Lawsuits by criminals, suicide attempters costing cities big.

[Queasy]

When Lawyers Attack

NEW YORK ? People who get injured while committing a crime, or while failing to commit suicide, and then sue their cities for damages are reaping financial benefits at the public's expense.

A woman who was lying on subway tracks when she was struck by a New York City train was awarded over $14 million last May, later reduced to about $10 million, by a jury that found her to be only 30 percent negligent for the incident.

Seong Sil Kim, 36, claimed the train operator should have been able to stop in time after seeing her. The Transit Authority said the plaintiff was trying to kill herself because she suffered from postpartum depression. Kim suffered amputation of the right hand except for the thumb; multiple skull and facial bone fractures; fractures to the right radius and left toes; and lacerations of the face, abdomen and leg.

In another instance, Angelo Delgrande shot and wounded his parents and himself in a June 1995 dispute. He then received surgery at a hospital in Westchester County, N.Y. That night, he yanked the tubes and monitoring devices from his body and tried to commit suicide by jumping off the second story of a parking garage. Now a paraplegic, Delgrande sued the hospital for failing to treat his depression and keep him indoors. He was awarded $9 million.

And in Oakland, Calif., a bank robber didn't know the bag of cash he stole contained a time-delayed tear-gas canister that went off, scorched him and sped his arrest. He sued the bank and the police for $2 million for burning him.

 

[Orsorum]

AFAIK, those cases are in the vast minority.

 

[Legendary]

You must be joking.
I hope they are in the "vast minority".

 

[Queasy]

Originally posted by: Zakath15
AFAIK, those cases are in the vast minority.

Well, I think that is a given. But, the costs to the cities are still there. I don't know too many cities that can absorb $10 million dollar lawsuits very well.

 

[burnedout]

A woman who was lying on subway tracks........

Angelo Delgrande shot and wounded his parents and himself .......... That night, he yanked the tubes and monitoring devices from his body and tried to commit suicide by jumping off the second story of a parking garage.

a bank robber didn't know the bag of cash he stole

 

[notfred]

It'd be so much better if those people would just die.

 

[Nohr]

found her to be only 30 percent negligent for the incident.

That bit totally lost me.. 😕

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: Zakath15
AFAIK, those cases are in the vast minority.

It doesn't matter if they are in the "vast minority". These cases should never be brought in the first place (idiot, unethical lawyers), and the plaintiff should never win (idiot unethical juries).

Even if they are in the "vast minority", organizations have to make consideration for this in their insurance, budgets, policies, etc. And when it does happen, that city is screwed, and these idiots become millionares at taxpayers expense. How the he|| can you defend this?

I'm hoping this is another urban myth ... I don't have all that much faith in fox news :disgust:

 

[Nemesis77]

BTW, if you sue someone in the US and you lose, do you have to pay the other sides legal-bills? That's the way it works in Finland.

 

[Armitage]

Originally posted by: Nemesis77
BTW, if you sue someone in the US and you lose, do you have to pay the other sides legal-bills? That's the way it works in Finland.

Not in general. all though a few states have adopted something like that for some types of cases.

 

[T2T III]

I think cities should be hiring mercenary killers to take these freaks out before the cases get to court. Clearly, these people were on their last string when the made their plans to die. All of a sudden, they see some commercial on TV for an "ambulance chasing lawyer" and they want to live ... and collect 10 million dollars so they can do it without having to work. Puhleze! 🙁

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: notfred
It'd be so much better if those people would just die.

I've been saying that attempted suicide should be punished with the death penalty. That way everyone wins. 😉

ZV

 

[minus1972]

Seong Sil Kim, 36, claimed the train operator should have been able to stop in time after seeing her. The Transit Authority said the plaintiff was trying to kill herself because she suffered from postpartum depression. Kim suffered amputation of the right hand except for the thumb; multiple skull and facial bone fractures; fractures to the right radius and left toes; and lacerations of the face, abdomen and leg.

Am I reading that right? And if so, how would that work?

 

[tk149]

Morale of the story: Let 'em die. It'll cost less.

Fight evil, destroy ATLA!

 

[tcsenter]

Am I reading that right? And if so, how would that work?

Look at your hand palm side up and tell me you cannot figure it out.

 

[DanFungus]

Originally posted by: minus1972

Seong Sil Kim, 36, claimed the train operator should have been able to stop in time after seeing her. The Transit Authority said the plaintiff was trying to kill herself because she suffered from postpartum depression. Kim suffered amputation of the right hand except for the thumb; multiple skull and facial bone fractures; fractures to the right radius and left toes; and lacerations of the face, abdomen and leg.

Am I reading that right? And if so, how would that work?

I guess she'd just have 1 finger (a thumb to be more precise) in her arm...hahahahahahahahhahahahahah
I was alittle confused at first, thinking she had her arm amputated except for her thumb, then I was wondering if they sewed her thumb to her elbow, or shoulder or something, and that made me laugh 😀

 

[VBboy]

Welcome to the United States of America which I love but which also is strange like that.