"ATP*" wrote in message
...

"Steve B" wrote in message
...
We hear all this screaming that there has to be tort reform, like it's
the lawyers who need to be reformed. Let me share my story.

In October of 2004, while working for a mega corporation in Las Vegas at
a convention, as a union worker, I was injured by an uninsured unlicensed
contractor.

The man was driving me to get a 10,000# forklift. I was on the back of a
three wheel electric cart, facing backward. It was raining. The man had
an umbrella in front of him to shield himself from the rain. By doing
so, he couldn't see what was coming, and drove us under a parked semi
trailer. I was struck in the rear of the head by the trailer, and hit my
head again when I hit the concrete. Concussion, unconsciousness, cuts,
abrasions.

This man was flown out of town within thirty minutes and not drug tested.
I went to the hospital for CAT scans and all sorts of stuff. I spent two
years recovering until I was stable enough to rate medically. During
that time, I talked to my case manager for worker's comp a total of one
time. I had to fight for every test, making appeal after appeal, and
waiting to the 29th day of the 30 day legal limit, then they'd approve
the test or treatment. I tried to have my left shoulder treated, but
because I signed some piece of paper in the hospital while still
semiconscious and strapped to a body board, they didn't know about my
shoulder at that time. It was disallowed, and disallowed on appeal.

Five plus years later, I have permanent speech, cognitive, and balance
problems. Memory problems. Headaches. PTSD.

The other day, the letter comes from the lawyer.

Case dismissed under the Richards Decision by the Nevada Supreme Court
where any employee takes as full payment worker's compensation NO MATTER
WHAT THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACCIDENT WERE. Bought and paid for by
lobbyists of the Nevada corporations.

So, I'm left with lifelong residual effects, and zero compensation,
except for their computed lost wages, and some money to "learn" another
job. Basically about half of what I lost in wages.

Tort reform needs to happen two ways. One for these people who spill hot
coffee in their own laps while juggling Chihuahuas, and people who have a
valid suit, but who lose because of legal chicanery or laws written to
hamstring them.

But it ain't gonna happen. The man with the gold makes the rules, that's
the Golden Rule.

But I believe that every man shall give an accounting of his life at some
time and to some thing, and at those times, I believe they see for the
first time they are in deep deep ****. If there is no God, it don't
matter. If there is, then justice be served.

And then, there's those who will go postal and collect their own debts.

Steve

It sucks that you got a raw deal, but you're not going to collect anything
by "going postal". Stop listening to Gunner and just try to do the bast
you can with what you've got.

I do. I have an income stream and security independent of any of that.
That was just going to be for the grandkids. I shall not go postal, but I
have read of many people who have. And in the end, I personally believe
that we all get what we have coming to us. And I do believe that things are
going to get very much worse before anything gets even a tiny bit better.
It don't make much to me, as I don't have a lot of time left anyway. I, as
every generation before me, fear for my children and grandchildren.

Merry Christmas to All.

Steve