"Four Trials"

[Catchawave]

Who's read it? Discuss :)

Four Trials is a book by former U.S. Senator John Edwards of North Carolina and his co-writer, John Auchard. The book was published by Simon & Schuster in December 2003, before Edwards unsuccessfully ran for President and, later, vice president on the Democratic Party ticket with fellow Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts in the 2004 presidential election.

The book is autobiographical in nature and relates the story of four different civil trials where Edwards acted as an attorney for people seeking damages (petitioners) against large institutions and insurance companies (respondents). Interspersing the stories of each trial are remembrances from Edward's childhood, time in law school, and meeting his wife Elizabeth Edwards. Edwards also writes about his children (including Wade, his teenage son who died in a freak car accident).

The "Four Trials" in the book are four different trials covered in four chapters: "E.G." (an alcoholic who was treated by an aggressive aversion therapy that caused coma and brain damage), "Jennifer" (a women whose child had serious injuries because her obstetrician didn't perform a Cesarean section), "Josh" (a young child whose parents were killed in a car crash by a speeding truck driver who was paid by the number of miles he drove), and "Valerie" (a girl who got seriously injured by a swimming pool drain due to faulty design).

linky: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four_Trials

[Infinite Hope]

1. Unfortunately I haven't. n/t

[Catchawave]

7. I remember getting my copy *free*

well, with a $50. donation to his Presidential campaign in '04. You don't have to be a supporter of JRE's to enjoy the book, and you just might be after you read it!

[cmkramer]

2. I read it a couple of years ago. n/t

[Vinca]

3. I read it a couple of years ago, too.

If I ever meet John Edwards I want to ask him whatever became of the little girl who had her guts sucked out by the pool drain. He made a ton of money as a demon "trial lawyer," be it was well deserved.

[Catchawave]

6. I found an update in RamboLiberal's DU Journal !

That's what the Google search brought up :D

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/RamboLiberal/19

The update is near the bottom, but definitely a must read journal item about the company and another child who wasn't as fortunate as Valerie :(

[Vinca]

8. Thanks for the update. It was the most horrifying case.

Odd - and tragic - Jim Baker would end up with a connection.

[1932]

4. I read it. It makes a good argument about why a person who was a trial lawyer

would want to become President.

Edwards' early legal victories made a big difference for people who weren't his clients. Hospitals changed their policies with nurses -- they couldn't get fired for pointing out a doctor's error in the operating room (before Edwards's case, NC hospitals didn't have a policy protecting nurses' jobs so they wouldn't point out potential negligence -- they'd chose keeping their jobs over taking a chance saving someone's life).

However, as his victories became bigger, the NC legislature often undid the benefits through legislation protecting, for example, trucking companies from liability when their drivers got tired and caused accidents after Edwards won one of those cases.

So, what to do? Make a difference at the legislative level.

[Catchawave]

5. He gave up a very lucrative career for

public service and humanitarian pursuits. That says a lot about his character too.

[citizen snips]

9. I read it a while back

the first case he explained was the best in my opinion.

[Catchawave]

10. This one...?

http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/excerpts/2004-01-12-four-trials_x.htm