The Oregonian
What are your first thoughts? What is your gut reaction? The first comment posted recites the same old cliche “frivolous lawsuit.” That phrase pisses me off.
People feel justified making a snap judgment about this family, the victim, the facts of what happened, and the American justice system. The reporter’s choice of words invites this type of ignorant reaction. It is amazing how much a word or a phrase can say. What if the headline read “Family of cyclist seeks justice after daughter’s death?” Would the reaction be different?
Does it matter how much money the family put in the complaint? That fact tells the uninformed nothing about what the $2 million represents.
Beyond the bias against plaintiffs, many of the comments are aimed directly at the cyclist. She was in the bike lane, next to the truck, stopped. A bike is a vehicle and no driver has the obligation to prevent the negligence of another. If this truck has a blind spot that big, then something should be done about it.
It is fine to have an opinion, but it is important to recognize the limit of your knowledge of the facts, the law, and the unimaginable pain of losing a child (the statistics on depression and divorce is not good for the parents).
Despite the calculated attack by the insurance industry and the media (which has poisoned the public), I am proud to be a trial lawyer.
