Lawyering can be an honorable profession. One of my best friends from high school is a lawyer as was his dad. I can't think of two finer people. I have nothing but respect and admiration for them. Even though I'm 40-plus the idea of going to law school still percolates in my head because of them. I'd like to do what they do.
On the other hand, there are some greasy fucks. When my first wife died in a car accident -- one that almost killed me -- I got sympathy cards from half a dozen lawyers, none of whom I'd ever met. I got phone calls from several others offering their condolences and letting me know they were there should I need their services. I did not.
The guy who hit us had no insurance. My uninsured motorist policy was supposed to kick in. After four or five months of promises, the company declared insolvency. I retained my friend who was then working for a firm in Birmingham.
Took nearly a year, but he got the money from the insurance company. He would not take a fee and billed me only for actual expenses. I'm sure his firm jacked him for the hours he should have billed but I don't know for sure.
Later my wife's mother contacted me. She had hired a lawyer of her own and said she had some issues she wanted me involved in. Her mother was a douchebag and had not been involved in my wife's life for many years prior to our marriage. But I got my lawyer and we went to meet with hers.
Her plan was to sue the convenience store where the driver who hit us had gotten his alcohol. Sue the 22-year old girl who was working at the convenience store. Sue the other driver's mother and collect from her homeowner's policy because he had stopped by there a few hours before hitting us and she knew he had been drinking when he got in his truck. Sue a service station where he had stopped to use a pay phone when he was drunk. Sue his ex-wife (the divorce was finalized that day and she was still the beneficiary of his life insurance policies). Yes, the guy was slam hammered when he hit us. His BAC was something like .381 and rising. State troopers said he was probably unconscious and perhaps on the verge of death from alcohol poisoning. He was certainly dead. His body was in pieces and buried in the front of my truck.
The other lawyer recounted all this with drool running from his mouth. We could sue all these people and get tons of money. We'd attach the earnings of this 22-year old convenience store clerk for LIFE!
I got up from the table, told them they'd lost their fucking mind and would have no part of it. I wasn't going to add to the misery of that guy's mother, ruin the life of some girl schlumping her way through college or any of the rest of that. My lawyer friend said that was the right thing to do and he respected it.
The other lawyer and her mom badgeredme for months. Said the planned lawsuits wouldn't have the same effect unless I participated. I told them repeatedly to get fucked. They filed anyway eventually. Got nothing.
23 Replies
4350 Views