HBO's Hot Coffee Documentary ( Tort Reform Exposed/Karl Rove)

[Jefferson23]

* Consider watching the film, it is well constructed and moves far
past the McDonalds hot coffee lawsuit. Certainly much of the ground covered
is not new to most DU members, but the film does put into perspective
why and how tort reform has advanced, as in the arena of arbitration, mandatory with
credit cards etc.

Another area of focus, Karl Rove and his accomplishments on stacking the Texas court system
via enormous amounts of money for judicial elections. When they lost to a candidate
that was not their idea of coporate friendly, they went after him through the justice
system with bogus charges. ( Mississippi Supreme Court Justice) is a case in point. Rove stacks the state Supreme Court
as so many injury cases are then reversed on appeal by the tort friendly justices.

http://www.hbo.com/documentaries/hot-coffee/interview/susan-saladoff.html?cmpid=ABC453


One review here: Joanne Doroshow.Center for Justice and Democracy

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/joanne-doroshow/watch-hot-coffee-a-powerf_b_884318.html

[Marie Marie]

1. Thanks for the post. Saw this documentary listed but did not know what it was about.

HBO does have some excellent documentaries.

[Jefferson23]

3. I almost changed the channel when I saw the title, but as soon as

it stated documentary, I became interested.

They did a great job imo, and I am not familiar with HBO's demographics, but
hopefully it will get a big audience..the more diverse the better.

[kas125]

2. Thank you for the reminder. I forgot to watch it earlier, but I am

watching it now.

[Jefferson23]

4. What did you think of it? I was especially pleased to see Senator Franken

support of Jamie Lee Jones case. Heartbreaking the story and hopefully voter's
will reconsider their positions on Tort Reform when they watch what happened
in Nebraska. The baby who's very life was permanently altered due to negligence
receives an appropriate amount of money through a trial only to have it changed
to a meager amount...an outrageous abuse of the justice system.

[Fuddnik]

5. I thought it was awesome.

People find out that "frivolous" lawsuits aren't so frivolous after all. The Chamber of Commerce PR machine, damage caps, non-financial damages, arbitation, they're all meant to screw you, protect corporations, and deny your rights to even go to court.

The couple who's child was severely disabled by the doctors negligence, was awarded $6 million, but the state had a $1.25 million dollar cap, and that's all they got.

Non-financial damages exclude you from damages such as say, blindness, loss of limbs, brain damage, etc.

[Jefferson23]

6. Yea, it was a transforming moment for many who believed they knew

what happened to the elderly lady who spilled her coffee..we need much more
of this type of info out there. We should be able to get bi-partisan voter support for
this once voter's know what the stakes are and what they can lose.

The mandatory arbitration another level where you lose your rights..horrendous.

[shconnor]

8. I thought it was awesome too and don't forget

The $1.25 million capped amount they received paid the lawyers and hospital bills with the Dad saying they ended up with $200,000. He might have said $250,000, but I know he didn't say anything near $300K.

If you saw the documentary, you know why this is an atrocity!

If you did not see the documentary, you should do all possible to do so if you care about the USA and your children's future. It appears things are going the wrong way for citizens at lightning speed.

[kas125]

10. It was great and I think everyone should see it. The personal

stories they told might make some people who support tort reform rethink their position. Or at least I hope so. Both the Jamie Lee Jones case and the twin baby whose damage amount was capped without the jury knowing it should be enough to convince any sane person that what they're doing is just wrong and dangerous for all of us. I've told everyone I can think of that they should watch it and posted it on facebook a couple times, too. I joined the Hot Coffee facebook group a while back, so I knew Senator Franken was going to be in the movie. I've been waiting to see it for what seems like a long time.

[Jefferson23]

12. I had not heard anything about this documentary. It was well done, and

will hopefully be viewed by a diverse political spectrum of voters.

[JenniferJuniper]

7. Haven't finished watching it yet but

I'm pleased and surprised someone made this film.

I worked on the insurance defense side for many years and believe that the "judicial tort reform" that has been going on in many parts of this country for the past 20 or so years is very dangerous.

Yes, there are some frivolous claims and suits. But usually they are ferreted out pretty early. And yes, there are exaggerated injury claims out there. But the people who are affected by judgment caps and immunities are those people grievously and wrongfully damaged by doctors and large corporations.

Remove liability exposures from the picture and corporations, hosptials and insurance companies win while the rest of us become less and less safe from them with each passing year.

[Jefferson23]

9. The dangers are well defined in the documentary, absolutely. n/t

[janet118]

11. Just saw this documentary and highly recommend . . .

As someone who works in the legal profession, I have seen up close and personally how civil justice is a commondity that only the rich can afford.

[Electric Monk]

13. I finally got around to watching it. _-*K*&*R*-_ I think every American should see this.

nt