$24 million compensation for cyclist left paralysed by driver on crystal meth

Secret_squirrel wrote:

Welcome to compensation culture US style!

I bet most of that money will be used on medical bills.

hawkinspeter wrote:

Secret_squirrel wrote:

Welcome to compensation culture US style!

I bet most of that money will be used on medical bills.

I read somewhere that an ambulance taking you to the hospital will cost you in excess of $1,000.

I read an interview with a couple whose baby had been born prematurely and had to spend its first month or so in hospital (coincidentally, the same as my son).  That couple's medical fees added up in excess of $1,000,000!!

brooksby wrote:

.....

I read somewhere that an ambulance taking you to the hospital will cost you in excess of $1,000.

I read an interview with a couple whose baby had been born prematurely and had to spend its first month or so in hospital (coincidentally, the same as my son).  That couple's medical fees added up in excess of $1,000,000!!

Absolutely facking barbaric. And coming soon to an NHS near you

brooksby wrote:

I read somewhere that an ambulance taking you to the hospital will cost you in excess of $1,000.

I read an interview with a couple whose baby had been born prematurely and had to spend its first month or so in hospital (coincidentally, the same as my son).  That couple's medical fees added up in excess of $1,000,000!!

This is why the tories have defunded, demoralised and are privatising the NHS; there's lots of money it in for them and their donors.

brooksby wrote:

I read somewhere that an ambulance taking you to the hospital will cost you in excess of $1,000.

Mates living in Washington DC recently told me that Uber drivers there are now habitually packing plastic sheets in their boots (trunks!) because so many women in labour are calling Ubers to get to hospital because they can't risk the cost of the ambulance. Terrifying.

Rendel Harris wrote:

Mates living in Washington DC recently told me that Uber drivers there are now habitually packing plastic sheets in their boots (trunks!) because so many women in labour are calling Ubers to get to hospital because they can't risk the cost of the ambulance. Terrifying.

Sure, that's what it's for.

As long as they don't also have a shovel and large cable ties in there.

Secret_squirrel wrote:

Welcome to compensation culture US style!

Although these look eyewatering (and are), in the states it must be remembered that med is privately paid for, so folk with serious injuries are often put into penury as a result. Obversely huge payouts are often eaten up purely by med bills etc

In addition payouts are sometimes directed by juries.

A really interesting case was the old lady who spilled McDonalds coffee on herself and received one of these eye-watering payouts, and also received a large amount of criticism as a result. McDonalds helped to feed this press by pretending that they were forced to print "contents maybe hot" on their cups - poor ickle MD

In actual fact MD was persistently breaking food safety rules by serving their coffee well in excess of the maximum limit, and had been for over 10 years, in sole order to satisfy their marketing campaign promising coffee "hot at your desk". They had had hundreds of complaints previously due to scalding injuries. In short, their coffee was dangerous and they knew it

The old lady in question received 3rd-degree burns requiring skin grafts as a result of MDs willful negligence

The payout was decided by a jury so as to be equivalent of 2-day revenue from coffee - the victim had offered to settle for 20k to cover meds - MD refused, wanting only to pay $800.

There was no requirement in the ruling to print warnings on cups - this was pure pisstake from MD. What they should have printed was "This product is served too hot to consume, and if spilled on you will cause 3rd degree burns in seconds. We know this is the case, as we have already knowingly injured 1000s, but we continue to do it. Cos we can"

Or they could have just obeyed safety legislation and served coffee at a drinkable temperature.....

Not that anything I've said is anything to do with cycling.....

Captain Badger wrote:

Secret_squirrel wrote:

Welcome to compensation culture US style!

Although these look eyewatering (and are), in the states it must be remembered that med is privately paid for, so folk with serious injuries are often put into penury as a result. Obversely huge payouts are often eaten up purely by med bills etc

In addition payouts are sometimes directed by juries.

A really interesting case was the old lady who spilled McDonalds coffee on herself [ ... ]

Careful what you say Captain - some folks are remarkable litigious, even when they often lose. Although in a bizarre twist it turns out that one of their cases was largely due to our creative undercover cops.

chrisonatrike wrote:

......

Careful what you say Captain - some folks are remarkable litigious, even when they often lose. Although in a bizarre twist it turns out that one of their cases was largely due to our creative undercover cops.

Interesting stuff. 

I particularly like the bit where the judge found that MD "indirectly exploited and caused suffering to animals". WTF?? Indirectly?? that's their entire business model....

Captain Badger wrote:

The old lady in question received 3rd-degree burns requiring skin grafts as a result of MDs willful negligence

The payout was decided by a jury so as to be equivalent of 2-day revenue from coffee - the victim had offered to settle for 20k to cover meds - MD refused, wanting only to pay $800.

"....a jury awarded her nearly $3 million in punitive damages for the burns she suffered."

Having once had the misfortune to try one of their breakfasts, that amount seems reasonable.
 

Captain Badger wrote:

Or they could have just obeyed safety legislation and served coffee at a drinkable temperature.....

Not that anything I've said is anything to do with cycling.....

I'm conflicted, does it belong here?

quiff wrote:

....

I'm conflicted, does it belong here?

very possibly. I digress, my apologies

Looks like you've been reading Fake Law by the Secret Barrister! Just read it myself, interesting book.

I had heard the same from the Legal Eagle on Youtube I think. McD's were regulalry sued for it but just paid out mostly as it was normally not as serious, then decided to take a stand against this woman because she didn't take the derisory offer due to the amount of damage caused. 

alchemilla wrote:

Looks like you've been reading Fake Law by the Secret Barrister! Just read it myself, interesting book.

I haven't as it happens, but thanks for the recommendation. This is now on my Christmas list