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The justification for a lot of these frivolous injury lawsuits are often very similar. The person suing has thousands or tens of thousands of medical debt. Th
by nols 10y ago
The justification for a lot of these frivolous injury lawsuits are often very similar. The person suing has thousands or tens of thousands of medical debt. They could spend years paying it off or they could look like a moron in the hopes of a settlement that will pay off the debt or at least make a dent in it.
Probably the most famous case, Bodine v Enterprise High School, involved a teenager who fell through a painted over skylight while stealing (or redirecting to play basketball) a spotlight off the roof. Because of the fall he became a quadriplegic, he didn't really have much to lose suing the school district because, well, his life as he knew it was over. He had a lifetime of medical bills to pay and no way to earn an income.
There are definitely plenty of scam artists or leeches or whatever you want to call them abusing the legal system because it's easier than getting a real job, but don't underestimate the people backed into a corner by debt.
- xxbondsxx 10y agoThank you for this perspective; was a new take on a lot of the common tropes I've heard. As said in Mr Robot, debt is the invisible hand that coerces us all
- specialist 10y agoI wonder if this book had some influence. It's definitely blowing my mind. Debt: The First 5,000 Years https://www.amazon.com/Debt-Updated-Expanded-First-Years https://www.amazon.com/Debt-Updated-Expanded-First-Years