Edwards absent from debate on asbestos settlements

[Riprorin]

The legislation puts Edwards, a former trial lawyer, in an awkward spot, political analysts say. Personal injury and other plaintiffs' lawyers are a frequent target of Republicans, who say the bill is needed because attorneys for asbestos-exposure victims continue to pocket half the money from verdicts and settlements that have bankrupted more than 60 companies since 1982.

Asbestos Settlement Fund

edited title for accuracy.

 

[zantac]

Good riddance.

 

[conjur]

And if he had been in the debate (Edwards did vote on the FAIR Act of 2004 back in April), you'd be complaining about conflict of interest.

 

[judasmachine]

Yeah Asbestos isn't harmful. Oh and while were at it can we give all the $$$ back and put lead back in our paint too....

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: conjur
And if he had been in the debate (Edwards did vote on the FAIR Act of 2004 back in April), you'd be complaining about conflict of interest.

Yes, being sold out to special interest groups does put one in a precarious position, doesn't it?

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: judasmachine
Yeah Asbestos isn't harmful. Oh and while were at it can we give all the $$$ back and put lead back in our paint too....

I think Bush should have to give back all of the money he's received from the Sauds.

And Cheney needs to give back all of the money he's received from Halliburton.

I mean, they are casting the first stones, right?

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Your thread title is absurd. Are you arguing that every plaintiff's attorney in America has "helped bankrupt 60 companies" because 60 companies have been bankrupted, total, in America, due to asbestos litigation?

Please show me the individual cases in which Edwards has represented plaintiffs in asbestos cases, and whether or not they led to a single bankruptcy.

 

[Painman]

Attorneys don't render verdicts and determine penalties, juries do that. What exactly is your/their point? Advocating the decriminalization of toxic sludge?

 

[conjur]

He's linking to a site that hasn't been updated in a year!

 

[LunarRay]

Those sixty companies were probably producing asbestos lolly pops.
Dow still exists and they produced lots of goodies for us to be poisoned by. He missed them, I guess.

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: DonVito
Your thread title is absurd. Are you arguing that every plaintiff's attorney in America has "helped bankrupt 60 companies" because 60 companies have been bankrupted, total, in America, due to asbestos litigation?

Please show me the individual cases in which Edwards has represented plaintiffs in asbestos cases, and whether or not they led to a single bankruptcy.

It's not absurd, it's provocative.

Asbestos litigation has resulted in over 60 companies going bankrupt since 1982. 50% of the settlements went to attorneys. John Edwards was a leading asbestos litigator. Connect the dots.

 

[judasmachine]

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: judasmachine
Yeah Asbestos isn't harmful. Oh and while were at it can we give all the $$$ back and put lead back in our paint too....

I think Bush should have to give back all of the money he's received from the Sauds.

And Cheney needs to give back all of the money he's received from Halliburton.

I mean, they are casting the first stones, right?

Can I get a Amen!

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: conjur
He's linking to a site that hasn't been updated in a year!

Thanks for pointing that out. It's probably well over 60 companies by now.

 

[Painman]

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: conjur
He's linking to a site that hasn't been updated in a year!

Thanks for pointing that out. It's probably well over 60 companies by now.

Again, are you being an advocate for toxic sludge here? What is your point?

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: DonVito
Your thread title is absurd. Are you arguing that every plaintiff's attorney in America has "helped bankrupt 60 companies" because 60 companies have been bankrupted, total, in America, due to asbestos litigation?

Please show me the individual cases in which Edwards has represented plaintiffs in asbestos cases, and whether or not they led to a single bankruptcy.

It's not absurd, it's provocative.

Asbestos litigation has resulted in over 60 companies going bankrupt since 1982. 50% of the settlements went to attorneys. John Edwards was a leading asbestos litigator. Connect the dots.

The Bush family has connections to the Sauds.

15 of 19 of the 9/11 hijackers were Saudi.

Connect the dots.

 

[Don Vito Corleone]

Originally posted by: Riprorin

It's not absurd, it's provocative.

Asbestos litigation has resulted in over 60 companies going bankrupt since 1982. 50% of the settlements went to attorneys. John Edwards was a leading asbestos litigator. Connect the dots.

I'm not aware of him doing any asbestos litigation, much less being a "leading asbestos litigator". I believe he focused primarily on med mals and products liability torts. What is your source for this information?

 

[IndieSnob]

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: DonVito
Your thread title is absurd. Are you arguing that every plaintiff's attorney in America has "helped bankrupt 60 companies" because 60 companies have been bankrupted, total, in America, due to asbestos litigation?

Please show me the individual cases in which Edwards has represented plaintiffs in asbestos cases, and whether or not they led to a single bankruptcy.

It's not absurd, it's provocative.

Asbestos litigation has resulted in over 60 companies going bankrupt since 1982. 50% of the settlements went to attorneys. John Edwards was a leading asbestos litigator. Connect the dots.

Boohoo to them going bankrupt. My family has been hit hard due to lies from asbestos (zonelite mines in Libby, Montana ring a bell?). Those jerks knew in 1952 from medical testing that my grandfather allready showed signs of abstesosis, yet they filed the records away from everyone. Who are you going to defend next?

 

[LunarRay]

Lots of law on the books. Hopefully Kerry/Edwards will select a gung ho AG who will insure the career staff and US Attorneys not only read the US Code but enforce it across the board. Especially them money grabbing defense folks.
In any event, the more I read about Edwards the more convinced I become that he'd make the better President but, I can wait 8 years for him... I'd like to be able to wait 8 years..

