Ravenwood - 11/21/05 06:15 AM
Say Uncle illustrates the need for tort reform:
A jury has ordered the Ford Motor Co. to pay more than $61 million to the family of a 17-year-old boy killed in a roll-over accident when his friend fell asleep while driving an Explorer.Yes, Ford vehicles (like all vehicles) are unsafe if you drive them while sleeping.Ford was liable in the accident because it sold a vehicle with poor handling and stability, the jury said Tuesday.
The company planned to appeal, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.
The family of Lance Crossman Hall claimed Ford knew the Explorer was prone to roll-overs and failed to warn consumers about the vehicle's defects.
Ford blamed defective Firestone tires for the Explorer's handling and stability problems, and the company knowingly continued to produce unsafe vehicles, Bruce Kaster, an attorney for the family, said Wednesday.
* Take your foot off his head.
I remember reading somewhere years ago (Dave Barry, maybe?), roughly paraphrased:
"One of the greatest things about this country is that if charged with a crime you have the right to a trial by a jury... consisting of people to stupid to get out of jury duty."
Great lawyer joke, by the way.
Posted by: roger at November 21, 2005 9:51 AMSo why should FORD MOTER be held liable becuase someone fell asleep? what a bunch of stupididy and how to you save adrowing lawyer? Throw then a cement live ring
Posted by: sandpiper at November 21, 2005 2:26 PMSocialist mentality at work in a democracy. The driver's insurance probably has a $300K limit for bodily injury liability, so they go after any deep pockets, regardless of actual responsibility. Juries aren't blind. They just want to play Santa Claus with other peoples money, not realizing that, in the end, it is their own money (in premiums) that they give away.
Posted by: mikem at November 21, 2005 4:08 PMReminds me of the Michelin tire lawsuits
Posted by: Sgt Fluffy at November 21, 2005 6:30 PMIts just like the movie THE INCREDIBLES where he MR INCREDIBLE is sued for saving a suiside i mean this movie is realy slam of greedy trial lawyers and a real look at frivolous lawsuits
Posted by: sandpiper at November 21, 2005 9:45 PMLawsuits are definately getting out of hand. They make even the best people among us to afraid to act.
Some years ago two of my friends (both brothers) were driving down the road in a rainstorm and were passed by a guy going way too fast for the weather conditions. Sure enough they get down the road and the car that passed them is overturned, fuel pouring out and some flames are visible. The driver is unconcious inside the overtuned vehicle.
The eldest brother jumps out, runs over, and pulls the hapless idiot to saftey. Not waiting around for the driver to regain conciousness, he then jumps back in the car with his brother and takes off. When the younger brother asks the elder why he didn't stick around he replied that if the guy that wrecked had been injured AT ALL then HE could be held liable for those injuries because he moved the man.
He wanted to save the man's life but wanted to remain anonymous not because he desired to be some mysterious hero, but because he feared a lawsuit. It's a sad day when a person has to ponder if he should or should not to help another human being in mortal peril simply because of the fear of being financially ruined.
The lack of personal responsibility for our own actions will be the ultimate downfall of this country.
Posted by: quasi at November 21, 2005 11:01 PMAs a bonus, a supposed friend of the 'victim' has left a comment at my site.
Posted by: SayUncle at November 22, 2005 10:57 AM"Do you know how to save a drowning lawyer?"
"No."
"GOOD!"
Posted by: markm at November 22, 2005 12:29 PMQ. Why do vultures and sharks hate lawyers? A.They dont like the competition
Posted by: sandpiper at November 22, 2005 9:29 PM(c) Ravenwood and Associates, 1990 - 2014
