Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
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Too much pain from Cocaine
- Thread starter Asher Kelman
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Jerome Marot
Well-known member
When visiting the USA, I was surprised to see advertisements for lawyers. They don't exist in any other country I visited.
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Well there’s a lot of money to be made in suing for job injuries, traffic injuries or drunk driving defense. A sexual harassment suit gives a huge change in wealth of a person about to be fired!
If someone were to shout “Gun!” near the President of the USA, automatically s/he would be thrust to the ground by secret service agents. The reaction is immediate!
Similarly we have an instant automatic reaction of revulsion against sexual exploitation, race discrimination or unfair hiring, that just making the claim stirs up righteous anger. It give the ordinary person serving as a juror the opportunity to be an heroic Robin Hood as rescue victims from the clutches of the powerful!
This a fertile ground for bottom feeder lawyers to firmly plant and cultivate ideas of victimhood. By the time the court date approaches, almost all accused are leaning towards making a deal, as looking up at “The Blindfold Lady with the Scales of Justice” one has at best a 50/50 chance of loosing. So if the plaintiff is suing for 200,000, there’s already a risk in such cases of $100,000 in damages and a possible legal bill of $30,000. So a settlement for $75,000 and just $10,000 legal fees is a no brainer! The lawyer will get 40% of the “winnings“ plus his $10,000 fees = $45,000 for just 2-3 weeks part time work!
Asher
Jerome Marot
Well-known member
Lawyers do exist in other countries. Misuse of the legal system exists as well. It is just that lawyers are not allowed to advertise their services.
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
But do lawyers in Europe “chase ambulances and behave as I have described?
Here those advertisements are key to their massive success.
Asher
Jerome Marot
Well-known member
The strategies used by lawyers depend on the particulars of the legal system and these are national, not "European". In Germany, for example, there is a loophole that some lawyers specialize in. You may get a letter that you shared a movie over the Internet because someone used sharing software on your connection. The damages are estimated as several thousands Euros. The argument is the price of a movie viewing times the number of potential downloaders, that quickly adds up. There is jurisprudence in favor of that. Lawyers fees, in Germany, are a percentage of the alleged damage, so that adds up too. It is very difficult to prove that you are innocent, as nobody records what happens on their Internet all the time (which might break other laws as well). In practice, most people settle, but there are often caveats in the settlement as well.
The consequence is that free wi-fi is uncommon and that one really needs to explain the situation when sharing Internet access. The law was changed 2 years ago to try to correct the loophole, BTW.
So: yes. Given a loophole in the judicial system, some lawyers will try to abuse it to make money. But they don't advertise their services. I think it is illegal for lawyers to advertise in Germany or France. For medical doctors as well. My remark was not about lawyers but about advertisement, which is quite different between Europe and the USA.
The consequence is that free wi-fi is uncommon and that one really needs to explain the situation when sharing Internet access. The law was changed 2 years ago to try to correct the loophole, BTW.
So: yes. Given a loophole in the judicial system, some lawyers will try to abuse it to make money. But they don't advertise their services. I think it is illegal for lawyers to advertise in Germany or France. For medical doctors as well. My remark was not about lawyers but about advertisement, which is quite different between Europe and the USA.
nicolas claris
OPF Co-founder/Administrator
In France this is strictly illegal and prohibited!
Ads for lawyers services or doctors aren't allowed.
James Lemon
Well-known member
This may sound suspicious but his client had merely found those drugs and was on his way to the police department to turn them in at the time of his arrest.
Law suits are discouraged by the courts here in Canada ,its not a racket like the US. We do have advertising for ambulance chasers and such but settlements are low.
Law suits are discouraged by the courts here in Canada ,its not a racket like the US. We do have advertising for ambulance chasers and such but settlements are low.
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Reminds me
1. Of the army vet with flak jacket and prisoner restraint ties in the Capitol, who tried that excuse, but was arrested anyway.
2. Of the song the cheating boyfriend sang to convince his girlfriend.
What what she saw with her own eyes, him with another woman on the bathroom actually wasn’t him!
Asher
Tom dinning
Registrant*
Advertising for solicitors (lawyers) and doctors is permitted and highly regulated by the states.
There’s not a lot of litigation here so theirs no money in ambulance chasing.
There’s a culture here of trust with doctors and lawyers.
Word of mouth advertising seems to be relied on heavily.
I’m sure there’s some dodgy ones about but nothing to write a movie about.
My personal contact with doctors and lawyers has been nothing but professional, positive, and consistent.
There seems to be an emphasis on good practise standards instead of financial gain.
The doctors and solicitors I know are ordinary wage earners and suburban dwellers just like me.
There’s not a lot of litigation here so theirs no money in ambulance chasing.
There’s a culture here of trust with doctors and lawyers.
Word of mouth advertising seems to be relied on heavily.
I’m sure there’s some dodgy ones about but nothing to write a movie about.
My personal contact with doctors and lawyers has been nothing but professional, positive, and consistent.
There seems to be an emphasis on good practise standards instead of financial gain.
The doctors and solicitors I know are ordinary wage earners and suburban dwellers just like me.
James Lemon
Well-known member
Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Altogether, Australians have made impressive contributions in the Arts, as heroic allies in many hostilities, as sportsmen, engineers, manufacturers, wine makers and so much more.
