Liability

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WesHowe
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Re: Liability

Post by WesHowe »

Advertising has been a wonderful thing for lawyers. No more long, hard days chasing ambulances; now customers call them, so they can devote more of their time to even less productive activities...
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liveaboard
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Re: Liability

Post by liveaboard »

Had an Irish friend, he had a really thick accent.

"I think I need to hire a liar." he said one day.
True story, I swear.
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SteveHGraham
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Re: Liability

Post by SteveHGraham »

WesHowe wrote:Advertising has been a wonderful thing for lawyers. No more long, hard days chasing ambulances; now customers call them, so they can devote more of their time to even less productive activities...
My dad always complains about lawyers who advertise and hold press conferences. Advertising used to be considered unethical. It's still unethical, but the ethics rules have been rewritten.

A lawyer is not supposed to encourage litigation. That probably sounds crazy, since the airwaves are full of ads from bottom-feeding tort lawyers.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
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GlennW
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Re: Liability

Post by GlennW »

SteveHGraham wrote:
WesHowe wrote:but the ethics rules have been rewritten.
I'm pretty sure they have just been completely eliminated.

My sister resides in another state, but is still licensed to practice law in FL and she can't believe what goes on here.
Glenn

Operating machines is perfectly safe......until you forget how dangerous it really is!
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SteveHGraham
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Re: Liability

Post by SteveHGraham »

GlennW wrote: I'm pretty sure they have just been completely eliminated.

My sister resides in another state, but is still licensed to practice law in FL and she can't believe what goes on here.
Unlike doctors, lawyers are in charge of regulating themselves. What could possibly go wrong?

If it makes you feel any better, my sister has been suspended for 7 years, and a law school acquaintance is looking at a maximum of 30 years in prison. My ex-girlfriend got a formal reprimand. Personally, I would have thrown a bucket of water on her and watched her melt.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
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SteveHGraham
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Re: Liability

Post by SteveHGraham »

Oh, I forgot. My dad's ex-partner went to the penitentiary for fraud. He got reinstated later in Kentucky, and then he stole some old lady's estate and was forced to give up his license.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
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Harold_V
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Re: Liability

Post by Harold_V »

SteveHGraham wrote:
WesHowe wrote:Advertising has been a wonderful thing for lawyers. No more long, hard days chasing ambulances; now customers call them, so they can devote more of their time to even less productive activities...
My dad always complains about lawyers who advertise and hold press conferences. Advertising used to be considered unethical. It's still unethical, but the ethics rules have been rewritten.

A lawyer is not supposed to encourage litigation. That probably sounds crazy, since the airwaves are full of ads from bottom-feeding tort lawyers.
Here in Washington State, it's common for lawyers to encourage folks to sue. Some advertise on TV, admonishing folks to inquire, to "see what your case is worth".

I find that offensive on so many levels that I am hard pressed to find words to express myself.

Harold
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
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SteveHGraham
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Re: Liability

Post by SteveHGraham »

Today while I was starting my drive home from Orlando, not thinking about this forum at all, I started thinking about the unique privilege lawyers have, overseeing each other instead of putting bureaucrats in charge. It's probably unavoidable, because it takes a lawyer to understand a violation of the rules of ethics, but it obviously leads to corruption.

Bar associations are supposed to be regulatory organizations, but in reality, they're guilds, designed to limit the number of people admitted to practice (and compete with existing members). The bar exam here in Florida is much harder than it has to be, and every time they administer it, somewhere between 10 and 20% of the new competition is weeded out until the next test. In California, the bar exam is supposedly nearly impossible.

The one thing the Florida Bar is really good about is disciplining lawyers who steal from clients. Disbarment is standard, and people go to jail. They don't care at all about lying to judges, however. Judges don't care much about it, either.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
spro
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Re: Liability

Post by spro »

What po's me is sue ing the very manufacturers which gave thousands life. Class action law suits to destroy a company because, for example; a cancer drug was used and it basically cured the person but his/her hair didn't grow back. WTH hair between life and death? So a huge suit is ramped up against a company and they drop it. They can drop the successful knee joints and further improvements to that while weathering the legal expenditure. Where does that leave the companies of knowledge about everything up to that point. All the research and development is trashed?
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liveaboard
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Re: Liability

Post by liveaboard »

And that drives US health care costs to the dizzying heights you have today.
In Europe everything else costs more, often much more, than in the US. Yet medicines and medical procedures cost much less.
It's not only due to the huge cost of US liability insurance; but that's a major component.
We were considering moving to the US; lower taxes [MUCH lower], cheaper energy costs... then I figured out how much health care would cost us and we gave up on the idea.
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SteveHGraham
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Re: Liability

Post by SteveHGraham »

Actually, US health care costs are largely due to greed in the medical system itself.

I went to a hospital for a kidney stone in 2003. They gave me an MRI, which was completely unnecessary. I paid over $6000 for one night's treatment. I found out later a $250 abdominal x-ray is what you're actually supposed to receive when you have a kidney stone.

Last month I had a strep throat test. I paid $80. My insurance paid $600. That's not all due to lawyers, believe me.
Every hard-fried egg began life sunny-side up.
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BadDog
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Re: Liability

Post by BadDog »

Part of it is. In many cases they go way overboard on diagnostics if there is ANY chance of a complication, and that IS due to lawyers (and associated litigation happy culture). They know that they can and will get sued if they miss something running the optimal set of tests, but they get paid if they can justify running more to avoid negligible risks. If the insurance company refuses a test, then no liability and the insurance is the bad guy, otherwise they make more money, cover their behinds, and reduce patient risk. So if you were in their shoes, which would you choose?
Russ
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