Wes Skiles' Widow Looking For 25 Million from Lamartek

[rhwestfall]

a bill for diving similar to the Florida Equine Activity Providers Statute

Or the "ski at your own risk" that Colorado was able to pass...

 

[rhwestfall]

Torte reform is a paramount need in the United States, but seeing the "political influence" the Bar Association can make, we are stuck...

 

[JohnN]

Torte reform is a paramount need in the United States, but seeing the "political influence" the Bar Association can make, we are stuck...

I'm hardly an advocate for ambulance chasing lawyers, but when Texas tried Tort reform, the only ones that profited were the (bloodsucking) insurance companies. . . New study: Tort reform has not reduced health care costs in Texas | www.statesman.com

 

[rhwestfall]

having experienced the inept legal system of Texas first hand, there is a whole bunch more help that State needs......

 

[KevinNM]

They would have gotten something like 8 million if they had prevailed. Convincing juries about things that are not true is what some lawyers do, it's how a scumbag like John Edwards became obscenely rich.

 

[tridacna]

Torte reform is a paramount need in the United States,/QUOTE]

I agree. I'm a cheesecake guy myself.

 

[StefinSB]

What are you drinking? I'd like some, too. I guess when you are part of a broken system it's hard to see. A good outcome does not make your case. I read your earlier post that stated that our system is the best - far from it. You lack perspective. There is no other developed country with an entire class of attorneys that are ambulance chasers. The number of frivolous lawsuits is unmatched. They ruin good people every day. There are countless people making a living "slipping and falling" through life. Fortunately FL has a prevailing party fee statute, a basic feature of the legal systems of most industrialized nations. That you had to specially mention it speaks for itself. And yes, I am a "lawyer".
I don't take pleasure in Terri Siles and her two children being bankrupted as you state. It is rather sad. This lawsuit would have been a non-starter in most places.

This

 

[Bennno]

It's actually uplifting to see that the "jury" system worked as us "lawyers" predicted it would.... Terri Skiles and her two children will be bankrupted by this law and the outcome... The lawyers for Ms Skiles will earn nothing for 5 years of work.

Wow, best system, Ivan? You must not know any other systems than. The Skiles family should sue their lawyers for that atrocious legal advice they were given. Those lawyers must be either complete morons or total scumbags or both. You yourself wrote that 'the evidence wasn't too complicated', so why did they sue in the first place?

This situation reminds me of when an investment banker 'gambles' with the clients money. If they win, they can make a chunk of money and if they lose they only lose the clients money but none of their own.

Great system when you are the lawyer/banker, Ivan. You can't lose.

 

[diver42]

What are you drinking? I'd like some, too. I guess when you are part of a broken system it's hard to see. A good outcome does not make your case. I read your earlier post that stated that our system is the best - far from it. You lack perspective. There is no other developed country with an entire class of attorneys that are ambulance chasers. The number of frivolous lawsuits is unmatched. They ruin good people every day. There are countless people making a living "slipping and falling" through life. Fortunately FL has a prevailing party fee statute, a basic feature of the legal systems of most industrialized nations. That you had to specially mention it speaks for itself. And yes, I am a "lawyer".
I don't take pleasure in Terri Siles and her two children being bankrupted as you state. It is rather sad. This lawsuit would have been a non-starter in most places.

How does one learn that the problem of frivolous law suits is unique to the U.S? I hear other countries have this problem too. Like the U.K.: Britain beats USA to whiplash capital of the world title

I may not know a lot about this issue, but it would seem to me that this case wasn't so easy. People who are high can also be injured or killed by faulty equipment. Good manufactures can make tragic mistakes and even cover them up. And on the question of who should have inspected the equipment? That sure looked fishy. I didn't follow the case, so I don't know who was right. But is being wrong the same thing as frivolity?

Also, I certainly don't know anything about Florida law; but where does it say that a prevailing party is always entitled to attorneys' fees, just for losing?

I do know that the prospect of manufacturer liability is the reason you have safer cars and toasters and blenders and also stupid warning stickers everywhere. Some good, some bad.

 

[Patoux01]

I may not know a lot about this issue, but it would seem to me that this case wasn't so easy.

Oh come on.... Look at the evidence, the simple fact that the guy had no cert on this unit should be enough...