Great Moments In Corporate Citizenship

[Fumesucker]

http://southernbeale.wordpress.com/2013/05/04/great-moments-in-corporate-citizenship/

The West, Texas fertilizer plant carried only $1 million in liability insurance, reports AP:

Tyler lawyer Randy C. Roberts said he and other attorneys who have filed lawsuits against West Fertilizer’s owners were told Thursday that the plant carried only $1 million in liability insurance. Brook Laskey, an attorney hired by the plant’s insurer to represent West Fertilizer Co., confirmed the amount Saturday in an email to The Associated Press, after the Dallas Morning News first reported it.

“The bottom line is, this lack of insurance coverage is just consistent with the overall lack of responsibility we’ve seen from the fertilizer plant, starting from the fact that from day one they have yet to acknowledge responsibility,” Roberts said.

Roberts said he expects the plant’s owner to ask a judge to divide the $1 million in insurance money among the plaintiffs, several of whom he represents, and then file for bankruptcy.

He said he wasn’t surprised that the plant was carrying such a small policy.

“It’s rare for Texas to require insurance for any kind of hazardous activity,” he said. “We have very little oversight of hazardous activities and even less regulation.”

A $1 million policy is not gonna do squat for West, Texas or the 14 families who lost a loved one, or those 200 injured people. But I guess the glorious free hand of the market will be there for them, right? That and federal disaster aid, of course!

By the way, maybe in addition to all of the prayers and moments of silence, the Texas House and Senate might want to pass a few regulations to help ensure something like this doesn’t happen again. After all, taxpayers all around the country are going to be footing the bill for the negligence of a Texas business — and the failure of Texas legislators to adequately regulate their dangerous industries. So yes, Gov. Rick Perry, as long as we all have to pay for it, you can take your “states rights” and shove it, you arrogant phony cowboy.

And since we’re talking about this, Texas is starting to look an awful lot Bangladesh and China. Except in those places, the evil business owners are arrested.

[Newest Reality]

1. Seems to have been the underlying charter of corporate ethics:

“Corporation. An ingenious device for obtaining individual profit without individual responsibility.” =Ambrose Gwinett Bierce

[LuvNewcastle]

5. I've always liked that quote. Conservatives claim that they're for

individual responsibility, but they always hide behind their corporate facade when the shit hits the fan. Individual responsibility is apparently for the rest of us suckers.

[SharonAnn]

2. OMG, I carry that much Liability insurance. And I just do occasional computer work.

That is grossly negligent of them and it shows that they never did care about their responsibilities.

[Half-Century Man]

3. Be on it Texas

While in the commission of a felony, the illegal manufacture and storage of explosives, an explosion happened which killed 14 persons and injured 200+. Negligent homicides which occur during the commission of a felony are classified as 1st degree homicides, aren't they? West Fertilizer Co needs to be charged with 14 counts of murder, the executives of West fertilizer Co need to be charged as accomplices during the fact. As motive seems to be reckless disregard for human life over money alone, the Death Penalty seems appropriate.
What would you do if a meth lab exploded and killed 14 people? Those who owned/ran said meth lab would be looking at a needle. Ergo, those who own/run West Fertilizer Co should, at the very least, have a needle waved at them.
I ask, does an insurance company have to pay? They were breaking the law and illegally manufacturing explosives. If Skippy Mc Citizen had gone radical and began making explosive to later build pipe bombs; the unsafe storage of illicit explosives would void the policy, right? No insurance equals owner liability , right? I believe everyone who owned stock at the time of the explosion should be liable for damages. Each share of stock billed, say $5000.00 apiece.
If a corporation's method of free political speech is expressed in money.....

[Ichingcarpenter]

4. Dr. Evil property management company

[Quantess]

6. K & R