I like the general lack of “lying fawning empty complements” that we have too much of in the aristocracy and business meritocracy of Europe the USA.
I like the idea that someone who shoves you a little, will still share a beer!
Asher
Tom dinning
Registrant*
The last time I had a car accident the first on the scene was the ambulance. The friendly face of the St John paramedic checked me out and suggested he take me to the ER at the local hospital.
St John is a charitable not for profit service and is contracted by the gov to run the ambulance service. They do an amazing job when they have enough resources.
In other states there may be a dedicated service as part of the health service run by the government.
The requirement is for any ambulance to attend the nearest public hospital with any patient. The patient can be sent on to a private facility once triage is complete and the patient signs all the release docs.
The police must attend or be informed of all accidents, even if no one is hurt.
There are no lawyers on the scene or tow trucks.
The police call the contracted tow truck service if needed.
It’s all very organised and polite.
The bloke that hit me was a young provisional driver. He was unhurt but his car was a mess.
Christine consoled him while the paramedic did his job on me.
She even called him a couple of days later to make sure he was OK.
The insurance companies do the arguing among themselves and let us know of the outcome within a couple of days.
It never seems worth the trouble to add a fighting on top of such an incident. We all make mistakes. Admitting to them is surprisingly easy.
I sometimes wonder that the US in their effort to be fair, make things so complicated and easy to complain, the out come is nothing but distress, complications, drawn out litigation and accusation.
Like right now, getting rid of Trump is a bum fight. We seem to change our PM more often than I change my underwear.
And there no lawyer in sight that I can see. It’s just his mates changing their mind and his office name tag. That can be done overnight. One PM went on holidays and didn’t have a job when he got back. The population just goes “ ho hum, here we go again” and settles down to watch the cricket.
This is what I meant when I said the troubles in the US at the moment are systemic. It’s the attitude of the politicians and the general public that has been established over the last 400 year that got you into this mess.
It’s not just the uneducated, radicals, southerners, red necks, or any other torrid group. It’s every one.
Maybe it’s in the water, or you all buy your knickers a size too small. Who knows.
But you’d better find out soon enough before the natives give you your beads back and send you all off to an atoll in the pacific to fight it out.
St John is a charitable not for profit service and is contracted by the gov to run the ambulance service. They do an amazing job when they have enough resources.
In other states there may be a dedicated service as part of the health service run by the government.
The requirement is for any ambulance to attend the nearest public hospital with any patient. The patient can be sent on to a private facility once triage is complete and the patient signs all the release docs.
The police must attend or be informed of all accidents, even if no one is hurt.
There are no lawyers on the scene or tow trucks.
The police call the contracted tow truck service if needed.
It’s all very organised and polite.
The bloke that hit me was a young provisional driver. He was unhurt but his car was a mess.
Christine consoled him while the paramedic did his job on me.
She even called him a couple of days later to make sure he was OK.
The insurance companies do the arguing among themselves and let us know of the outcome within a couple of days.
It never seems worth the trouble to add a fighting on top of such an incident. We all make mistakes. Admitting to them is surprisingly easy.
I sometimes wonder that the US in their effort to be fair, make things so complicated and easy to complain, the out come is nothing but distress, complications, drawn out litigation and accusation.
Like right now, getting rid of Trump is a bum fight. We seem to change our PM more often than I change my underwear.
And there no lawyer in sight that I can see. It’s just his mates changing their mind and his office name tag. That can be done overnight. One PM went on holidays and didn’t have a job when he got back. The population just goes “ ho hum, here we go again” and settles down to watch the cricket.
This is what I meant when I said the troubles in the US at the moment are systemic. It’s the attitude of the politicians and the general public that has been established over the last 400 year that got you into this mess.
It’s not just the uneducated, radicals, southerners, red necks, or any other torrid group. It’s every one.
Maybe it’s in the water, or you all buy your knickers a size too small. Who knows.
But you’d better find out soon enough before the natives give you your beads back and send you all off to an atoll in the pacific to fight it out.
Peter Dexter
Well-known member
In Colombia lawyers don't earn anything like their US or European counterparts. For example mal practice suits don't exist. On the upside if you purchase top of the line auto insurence one of the benifits is you just call the company in case of an accident and it will send a lawyer directly to the site of the accident and negotiate with injured parties and the Guarda de Transito (traffic police). A quite useful service that I have had the occasion once a while back to take advantage of. Typicaly in case of accident the latter impound your car until blame is resolved and reparetions made. This can take a month and your car sent to the "patio" may well not emerge with everyting it had when it went in.
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Asher Kelman
OPF Owner/Editor-in-Chief
Wow!
I’d want my lawyer to travel with me in my convoy, LOL!
How long does it take for the lawyer to arrive at the accident scene and what about at night?
Ashef
James Lemon
Well-known member
They may provide a lawyer but he/she is going to represent the interests of the insurance company at all costs, yours not so much.
Peter Dexter
Well-known member
Depends on where it is but usually within an hour. They're supposed to come at night but I don't know if they do. Things are tranquil now but ten years ago the police if called would not come up my road after 10 pm. Feared being ambushed by the FARC guerrilla.