Galt's Gulch
15

For Mimi

Posted by khalling 9 years, 9 months ago to Entertainment
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And I hate cartoons...love ya, producer...

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  • Posted by fivedollargold 9 years, 9 months ago
    More lawyers today.
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    • Posted by Kittyhawk 9 years, 9 months ago
      Yes, but in the vast majority of lawsuits a lawyer would never think to make a case at all, if not for a client initiating contact to see if she or he can get some money out of a situation. I'm pretty sure ambulance chasing and the like are barred everywhere in the US, as they are in my state. An ethical lawyer can decline cases that are unreasonable or unfair, and at least some do.

      Of course, there are those "join our class action lawsuit" ads on tv, and bad actors in the profession, as there are in any other. But the blanket condemnation of lawyers as shysters places all the blame on them, instead of on the clients who are willing to make mountains out of molehills as long as there's a payoff involved.
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      • Posted by Robbie53024 9 years, 9 months ago
        Hmmm. It would be interesting to do a study on how many of these frivolous lawsuits are initiated by a client seeking out a lawyer first, or whether a lawyer either actively sought a specific client or advertised for classes of clients. My bet would be on the latter.

        This is not a new phenomenon, either.

        "First thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers."
        Shakespeare's Henry the VI
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        • Posted by Kittyhawk 9 years, 9 months ago
          It would be interesting to see the stats. My guess is that the vast majority of cases filed are small, local matters without a huge payout. If so, it wouldn't make financial sense for most attorneys to be chasing thousands of clients, and then make a percentage on just the few they sign that actually settle or win in court.

          Yes, lawyer bashing is a perennial popular sport. But how about those auto mechanics? Haha!
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        • Posted by khalling 9 years, 9 months ago
          well I can think of a couple who are productive, moral individuals. It is the system and too many lawyers in the legislature.
          1. reform the process of discovery.
          2. Have more remedies that do not involve a court decision.
          3. repeal laws in general which are over-burdensome
          4. cap monetary judgement.
          These are all procedural remedies. We lose when we make it about that. We lose on winning small arguments. It is ultimately winning philosophical arguments. There is no shortcut.
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          • Posted by Robbie53024 9 years, 9 months ago
            Sorry, KH, but lawyer and productive shouldn't be used in the same sentence. I'm sure that you're fine people and all, but there's nothing productive about it. I'm not disparaging - the military, which I'm sure you understand I hold in very high regard, is also not a productive enterprise. Necessary, but not productive. Not sure if lawyers even get up to the necessary level. When it gets so complicated that those who are supposed to live by the rules cannot themselves understand them, it is too complicated. That has been created by lawyers and legislatures (which tend to be populated to an overwhelming degree by lawyers).
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            • Posted by khalling 9 years, 9 months ago
              we help inventors succeed. It is a worthy endeavor. You owe your good health and long life to inventors. we'll have to disagree on this one.
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              • Posted by Robbie53024 9 years, 9 months ago
                Ah, but the word was productive. I defy you to prove any productivity.
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                • Posted by IndianaGary 9 years, 9 months ago
                  One definition of "productive" works for me: "worthwile: producing satisfactory or useful results." Ensuring that the person who invents something is recognized as the inventor and ensuring that the inventor receives his just due would be productive in my book. Oh, and I don't consider "aggregates" or other collectives; only individuals.
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                • Posted by conscious1978 9 years, 9 months ago
                  I think their actions assisting inventors secure their property can easily be described as productive. Their efforts produce results of value to inventors.

                  On the other hand, it wasn't productive when my older brother jumped off the roof of our house with an umbrella...almost knocked a tooth out with his knee when he landed. Still, the other kids that witnessed the jump didn't "try it at home."
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                  • Posted by Robbie53024 9 years, 9 months ago
                    Productivity is a net increase in output over the constituent inputs. Lawyers do not increase output - inventors and manufacturers do. If anything, lawyers, in aggregate, siphon off productivity by adding more non-productive requirements and diverting productive capacity in endeavors that create no value.

