From: Patrick Jankowiak (recycler@swbell.net)
Date: Thu Oct 07 2004 - 18:28:25 PDT
There is some merit in being 'judgement-proof'.. Does not work
everywhere, but in Texas, they can't take your real property,
tools of the trade, or garnish your wages..
Jim Stead wrote:
> Good point. I would defend myself as vigorously as I could. But......
> It's far easier to *scare* people than it is to *inform* people.
> The judge has a calendar of crap to get through, and any jury doesn't
> want to be there to begin with.
> The easy way out for judge or jury wins, usually. A slick attorney,
> working for an insurance company and well practiced in the art of visual and
> horrifying language can turn your supposed best efforts for safety into the
> actions of the devil himself. Your attorney must be just as experienced the
> other way to even counter the guy. I have an idea about how much money
> Allstate has for that game...how much do you have?
> I think that if you're going to do anything like this, you need to
> DOCUMENT the reasons why. Copy all your reference materials, examples of
> systems by other manufacturers, all your calculations, and every name of
> every "expert" that told you something. You need to prove, beyond the shadow
> of a doubt, that any reasonable person would have come to the same
> conclusions as you did, and that you made these modifications utilizing your
> documentable mechanical and vehicular engineering skills with the intent to
> enhance safety for you, your passengers, and everyone on the road.
> If you're Mr. Backyard Wrench, like me, I don't think you stand chance
> #1 in a courtroom. Then again, that's just my humble opinion.:-) If I was
> the kind of guy that worried about the worst-case scenario and lawsuits,
> etc...I definitely would not do something like this! As it turns out, I
> don't worry about the unknown, the unforeseeable, and the unpredictable too
> much.....please post any info or progress with these kinds of mods. I'm
> interested in doing the same!
>
> Jim
>
>
>
>
>
>>Couldn't one argue that the addition of air brakes, or a new, modern
>
> master
>
>>cylinder, or power steering, or a new reliable Cat engine, are
>
> modifications
>
>>that ENHANCE the safety of the vehicle rather than detract from it? apb
>>
>
>
>
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