Crazy America

[kevinday]

I have just on CNN that Liza Minelli and her husband are attempting to sue a cable TV company for $23 million. Apparently there was a contract for a TV show which wouold have paid Minelli and Guest (her hubby) $1.25 million, they have only received $100K in advances. The show has been scrapped (probably just as well, who cares about LM and DGs' lives anyway) and they are suing for the remaining $1.15m PLUS $22m in compensatory and punitive damages. I can understand the $1.15 as per the contract, but $22m for compensation...only in America. Compensation for what??? reduced 'work' involved in a scrapped show? reduced TV appearances? So what, she gets a reasonable amount of airtime anyway.
Punitive damages? On what grounds???

Compensation Culture gone mad.

[johnelliott]

The USA is run by lawyers for the benefit of lawyers. Couldn't happen here, could it? I mean, as long as the prime minister and his wife aren't lawyers we will be safe.

John

[deltaf]

Be very afraid!

[marki]

johnelliott said: The USA is run by lawyers for the benefit of lawyers. Couldn't happen here, could it? I mean, as long as the prime minister and his wife aren't lawyers we will be safe.

John

[tekta]

I think the law over there now is to just pick a random (extremely large) figure and have a go. Seems to work most of the time.

[plotloss]

This is a country which awarded a group of Floridian smokers more than the entire turnover of Phillip Morris Inc in a class action lawsuit.

Its a farce.

Unforunately though, its only a matter of time before this countries legal system degenerates to such a ridiculous level.

Matt.

[Toffer]

The tobacco companies had better hang on to some of their dosh...otherwise there won't be enough left to bung the Government!

[hughjayteens]

Company I am contracting for has been advised by the insurance company to budget $50B (yes, FIFTY BILLION DOLLARS) aside for what would be the largest case of it's kind ever - 200,000+ asbestosis claims I think from building products in the 70s. (not 100% sure on details)

I believe that most claimants are not ill yet but are sueing for what may happen in later years.

Crazy.

>> Edited by hughjayteens on Wednesday 18th December 12:04

[Captain Muppet]

This reminds me of the "Shoe Event Horizon" thought up by Douglas Adams. His theory went that the number of shoe shops increases inversely with the quality of their products until no other business other than shoes is viable and society collapses.
I think it's going to be lawyers that kill us lot off. You can earn more by sueing someone else than you can by creating something yourself. Therefore a larger and larger proportion of the population sue each other for a living until suddenly no one is making food or power anymore and we all go back to the trees.

Off topic - is there a reality TV show about addition to reality TV yet?

Edited because today we have cakes in the office.

>> Edited by Captain Muppet on Wednesday 18th December 12:19

[Size Nine Elm]

Captain Muppet said:I think it's going to be lawyers that kill us lot off. You can earn more by sueing someone else than you can by creating something yourself. Therefore a larger and larger proportion of the population sue each other for a living until sudennly no one is makeing food or power anymore and we all go back to the trees.

Not just lawyers, but if you expand this to include the civil service and the service sector, we're nearly there. The only mitigating factor is that the UK does 'export' from the service sector, so we're bringing in stuff from outside.

I might be wrong... so sue me!

[Captain Muppet]

Size Nine Elm said: [Not just lawyers, but if you expand this to include the civil service and the service sector, we're nearly there. The only mitigating factor is that the UK does 'export' from the service sector, so we're bringing in stuff from outside.

I might be wrong... so sue me!

I hear rumours that call centres are moving to eastern Europe. We can't even compete at the scrappy end of the 'service' sector. Didn't we used to make things in Britian?

[granville]

Captain Muppet said: This reminds me of the "Shoe Event Horizon" thought up by Douglas Adams. His theory went that the number of shoe shops increases inversely with the quality of their products until no other business other than shoes is viable and society collapses.
I think it's going to be lawyers that kill us lot off. You can earn more by sueing someone else than you can by creating something yourself. Therefore a larger and larger proportion of the population sue each other for a living until suddenly no one is making food or power anymore and we all go back to the trees.

Stunning stuff yer honour! Frightening, is it not?

[miniman]

Toffer said: The tobacco companies had better hang on to some of their dosh...otherwise there won't be enough left to bung the Government!

Don't forget to leave some for Burnt Ecclescakes...

[campbell]

johnelliott said: The USA is run by lawyers for the benefit of lawyers. Couldn't happen here, could it? I mean, as long as the prime minister and his wife aren't lawyers we will be safe.

John

Dhhoooo

[Basil Brush]

I hear rumours that call centres are moving to eastern Europe. We can't even compete at the scrappy end of the 'service' sector. Didn't we used to make things in Britian?

Yes, but very badly. Hence we're in this position now.

[Captain Muppet]

Basil Brush said:

I hear rumours that call centres are moving to eastern Europe. We can't even compete at the scrappy end of the 'service' sector. Didn't we used to make things in Britian?

Yes, but very badly. Hence we're in this position now.

Bollocks, you're right.

[Size Nine Elm]

plotloss said: This is a country which awarded a group of Floridian smokers more than the entire turnover of Phillip Morris Inc in a class action lawsuit.

At least a little sense - damages were reduced today from $28 billion to only $28 million.

(Cough, cough) I think I might have a claim coming on...