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Relationship Drama

Dad Sued Daughter After Slipping on Ice During Power Outage

📅 February 12, 2026 👁️ 19 views ⏱️ 5 min read
A father slipped on ice outside his daughter’s house during a power outage and freezing rain storm. Despite having no major injuries and driving himself home, he hired a lawyer to sue his own daughter and son-in-law. Now the family is completely torn apart over what everyone considers a frivolous lawsuit.

The Original Post

This involves me 30F, my husband 31M, my Mom 58F, and my Dad 61M.

TLDR my dad went outside my and my husbands house during a power outage and freezing rain, slipped and fell and chose to sue us even though he wasn’t hurt.

I haven’t talked to my dad in nearly 1.5-2 months. This has never happened before and I drew a hard line.

First part. My husband overdid it a bit on the booze on boxing day. No incidents just a bit too much. My dad felt the needto chew him out for it even though he didnt do anything and wasn’t acting inappropriately at all. My husband was pissed off but brushed it off the next day.

Jump to December 28th. I had my side of the family.over for a Christmas Movie/Board game Night. The night went well! around 7:30 the power went out so people started to leave. There was freezing rain, and we couldn’t buy salt due to a local shortage (still ongoing). My cousin went out and slipped. My dad caught him. He came back inside and chewed us out about not having salt. We explained we didn’t have any and why.

My dad then decided to go outside alone in the dark after knowing it was freezing rain, after seeing my cousin fall, to do who knows what. He slipped and fell. He bruised himself but had no major injuries. He drove himself and my mom home after, so he was fine.

We offered him ice and Tylenol, and I said now that hes over 60 he can’t be doing that kind of thing alone. He sharply said “don’t question my abilities.” Then chewed us out AGAIN this time in front of the family.

At this point it got awkward and people wanted to leave. We got kitty litter, flashlights, and helped everyone to their cars slowly one by one, safely in the dark and freezing rain. No more falls.

I gave my dad 24 hours to cool off and I text him on the 30th asking how hes feeling and if he is OK. He proceeds to say he blames only my husband (and not me???) for not having salt and that he contacted the municipality and the region and that he got a lawyer to sue us. He said he has told the whole family he is doing this (like he is proud of it?) I immediately block his number and my husband and I leave all family group chats he is in, as we can’t be talking and have him use any of it against us in court.

Haven’t heard from him since. My mom is beyond angry and is threatening to leave him for treating us like this. He did it while she was at work, so clearly he knew it was a bad/wrong idea.

She says he cancelled the lawyer but who knows for sure. We discussed the behaviour is odd and he maybe has something wrong with him he needs checking out. I truely think he has some early brain disease and its manifesting with increased intense need to be right.

He has always needed to be right, yelled and screamed over trivial things, had gotten violent towards my mom and my sister and I as kids but got some help and that stopped when I was around 13/14. There were some major anger incidents over the years.

I just don’t know what to do at this point. Part of me wants to unblock him and send him a message outlying the broken trust and hurt he caused. Explain to him what he needs to do to try to earn it back. Other part of me wants to just leave him blocked and write him off.

Advice please

What Reddit Said

Reddit overwhelmingly supported OP’s decision to go no contact with her father. Most users were shocked that a parent would sue their own child over such circumstances. However, many also expressed concern about the father’s escalating behavior and potential cognitive decline.

The top comment received over 4,000 upvotes advising OP to maintain no contact until her father apologizes. Meanwhile, other users pointed out the silver lining – at least they know he can never stay at their house again. In fact, most Redditors viewed this as a blessing in disguise given his history of anger issues.

The Verdict

The overwhelming consensus: OP is absolutely justified in cutting contact. This dad sued for slip and fall case represents a complete breakdown of family trust and boundaries. Moreover, Reddit recognized this as classic toxic family behavior that required firm boundaries. Therefore, the verdict was clear – stay no contact until he makes genuine amends.


Original post from r/relationship_advice (2,370 upvotes, 489 comments)