[Hidden-tech] Attack dog lawyer who works on contingency?

Chris Hoogendyk hoogendyk at bio.umass.edu
Wed Apr 30 11:05:06 EDT 2008


I wholly agree with Johnny Lee.

I had my bicycle run over by a UPS truck about 5 years ago -- while I 
was riding it. I was wearing a helmet. I went flying. I was OK, although 
a bit shaken. My bicycle was destroyed. The UPS driver said he never saw 
me. I was wearing a bright orange wind breaker, and he had at least 3 
rear view mirrors on his right side where he had suddenly turned to make 
a stop. I was on my way to work, we were nearby, and we ended up 
hoisting my dead bike into his truck. He dropped me off at work and gave 
me the telephone number of his supervisor.

They bought me a new bicycle. I had paid maybe $800 for my previous road 
bike, but it was steel. Everyone was making aluminum now, and I didn't 
want that. In order to get a steel frame bike, I ended up getting a 
Schwinn that cost $1600. I've been very happy with it.

Later, I realized I should have reported the accident. So, I stopped by 
the Police station. The dispatcher looked up and said, "Oh, so that was 
you!" There had been several people in their cars who had called 911 on 
their cell phones. The town had dispatched an ambulance and a couple of 
police cars. When they got there, there was nothing. He said that as a 
routine procedure they would have had medics check me out. I was also 
told by others that I should have stayed put and that I should have 
gotten a lawyer.

However, I'm happy with my new bike, and I'm sure the UPS truck driver 
is happy, his supervisor is happy, and their insurance company is happy. 
So, reasonable Karma all around. I also resolved that I needed to be 
much more defensive about my bike riding. I make an effort to anticipate 
possible danger situations and to think about the fact that my bicycle 
breaks don't stop me as fast as I might like, especially when I'm really 
booking. I think I feel better than if I had ripped a few thousand more 
out of UPS.

This is also why we moved from Long Island to Western Massachusetts. Our 
experience there was that "everyone" was hostile and out to get everyone 
else. I had many such experiences in the years we lived there. I knew a 
guy who was making money having college kids do asbestos removal with 
inadequate training and protection. He knew it. All he cared about was 
profit. I also overheard one young guy talking about how he was suing 
someone for some petty thing. His friend was incredulous and asked why. 
His answer was that his parents thought it would be good experience. I 
could go on and on. But we chose to move, and that's why we are here.



---------------

Chris Hoogendyk

-
   O__  ---- Systems Administrator
  c/ /'_ --- Biology & Geology Departments
 (*) \(*) -- 140 Morrill Science Center
~~~~~~~~~~ - University of Massachusetts, Amherst 

<hoogendyk at bio.umass.edu>

--------------- 

Erdös 4



Johnny Lee Lenhart wrote:
> My advice, David -- no, my request -- is that you drop the suit idea.  In my
> opinion suit chasing, and liability concerns in general, are having
> sweeping, negative effects on our culture.
>
>                             Johnny Lee Lenhart
>                             Symcha Technology Services, LLC
>                             Brattleboro, Vermont  USA
>                             (802) 254-4609  (home office)
>                             (802) 258-0046  (mobile)
>                             johnnyLee at symchatech.com
>                             www.symchatech.com
>  
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net
> [mailto:hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net] On Behalf Of DAVID F.
> FARKAS
> Sent: Wednesday, April 30, 2008 12:25 AM
> To: hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
> Subject: [Hidden-tech] Attack dog lawyer who works on contingency?
> Importance: High
>
> Hi guys...
>
> My shredder exploded... no exaggeration. Flash, bang, acrid smoke, 
> the works. The head jumped out of the basket and fell back down 
> shattering it. Somehow there was no fire and my only issue seems to 
> be ringing ears. Life is good. Somehow no fire or injuries.
>
> The company responded quickly to my email with an offer to examine 
> the pyrotechnic device and give me a new one. Also good.
>
> Then someone suggested i consider having a product liability lawyer, 
> who works on contingency, look at the situation and see if it's worth 
> a law suit. I've never sued anyone and it's really not my style. I 
> have not time or money to invest in that... AND... who knows, eh? 
> Unlicensed pyrotechnics are not standard features in most shredders, 
> to my knowledge.
>
> Suggestions? Referrals? Commiseration? Bad Jokes?
> Thanx
> Da/\id



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