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On Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:45:40 -0700, Darren New wrote:
> Jim Henderson wrote:
>> I'm not necessarily talking legally, I'm just talking about how most
>> people seem to behave - that they couldn't have made a mistake, it has
>> to be someone else's responsibility.
>
> I think one is the result of the other, tho. I don't think people
> thought this way 100 years ago.
Very possible.
>> Another example: My son's girlfriend was in a car accident about 8
>> months
>
> I read where someone stole a car, ran from the police in it, caused
> damage to the police cars chasing, and the police sued the owner of the
> car for the damage. Weird.
Yeah, lots of stories like that. Guy breaks into a house, gets himself
locked in the garage with only some dog food to eat. For a week, because
the homeowners were on vacation. Sues the homeowners (and IIRC wins)
because they failed to provide him an escape route and he nearly starved
to death.
>> Yep, what you've written here is a good explanation of how things work
>> and how the costs are factored into the cost of goods.
>
> Except that it's self-reinforcing. People win giant lawsuits *because*
> of the liability laws. People wouldn't sue if they could only get
> recompense for the actual damage done, and I expect most wouldn't sue if
> they'd done something stupid if they would lose because they did
> something stupid. But because the laws are there, companies buy
> insurance and bump their prices, and because of this people *do* sue.
Yep, it is a vicious cycle, no doubt about that.
The whole system is fundamentally broken, I think, at least as regards
liability. There is a place for liability, of course, but we're at a
ridiculous place now. Just ask any doctor about malpractice insurance,
especially in fields that are still considered experimental.
Jim
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