madbaker: (Nubian?)
madbaker ([personal profile] madbaker) wrote2006-06-01 11:05 am
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No jury service for me

So, the case was settled before I had to report for jury empanelment. It involved two contractors, lifelong smokers, who apparently died of lung cancer. Their heirs were suing several companies because they had manufactured products using asbestos. The contractors might have installed some of the products and thus been exposed to asbestos. Which presumably would have caused the lung cancer (rather than the pack-a-day smoking habit) and thus premature death, resulting in millions of dollars in pain and suffering for the heirs.

As you can tell from my rendition, I wasn't too worried that the prosecution would want me in the jury box.

Also, I am aware of the (literally!) 10,000 asbestosis cases that were dismissed last year by a judge for fraud. The cases in question were sent to several lawyer firms by a small number of medical screeners, who were paid for their diagnoses. Not for the screenings - for directing the claims to the lawyers.

What I'm reading: Charles Stross, Clan Corporate

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[identity profile] lifeofglamour.livejournal.com 2006-06-01 06:17 pm (UTC)(link)
Huh. Last time I got called for jury duty it was for an asbestos claim as well, and that was about 4 years ago. Never went to trial.

[identity profile] hrj.livejournal.com 2006-06-01 07:49 pm (UTC)(link)
Me too -- the last time I was called up for jury duty (Alameda county) it was for a mesothelioma suit. I (thankfully) didn't make the cut for the jury ... after having to sit through about four days of selection. They were projecting about 2 months of jury time. After getting my reprieve, I started noticing the name of the lawyer popping up in a lot of tv ads touting his ability to get you money for your asbestos suit. In my case, the plaintiff (well, the late plaintiff -- by the time it got to court, his widow was the plaintiff) hadn't worked directly with asbestos himself. The argument was that he'd been exposed to asbestos fibers carried home on his father's work clothes as a child. I confess that even before they came close to interviewing me, I'd formed strong opinions about the likely validity of the argument.
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