the tale Gregg Abbott and the tree that fell on him

[Malraiders]

i had a birch tree in my front yard. But after dry spell and a storm with heavy rain fall, the tree snapped apart and fell. I felt that the heavy water that the tree soaked up after the rain caused the tree to break apart.

I thought also that such an event would be looked on by the judicial system as an act of God.

From http://ballotpedia.org/Greg_Abbott :

(quote)Partial Paralysis
Shortly after graduating from law school, Abbott was jogging through River Oaks with a friend when a 75-foot oak tree snapped and fell on him, "breaking his back and some ribs." Even after multiple surgeries to repair the damage, he was still left partially paralyzed and forced to use a wheelchair to move around. Abbott went on to hire "Don Riddle, a well-regarded trial lawyer, to sue the homeowner and later the arborist," eventually agreeing "to an out-of-court settlement that would pay Abbott's current and future medical bills and compensate him for mental anguish and for some of the income he lost because of the accident."

It was reported that as of October 2002 Abbott had already received nearly $3 million of an award that is expected to exceed $10 million through the course of his lifetime. Riddle reportedly earned $1 million for the case and said that medical costs and other actual damages accounted for a fraction of the settlement, which mainly compensated Abbott for non-economic damages such as mental anguish.(quot)

[jehop61]

1. That's our tort system

Do you think having to spend the rest of your life in a wheelchair, inconsequential? Are you trying to make this tragedy something we should scoff at? That may be the attitude of people on the right who might call him a cheater, taker, etc, but not progressive or liberal thinkers.
His politics may be awful, but his tragedy is real.

Wendy did go over the top with her ad, but she is the best and brightest candidate for Governor of Texas.

[Archae]

2. The point is Abbott is a hypocrite.

Ok, he sues over the tree falling on him.

Once he actually got into office, he pushed for the Texas "tort reform."

Limits those who are suing.

Doesn't effect Abott, though.

[Rex]

4. Funny how certain people look past the obvious message

that Abbott is a total hypocrite...and they focus on RWing talking points instead. Go figure.

[Fred Sanders]

7. Hypocrisy. The word of the day and thread.

Now Abbott wants to shield the insurance companies and corporations that are pouring money into his campaign, shielding them from the justice that Abbott received.

[Rex]

5. Yeah the man is a two faced liar. Anyone with just a small amount of knowledge about him

knows that. Of course the RWing talking points are out in full force I see.

[Fred Sanders]

6. The Abbott ad hit home. At the heart of GOP hypocrisy and media hypocrisy, which is why they are

both enraged.

[Rex]

8. Yes! How DARE anyone speak the truth about Abbott or any GOPers!

They LOVE to dish it out, but cannot take even an ounce of it back!

Fuck em!

[Fred Sanders]

9. Precisely the message we both get, which the media also gets, but can not face. How much money do

you think insurance companies have paid for ads through the years in the major media?