PADI getting sued over Insurance Program

[Thalassamania]

"Bail-out" is a NAUI ITC exercise.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

HOLY FREAKIN CRAP! FRAUD, RACKETERING, BREACH OF CONTRACT, INTENTIONAL AND NEGLIGENT MISREPRESENTATION, UNJUST ENRICHMENT! Plus other stuff. 12 counts and it looks like Lesser has his ducks in a row from this layman's point of view.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

"Bail-out" is a NAUI ITC exercise.

And an SEI OW exercise.

 

[Scott]

Interesting read so far, only half way through.
Wonder how long the PADI Dive Resort logo will stay on the plaintiffs website?

 

[Thalassamania]

I just finished reading the complaint. If it is true, and can be proven, PADI is toast. Rick Lesser was PADI's go to counsel for all liability cases for many years. He knows exactly how PADI is organized and where every piece of every body is buried. There is no way that Rick would be making these claims if he could not prove them, but that will all come out over time. I don't know what caused PADI to split from Rick, but evidently the breakup was not amicable and Rick intends to stick it to PADI but good. I'd bet on Rick in this one. He's really bright and completely ruthless, Drew and Al don't stand a chance.

 

[theduckguru]

The shock of it all. Alledged white collar crime [fraud] in the US.

If this stuff is true, a monetary award would not be justice.

I really think we could actually turn this country around if we would start putting white collar criminals in jail with the general criminal population.

 

[mitsuguy]

Problem for him is, if he was involved in anything illegal, then he is just as guilty as PADI is... Since he was legal counsel, chances are that could have known and possibly even advocated these practices... Obviously this is just a possibility, but its one too big to overlook...

Problem with lawsuits is that when you read the docs containing the accusations, is that they always sound like there is an excellent case, when in reality, the rebuttal could be even more convincing...

 

[Thalassamania]

He was not PADI's legal counsel, he was engaged by PADI on behalf for the defendants to try specific cases. Just because he had knowledge of other wrong doings, if they were not germaine to the case I'm not sure he had any legal responsibility to come forward. Any legal opinions on this?

 

[Scubaman7596]

Hey Guys,

My Attorney Rick Lesser has given me a Public explanation and some of the proof we have. That I am allowed to share with you. If you would like a copy it is in PDF. I need you to PM me your your name and email address and i will attach and send to you.

Rick will be posting this on other websites too, and Said he will come to Scubaboard and answer questions/ comments and concerns soon.

 

[ItsBruce]

I've talked to Rick over the phone and he seems like a pretty sharp and pretty decent guy. He is on my speed dial. However, many pretty decent lawyers have brought tenuous lawsuits over the years. Some have even had their heads handed to them over the years.

As far as the allegations, which I have not yet see, I will make the preliminary remark that the California Supreme Court has itself even remarked about how plaintiffs often "over plead" their cases to make them more inflammatory and intimidating.

Don't be concerned with the titles of the various causes of action, fraud, misrepresentation, racketeering, etc. Those are just the names of alternate legal theories that lawyers use to describe possible legal theories that would allow them to recover based on their versions of the facts. I've seen a simple auto rear-end accident in which the plaintiff alleged causes of action for negligence, assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent infliction of emotional distress and conspiracy.

Once I get a copy of the complaint, I'll do an analysis and provide a report.

BTW: I won't say anything bad about Lexington ... they've paid me a great deal of money over the years to settle lawsuits against it