                    I'll even state that the inventors who spend time with lawyers on legal protection activities are degrading their productivity. That's not to say that it isn't necessary activity, but it certainly shouldn't be considered as productive activity.
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                • Posted by Robbie53024 9 years, 9 months ago
                  And the troll hits again. Too bad they waste their time on something that means nothing to me. I'll keep posting faster than they can down vote me - Bwaaahahaha
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    • Posted by teri-amborn 9 years, 9 months ago
      Interesting observation. Perhaps the dumbing-down of this nation through progressive education can ultimately be attributed to an overabundance of lawyers.
      I know that wood shop, welding and home-ec have been all but eliminated in most schools because of litigation.
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      • Posted by $ Mimi 9 years, 9 months ago
        I vaguely remember a news report in the nineties that estimated there were nine lawyers for every possible client in the Washington, DC and surrounding area.
        Home-ec classes cancelled, really? What: the ovens and sewing machines are a potential hazard?
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        • Posted by plusaf 9 years, 9 months ago
          Hell, yes... someone might get hurt. Just like the demise of the 'monkey bars' on the playground.

          I've viewed it as some kind of Darwinian Revenge... the 'new goal' in America (and definitely Europe) of trying to guarantee 100% safety for Everyone when they're doing Anything.

          Add the "follow the money" rule to that context and to me, it explains the growth of the litigious society and its facilitators (lawyers).

          Yeah, I might be wrong about that, .... :) but I think the evidence is compelling.
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          • Posted by khalling 9 years, 9 months ago
            omg-see-saws. remember going around the world on the swings?
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            • Posted by plusaf 9 years, 9 months ago
              and jumping off swings and rocketing down slides and getting dizzy on merry-go-rounds?

              The Safety League morphed into the Anti-Fun Group.

              I still say that the attempt to guarantee 100% safety for everyone doing anything is an indicator of a decline of a species. We didn't get where we are and develop the GOOD things we've created by playing safe ALL the time.

              I think it's too late, though, to try to reverse the decline.
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  • Posted by $ jlc 9 years, 9 months ago
    I was a witness in a lawsuit by a bicyclist that had been struck by a car in which I was passenger. Actually, the bicyclist struck the car (the front license plate holder of the car, to be specific), not the other way around. He careened off the license plate holder and ran into a fire hydrant. A slimy lawyer (archetype for the class) convinced the family to sue rather than settle. The jury eventually ruled it was a 60/40% responsibility split (car driver/bicyclist) of $13K, so the family of the cyclist got about $6K. The 'settle' offer had been $20K! (When it was refused the car insurance company had wisely decided to fight rather than cave to a larger settlement sum.) The slimy lawyer (with whom I had firmly polite words whilst I was on the stand) saw the way the wind was blowing and did not even stay in the court room for the verdict.

    Slimeball. Ambulance chaser. So the family got $6K (instead of $20K) and had to spend several days in court (and there were expert witnesses involved on both sides, a presumed additional expense) and hopefully the lawyer got nothing.

    Jan
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    • Posted by Robbie53024 9 years, 9 months ago
      Shouldn't have gotten anything. Was his own damned fault. Should have countersued for the emotional trauma of witnessing someone try to commit suicide by license plate holder right in front of your eyes!
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      • Posted by $ jlc 9 years, 9 months ago
        Yes, but the perceived 'car vs cycle' always puts the burden of blame on the car. Which is actually not bad (though factually incorrect in the above instance), since the car is the 'big guy' and it makes sense for big guys to watch out for little guys - noblesse oblige. It is the scummy ambulance chasing lawyer who made everyone loose out.

        Jan

        Jan
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        • Posted by Robbie53024 9 years, 9 months ago
          In this instance I'm assuming that the cycle must have been moving in front of the auto, so presumption in that case should be that the cyclist was in the wrong. A stationary vehicle cannot "initiate" action. Just my humble opinion.
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          • Posted by $ jlc 9 years, 9 months ago
            And a wonderful opinion it is! But the car had just frantically braked to avoid collision with the bicyclist, who had been pedaling along a sidewalk bordered by a tall wall (that concealed the existence of the bicyclist). The bicyclist emerged from unintended concealment (the wall) when he crossed the driveway and became visible: he swerved; the car braked and everything almost went well...but he hit the side of the front license plate holder (breaking it spectacularly) of the just-barely-stopped-car - - and the above described lawsuit occurred instead.

            So, you have it right: the whole thing hinged on whether the car was stationary or moving and whether he hit the car or the car hit him. Because of the big/little dichotomy, the decision was 60/40%.

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  • Posted by Notperfect 9 years, 9 months ago
    As a kid we were told by the Chief-of-Police remember I know your parents. When I became a Father I was handed a card from the principle when my son got in trouble. The card was from another child's parents lawyer. My son still got his butt tore up. Now days they tell me I cannot punish my grandchildren. Guess they never met my Dad.
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