corgle

Everyone take a deep breath.

I have been a trial attorney for nearly 30 years and a serious woodworker for 40. As a result, I know the common sense of both aspects of this story.

Whenever you read about an extreme trial result like this, two things are usually going on. First, there is more to the story than is being publicized. Second, the defendant is usually publicizing and politicizing the story for its own advantage. That's where the important facts are left out.

Wait to see how this plays out. Get all of the facts and then reach an informed opinion. This ceiling scraping outrage is exactly how the large corporations in this country want you to react.

At high volume we were told that it was economically unfeasible to conduct offshore oil drilling without caps on economic damages. In response to this sky is falling hysteria, the Congress passed a law that now will likely limit BP's exposure for the Gulf of Mexico oil spill to one percent of the company's profits from last quarter. How much of that story have you heard?

Twenty years ago the gun industry was wringing its hands over federal and state requirements to add a few safety features to help avoid child related accidents. These steps would destroy the industry we were told. The changes added about ten bucks to the cost of a hand gun, have saved lives and firearms manufacturers are currently making record profits.

These people are selling you a bill of goods. The United States Chamber of Commerce, which is controlled by insurance and oil companies, spent $27 in 2007 to publicize so-called "law suit abuse." Nevertheless every independent group which has studied personal injury suits in the United States agrees that for the last 20 years the number of suits has declined, the size of verdicts has dramatically declined and the chances of an injured person prevailing in a suit has dropped from 70% to less than 45%.

Everyone loves to rant and rave about lawsuits until they or a family member is seriously hurt because of someone else's carelessness. That's when they find out that in the name of "tort reform" their chances of obtaining justice for serious injuries and huge medical bills have been severely diminished.

Take an even strain. Get the facts. Dig for the truth. Personal responsibility includes the responsibility to be informed.

Oh, and spend some time tonight putting that blade guard back on your cabinet saw.