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: Riprorin

It's not absurd, it's provocative.

Asbestos litigation has resulted in over 60 companies going bankrupt since 1982. 50% of the settlements went to attorneys. John Edwards was a leading asbestos litigator. Connect the dots.

I'm not aware of him doing any asbestos litigation, much less being a "leading asbestos litigator". I believe he focused primarily on med mals and products liability torts. What is your source for this information?

I should have researched his legal practice more. Thanks for the correction.

According to Wikipedia:

Drawing on his experience in personal injury cases, Edwards has characterized himself as a defender of "the little guy," although his critics have alleged that Edwards only took on cases that he was sure of winning and that would result in substantial financial settlements. Scrutiny has fallen upon one of Edwards specialties, infant cerebral palsy cases, where scientific evidence has recently suggested that birth conditions only rarely cause the disorder.

It would have been nice though if Senator Edwards had been present for the debate on legislation to end lawsuits by asbestos-exposure victims. Certainly there must be a way to compensate victims without bankrupting companies.

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: Riprorin

It's not absurd, it's provocative.

Asbestos litigation has resulted in over 60 companies going bankrupt since 1982. 50% of the settlements went to attorneys. John Edwards was a leading asbestos litigator. Connect the dots.

I'm not aware of him doing any asbestos litigation, much less being a "leading asbestos litigator". I believe he focused primarily on med mals and products liability torts. What is your source for this information?

Even this slanted site doesn't make that ridiculous claim:
http://www.edwardswatch.com/issues.cfm

 

[crazycarl]

dude, you may as well say, Bush has helped imprison XXXX number of urban crack dealers! is this how we're going to provide money for your inner cities?

 

[conjur]

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: Riprorin

It's not absurd, it's provocative.

Asbestos litigation has resulted in over 60 companies going bankrupt since 1982. 50% of the settlements went to attorneys. John Edwards was a leading asbestos litigator. Connect the dots.

I'm not aware of him doing any asbestos litigation, much less being a "leading asbestos litigator". I believe he focused primarily on med mals and products liability torts. What is your source for this information?

I should have researched his legal practice more. Thanks for the correction.

According to Wikipedia:

Drawing on his experience in personal injury cases, Edwards has characterized himself as a defender of "the little guy," although his critics have alleged that Edwards only took on cases that he was sure of winning and that would result in substantial financial settlements. Scrutiny has fallen upon one of Edwards specialties, infant cerebral palsy cases, where scientific evidence has recently suggested that birth conditions only rarely cause the disorder.

It would have been nice though if Senator Edwards had been present for the debate on legislation to end lawsuits by asbestos-exposure victims. Certainly there must be a way to compensate victims without bankrupting companies.

I believe Edwards is for the setting up of a private trust fund to pay victims in future cases. He voted against the FAIR Act of 2004 in April as the Republicans were not willing to compromise and increase that funding to more reasonable levels.

I do find it curious you finally admitted making an egregious error (although you tried to politely slough it off.) Perhaps this is a permanent change in your future posting behavior.

 

[LunarRay]

"Sure of winning"
If that was the case the respondent/defendent would never had gone to trial. Least ways I don't think they would.
What, however, does this have to do with his political track record.. Ain't there anything since '00 that can be debated?

edit: Maybe like how he voted (didn't) on the asbestos issues in his committee... I wonder why or why not.

 

[Riprorin]

Originally posted by: conjur

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: Riprorin

It's not absurd, it's provocative.

Asbestos litigation has resulted in over 60 companies going bankrupt since 1982. 50% of the settlements went to attorneys. John Edwards was a leading asbestos litigator. Connect the dots.

I'm not aware of him doing any asbestos litigation, much less being a "leading asbestos litigator". I believe he focused primarily on med mals and products liability torts. What is your source for this information?

Even this slanted site doesn't make that ridiculous claim:
http://www.edwardswatch.com/issues.cfm

I think this topic is worth digging into:

"Scrutiny has fallen upon one of Edwards specialties, infant cerebral palsy cases, where scientific evidence has recently suggested that birth conditions only rarely cause the disorder."

 

[BaliBabyDoc]

Originally posted by: Riprorin

Originally posted by: DonVito

Originally posted by: Riprorin

It's not absurd, it's provocative.

Asbestos litigation has resulted in over 60 companies going bankrupt since 1982. 50% of the settlements went to attorneys. John Edwards was a leading asbestos litigator. Connect the dots.

I'm not aware of him doing any asbestos litigation, much less being a "leading asbestos litigator". I believe he focused primarily on med mals and products liability torts. What is your source for this information?

I should have researched his legal practice more. Thanks for the correction.

According to Wikipedia:

Drawing on his experience in personal injury cases, Edwards has characterized himself as a defender of "the little guy," although his critics have alleged that Edwards only took on cases that he was sure of winning and that would result in substantial financial settlements. Scrutiny has fallen upon one of Edwards specialties, infant cerebral palsy cases, where scientific evidence has recently suggested that birth conditions only rarely cause the disorder.

It would have been nice though if Senator Edwards had been present for the debate on legislation to end lawsuits by asbestos-exposure victims. Certainly there must be a way to compensate victims without bankrupting companies.

Hmm, so now Edwards' fatal flaws are that he only takes cases that have merit (the horror) and only if those cases are worth pursuing (financially)?!