to his new vet straight away!

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Francisco Gomez — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 20:42:52 GMT

[quote user="Clive Ansell"]

maybe a better approach would be to respond to a poor review with some hard hitting home truths.

[/quote]

The problem with debating flat earthers in social platforms: once you allow the debate taking place, they've won the game they were playing.

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Clive Ansell — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 16:08:23 GMT

Unsure, and feel uneasy about this.

There is a fine line between, rightly, wanting to remove social media reviews that are malicious or defamatory, or that incite hatred; and those that we just don't like for whatever reason. There is a risk that free speech could be suppressed or even curtailed.

All of the negative reviews I have seen for practices where I work have been complete rubbish, so maybe a better approach would be to respond to a poor review with some hard hitting home truths.

RE: Vet sues dog owner for harsh review

Bob Russell — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 12:44:53 GMT

Not worth the effort and presumably it is necessary to measure the damage done for compensation.

I would not be surprised if malicious hotel reviews get there long before veterinary practices!