Friday, January 30, 2004
A Poor Reader unloads on "tort reform"
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004
From: J
To: editor@201k.com
Subject: Anyone looking for a missile...
...to lob against those pushing "tort reform" (Hello... John Edwards... anyone in there?) need look no further than this NY Times piece on Con Ed's admission that an improperly insulated wire beneath a metal plate "had contributed" to the electrocution death of the woman from the East Village walking her dogs. Funny, no mention of road salt by the company.
Apparently as a result of the accident the company intends to check its 250,000 manholes and service boxes for stray voltage and to begin conducting yearly inspections. Yearly inspections of high voltage facilities - there's an idea.
Now ask yourself: Is this an instance of admirable self regulation or abject panic over the wrongful death lawsuit the company's most likely going to be hit with? Here's a hint: they didn't agree to do any of those things a couple of years ago after that poor horse was electrocuted - steps that likely would have prevented this young woman's death.
Does anyone actually think Con Ed would have reacted the same way if the wrongful death damages in this case were capped at $250,000?
From: J
To: editor@201k.com
Subject: Anyone looking for a missile...
...to lob against those pushing "tort reform" (Hello... John Edwards... anyone in there?) need look no further than this NY Times piece on Con Ed's admission that an improperly insulated wire beneath a metal plate "had contributed" to the electrocution death of the woman from the East Village walking her dogs. Funny, no mention of road salt by the company.
Apparently as a result of the accident the company intends to check its 250,000 manholes and service boxes for stray voltage and to begin conducting yearly inspections. Yearly inspections of high voltage facilities - there's an idea.
Now ask yourself: Is this an instance of admirable self regulation or abject panic over the wrongful death lawsuit the company's most likely going to be hit with? Here's a hint: they didn't agree to do any of those things a couple of years ago after that poor horse was electrocuted - steps that likely would have prevented this young woman's death.
Does anyone actually think Con Ed would have reacted the same way if the wrongful death damages in this case were capped at $250,000?
