USA may be different in litigation outcomes for personal injuries. Not uncommon to see attorney billboard advertising personal injury lawsuits besides the major roads.
Yes, an urban legend told in pubs years ago, was that in America, a woman sued a microwave manufacturer because her cat that got rained on, died in the microwave when she tried to dry it: Nowhere in the manual was written that a microwave should not be used for drying wet cats.
...i suppose its made up, but you never know. Only the excesses make it to our news sources
I am just reading an online attorneys magazine: We dont have the "pre-trial discovery" so it is much harder here to get self-incriminating evidence from a corporation. Also, the absence of socialised healthcare makes it more logical to sue a company for damages. And that often, when astronomical damages are awarded by a jury, a judge will often override that and reduce it to more realistic numbers. In Europe we dont have a jury, only a judge. Him/her being a professional, reduces the risk of a verdict based on emotional appeal to the jury. On the other hand, when a technocrat judge decides your fate, a jury also puts in some empathy.
Also, when a victim is with the back up against the wall because the medical bills will bankrupt him/her, the incentive to sue is greater because there is more at stake. Court cases in Europe are more about compensation for loss of quality of life, than about actual cost of medical bills or loss of income due to disability.
Cant speak for all of Europe, but in Holland, loser pays all legal fees, the process costs, as well as the opponents lawyers. This encourages people to analyse risk vs reward before filing a lawsuit. This in contrast with the "no cure no pay" principle in the USA, where the decision to file suit, depends more on the risk vs reward analysis of the plaintiffs lawyer, than on the risk vs reward analysis of the plaintiff him/herself.
Very interesting matter !
I notice you like to talk non-stop criticism of the USA. What we drive, our equipment, etc.
I point out an exclusion to the general rule which i find interesting. I point out many differences, i even call our social insurance system a joke because i payd 1/3 of my salary for 20 years, so far only had 2 weeks of unemployment benefits, untill i incurred brain damage in an accident 2 years ago. With the length of bureacracy i have found myself in before i could get my own money back now i need it, i would rather have had it in the bank because if i work retirement age of 68, i would still be a nett contributor. I have no idea where the government put it !
I have been to and like many parts of Europe, but the EU’s problems I wouldn’t trade for the US’s problems.
Exchange students sometimes are afraid when they sleep over in the West of the country when storms hit. Theyve heard about the 1953 floods, and are uneasy knowing their bed is 5 feet under sea level.
And vice versa, some Dutch exchange students are uneasy when they hear anything at night, knowing you guys have bears snakes and crocs.
You dont have to take these differences as personal criticism.
