Do your Duty. Jury Duty.

Lawrence Knapp — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:41:50 GMT

As a trial attorney, I am always disheartened when I hear friends and acquaintances bash jury duty. I represent folks who have spinal injuries, broken arms and legs, head injuries or a family member has died. These are people who's lives have been seriously effected by the negligence of others. My clients are normal everyday folks, just like my friends and acquaintances, who need the civil justice system to provide them with a fair and just result. The right to a jury trial is one of the most important rights we enjoy in America and one that sets our country apart from most others. That right depends upon the willingness of citizens to serve as impartial jurors. Men used to settle disputes by gun fights. Now they settle disputes in a more civilized manner – in courtrooms. For many people, jury service is the only opportunity they will have in their lifetime to participate in our system of government. Although jury service is frequently inconvenient, studies show that most jurors come away from the experience with positive feelings about their jury duty – especially if they sit through a trial. So do your duty.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Lawrence Knapp

Is Lawsuit Involving Little League Bat Wrong?

Larry Knapp — Mon, 19 May 2008 17:49:50 GMT

Today a brain injured child's lawyer filed a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the metal bat (from which a baseball launched hitting the boy in the chest just above his heart causing it to arrest for 15 to 20 minutes), Little League Baseball (who endorsed the bat with a seal of approval) and Sports Authority (the retailer that sold the bat). The news of the lawsuit brought the usual knee jerk reaction from many bloggers:

Manny

Maynard, MA

"Why do people always look for a reason or throw blame without realizing that sometimes accidents just happen and that there was nothing that could have been done to prevent them."

Tom Davis

Jacksonville, FL

"Does this mean I can get drunk, fall down on the sidewalk and sue Budweiser for manufacturing beer, the bar for selling it and the city for installing a sidewalk?"

Brenda

Bourbon, IN

"Just HOW do you think this lawsuit is going to make the sport safer?"

Tory One

Atlanta, GA

"What a total embarassment for America, this is close on the boiling coffee case. "

I will be the first one to admit that I am biased. That said, people need to stop a moment and consider the damage these type of cavalier comments do to our civil justice system. It's the best system going. Period. There is no other on the planet that serves the function of requiring wrongdoers to take responsibility and fairly compensate the injured. In addition, the effect of a "big bad" lawsuit is to make corporate profiteers consider the consequences of the products they put on the market for the public to consume. This particular lawsuit may, at first blush, sound poor. However, maybe the plaintiff's lawyer can prove that the manufacturer, the retailer and the approving organization (who all made money) put an unreasonably dangerous product on the market. Maybe the plaintiff's lawyer can't. However, I would rather see this brain damaged child's future care be paid for by the entities that profited from the sale of a defective dangerous bat than out of public funds.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Larry Knapp

Modesto Personal Injury Lawyer - Head & Brain Injuries

Do your Duty. Jury Duty.

Is Lawsuit Involving Little League Bat Wrong?