OT: A story of lawyers
Discussion
The story begins in Charlotte, North Carolina, where a lawyer with too much money bought himself a box of 24 rare and expensive cigars with which to impress himself and his friends when they came round for some fried chicken and mashed potatoes. It cost him $15,000.
Being a man who likes to have everything in order he insured the cigars against floods, fire, theft and all the usual things which ensure that insurance men do not get to be too rich. Within a month the lawyer found that he had smoked his entire collection and feeling a little sorry for himself (and being a smart-ass) filed a claim with the insurance company stating that his cigars had been lost "in a series of small fires".
The insurance men were outraged and refused to pay. The lawyer sued the insurance company for failing to honor the contract - and won the case. In delivering his ruling the judge agreed that the claim was frivolous but stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable fire, and so they were obligated to pay the claim. Rather than endure a lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid the necessary $15,000 to the lawyer.
A tale of modern lawyers, you may think, but a few days later when the lawyer had cashed the check, he found himself being taken into custody by a number of policemen. He was charged with 24 counts of arson and as his own insurance claim and testimony now worked against him he was quickly convicted of intentionally burning his insured property. The case ended with him being sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine.
Being a man who likes to have everything in order he insured the cigars against floods, fire, theft and all the usual things which ensure that insurance men do not get to be too rich. Within a month the lawyer found that he had smoked his entire collection and feeling a little sorry for himself (and being a smart-ass) filed a claim with the insurance company stating that his cigars had been lost "in a series of small fires".
The insurance men were outraged and refused to pay. The lawyer sued the insurance company for failing to honor the contract - and won the case. In delivering his ruling the judge agreed that the claim was frivolous but stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable fire, and so they were obligated to pay the claim. Rather than endure a lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid the necessary $15,000 to the lawyer.
A tale of modern lawyers, you may think, but a few days later when the lawyer had cashed the check, he found himself being taken into custody by a number of policemen. He was charged with 24 counts of arson and as his own insurance claim and testimony now worked against him he was quickly convicted of intentionally burning his insured property. The case ended with him being sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine.
Nice.
Quote of the day:
"Life here is the usual blend of tedium, depression, mediocrity and infrequent sexual gratification that characterises being a lawyer."
An extract from a conversation btwn 2 excolleagues, one of whom got out of the law ... and one frustrated individual who didn't.
Quote of the day:
"Life here is the usual blend of tedium, depression, mediocrity and infrequent sexual gratification that characterises being a lawyer."
An extract from a conversation btwn 2 excolleagues, one of whom got out of the law ... and one frustrated individual who didn't.
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff