Day 50: Why we need Tort Reform

Some time what seems like a millennia ago, we were all responsible for our own actions. In fact, the Greatest Generation is known for their commitment and dedication to the very ideal of being steadfast, responsible members of society. You got drunk back then and ran someone over, the bartender, bar owner, and your car manufacturer could not be held accountable as well. Fast forward 50, 60, 75 years and it is clear that somewhere along the way, we strayed pretty far from that tenet. We have slowly and increasingly placed blame upon others for our individual actions so much so that now everybody but the person responsible is liable. Case in point, today in Torts we discussed a hypothetical situation where a sign is clearly posted to the effect DO NOT WALK HERE, EXTREME DANGER, RUN AWAY RUN AWAY with an arrow pointing decidedly East. A passerby reads the sign, negotiates carefully around the impediments, past the sign, and through the dangerous area unharmed heading East. On the way back *the same path*, there is no sign warning sign pointing West, he takes no special precaution, falls into a theoretical pit of doom and hurts himself. Low and behold, we can bring suit against everybody and their mother because the injury certainly was not the pedestrian's fault. And pray god he suffered a bad spinal injury cause then it is big bucks. [Pardon me, while I pause to quell the horror in my head] I conclude, that this, my friends, is why we need Tort Reform. That and maybe a class in personal responsibility; we can call it "You f---ed up. Own it!".