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Jewish World Review July 1, 2005 / 24 Sivan, 5765 The American Tort Museum: A Nader Tribute to His Allies By Drs. Michael A. Glueck & Robert J. Cihak
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
In this age of legal shakedowns and kickbacks it is a well known fact that
Ralph Nader is owned and operated by the trial lawyers.
Therefore it should come as no surprise that recently you may have read
about Nader's ongoing plans for an American Museum of Tort Law in his home
state of Connecticut. If this becomes reality, he owes it to the American
people to also show the dominant ugly side of tort law, the one that is
abused and manipulated by those lawyers who have done much less than a
"socially redeeming" job.
Whether Mr. Nader would be willing to devote the time and resources to such
an enormous undertaking as the repulsive side of civil justice is doubtful.
With that in mind we offer our assistance at a modest $1750 hourly
consultation fee. Here are a few humble suggestions on how the American
Museum of Tort Law should showcase the reckless abuse, gamesmanship and
degradation of our legal system by some of these social redeemers.
First, how about a Frivolous Lawsuit Room? Wallpapered in dollar bills
representing taxpayers' money wasted on lawsuit abuse each year, this room
will be dedicated to every lawyer and litigant that has laughed all the way
to the bank. The main exhibit, encased in plastic, would be the veritable
holy grail of civil justice, the McDonald's cup that held the coffee Stella
Liebeck spilled on herself as she left the drive-through. She sued the
company and won an initial award of $2.7 million.
On another pedestal let's place the jar of chunky peanut butter a prison
inmate sued California over because he wanted the smooth variety instead.
And, among many, many others, we should be sure to include the six-pack of
beer a woman sued her supermarket over because she dropped it on her foot,
winning more than $400,000.
The highlight of the Frivolous Lawsuit Room, though, will be a huge digital
counter which continuously tells visitors how much the legal system has
cost them so far that year.
As a baseline, the American Tort Reform Association estimates this cost to
be $1,200 per person, per year, for a total annual cost of billions.
Surrounding the display would be such threats to humanity as a stepladder
and a football helmet, of which 20 to 50 percent of the cost goes strictly
to cover liability.
We propose the next room be the Junk Science Room. On the walls, we can
display images of all the dubious "experts" on whom personal injury lawyers
have relied over the years to manipulate judges and juries.
The centerpiece of the room will be a statue of Tara Ransom, a young child
who relies on a brain shunt, made of silicone, to keep her alive. Her
statue would be a reminder that even though real science has shown no link
between silicone breast implants and disease, junk science has all but
driven silicone from the market, limiting Tara's access to the only device
available to keep her alive.
Elsewhere in the room would be shrines to products like silicone heart
valves, pacemakers and vaccines that are too expensive because of
avaricious lawsuits.
And finally, the room will contain a large, clear plastic empty box, to
symbolize all the life-saving products that will never be available because
of the risk of lawsuits.
Our final room would be the Class Action Room. At the entrance a sign would
read: "Class action suits were intended to help victims." As visitors walk
inside they would see case summaries of famous class actions, and a
breakdown of what the victims received, and what the lawyers received.
One example is the recently-settled class action lawsuit over the size of a
computer monitor screen, where each class member received a $13 rebate
toward the purchase of $250 in new computer equipment, while the attorneys
filing the suit negotiated $5.8 million in legal fees.
Quarterly, one of these writers receives a check for one penny from a class
action suit he barely knew he was part of! The lawyers made over $50
million. The check: uncashable!
In conjunction with this room we should run a side-contest where visitors
can attempt to find the socially redeeming work in these cases.
Mr. Nader claims his 7,000 square foot American Museum of Tort Law will be
"a major slice of American history." Indeed, lawsuit abuse has,
unfortunately, become very much a part of our American legislative,
executive and judicial heritage.
We pray that no public funds will be used to build the museum. We think the
public has already given more than its fair share. In fact, after
everything Americans pay to support lawsuit abuse, the museum admission
should at least be free. In addition, how about all visitors who finish the
tour receiving a $50,000 all cash rebate from the American Trial Lawyers
Association?
Editor's Note: Michael Arnold Glueck, M.D., penned this week's commentary.
Glueck is a Board Member of Orange County Citizens Against Law Suit Abuse
(OC CALA).
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Michael Arnold Glueck, M.D., is a multiple award winning writer who comments on medical-legal issues. Robert J. Cihak, M.D., is a Discovery Institute Senior Fellow and a past president of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons. Both JWR contributors are Harvard trained diagnostic radiologists. Comment by clicking here. © 2005, |
Arnold Ahlert | |||||||||||
