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Old 01-20-2011, 03:26 PM
 
Location: Toronto
3,295 posts, read 6,988,462 times
Reputation: 2424

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I keep wondering this after always reading in the news about someone suing for things in the US such as getting injured opening the packaging on an item, tripping in the mall etc. There's always some commentary by those reading about how frivolous lawsuits have gotten.

I don't want to be too stereotypical but is there some truth about the idea that compared to other nations, the US has a "culture of lawsuits", or is it just that there's more media exposure of it (at least where I am). Do other countries in the developed world (and if any, which) do have a similar attitudes?



I'd like to hear some interesting perspectives.

Last edited by Cornerguy1; 01-20-2011 at 08:52 PM..
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Old 01-20-2011, 09:55 PM
 
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,606 posts, read 55,779,416 times
Reputation: 11862
The media's game is to distort reality before 'giving it' (their reality) to you.
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Old 01-20-2011, 11:11 PM
 
Location: Macao
16,284 posts, read 42,972,532 times
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Lawyer culture...you can manipulate law significantly..and once presidence is built, you create avenues to continue doing the same thing.

Just another way to extract money from people and corporations, and keep that money wheel flying that we call 'economy'.
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Old 01-20-2011, 11:30 PM
 
Location: Tricity, PL
61,119 posts, read 85,934,275 times
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This is the “sue” country. It's the new American dream. Sue and get rich.
It’s the American way to get PAID, regardless of the circumstances. In this country, a thief can sue you for stealing at your house and getting trapped inside. A fat person can sue you for eating at your restaurant and getting fat from there.
It is the mentality of those who think that suing someone with no merit is acceptable and OK to do when the American court system waste thousands of dollars on cases that have no real credibility. This clearly shows that something is seriously wrong with the American legal system.
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Old 01-21-2011, 02:21 AM
 
13,499 posts, read 18,090,414 times
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It is my impression after living in two European countries that in neither one were the courts filled with negligence lawsuits.
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Old 01-21-2011, 02:33 AM
 
16,433 posts, read 22,109,572 times
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If you have anything, keep it from public record or you will be a target.
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Old 01-21-2011, 02:38 AM
 
Location: Chicago
38,707 posts, read 102,722,835 times
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The cynical reasons upthread notwithstanding, there are two practical reasons:

1) Americans have guaranteed access to the courts. A court can decline to hear the case but only after reviewing the facts. So in essence, an American with a claim is entitled to have a judge review the case.

2) The "American rule" wherein each party is responsible for paying their own legal fees (except in rare circumstances) regardless of outcome. This is unique among English common-law systems. In most such systems, loser pays which makes people much more circumspect about bringing a case. But here, a defendant is responsible for their own legal fees even if their defense is successful, so it's often cheaper to pay someone to go away than to litigate -- even if you have a solid defense.
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Old 01-21-2011, 07:17 AM
 
Location: Santiago, Chile
44 posts, read 221,002 times
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At least in South America we all have the idea that USA is full people looking for suing for anything
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Old 01-21-2011, 08:02 AM
 
13,499 posts, read 18,090,414 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Drover View Post
The cynical reasons upthread notwithstanding, there are two practical reasons:...
I'm not sure I see any "cynical reason upthread" myself.

Sorry, I lived in the U.S. for over sixty years and I cannot imagine an American who walked up the sidewalk to somone's door and tripped over a raised flagstone or a toy and broke his collarbone who wouldn't try and sue the butt off the owner of the house, and who wouldn't be encouraged to do so by his friends.

Elnina is right: Sue, sue, sue is what it's all about.

I think the reaction if you went to a lawyer in the country where I live would be: Why didn't you watch where you were going you fool? How could you be so stupid to trip over that toy?
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Old 01-21-2011, 09:09 AM
 
Location: Tejas
7,599 posts, read 18,353,133 times
Reputation: 5251
Its a God given right to eat six Big Mc meals and sue because youre fat!
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