View Full Version : Only in America: Lawyer story
swatsurgeon
02-09-2010, 19:23
BEST LAWYER/INSURANCE STORY OF THE YEAR, DECADE, AND POSSIBLY THE CENTURY.
This took place in Charlotte North Carolina. A lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars, and then insured them against, among other things, fire.
Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars, the lawyer filed a claim against the insurance company.
In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost 'in a series of small fires..' The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason, that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion.
The lawyer sued and WON! (Stay with me.)
Delivering the ruling, the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous. The judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company, in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable 'fire' and was obligated to pay the claim.
Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the cigars that perished in the 'fires'.
NOW FOR THE BEST PART...
After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!!
With his insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine. This true story won First Place in last year's Criminal Lawyers Award contest.
ONLY IN AMERICA.
Got to love it...
ss
Sadly...
http://www.snopes.com/crime/clever/cigarson.asp
...but fun to tnink about and certainly not too far removed from some of the true court cases we often read about. ;)
Richard
swatsurgeon
02-09-2010, 22:16
Hence, in the comedy zone rather than somewhere else where RL would blast me!!
Thank you Richard.
ss
A well dressed man enters a local Cat House. He asks to meet the Madam.
Upon exiting the back office, she appears to greet the fine gentleman. He asks if Lucy was working tonight. The Madam, says yes, but she is very expensive, $100 an hour, would he be interested in meeting some of the other girls she asks.
No, he says, Lucy would do. Upstairs, Lucy waits. The gentlemen enters her room, and places $5000 dollars on the dresser. Two hours later the gentleman leaves.
The next day, he arrives again to meet Lucy, another $5000 on the dresser. Each day, the same gentleman, each day, same amount.
After about 7 days, each for two hours, Lucy finally says. Why me, why so much?
The good man says, my name is Bob, I'm a Lawyer. In fact, I'm your sister's Lawyer from St. Louis. She passed away two weeks ago and wanted me to give you your inheritance check for $50,000. I wanted to make sure you got it tax free.
Two lawyers sitting in a bar having drinks.
In walks this drop dead, good lookin', steel bellied home wrecker of a girl who sits down at the other end of the bar and orders her drink.
The first lawyer watches her entry and says he'd really like to screw her. The second lawyer asks, "out of what?"
Ol Shamus
02-10-2010, 17:36
Brad Paisley wrote a song about this actually, its call "The Cigar Song."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BoBmCl-q_54
Roguish Lawyer
02-11-2010, 13:22
Hence, in the comedy zone rather than somewhere else where RL would blast me!!
Thank you Richard.
ss
Would never blast you, but it is a very old story . . . still good though. We need to get out to the desert with TS and a ton of ammo soon . . .
BEST LAWYER/INSURANCE STORY OF THE YEAR, DECADE, AND POSSIBLY THE CENTURY.
This took place in Charlotte North Carolina. A lawyer purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars, and then insured them against, among other things, fire.
Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these great cigars, the lawyer filed a claim against the insurance company.
In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost 'in a series of small fires..' The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason, that the man had consumed the cigars in the normal fashion.
The lawyer sued and WON! (Stay with me.)
Delivering the ruling, the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous. The judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company, in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be unacceptable 'fire' and was obligated to pay the claim.
Rather than endure lengthy and costly appeal process, the insurance company accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the cigars that perished in the 'fires'.
NOW FOR THE BEST PART...
After the lawyer cashed the check, the insurance company had him arrested on 24 counts of ARSON!!!
With his insurance claim and testimony from the previous case being used against him, the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000 fine. This true story won First Place in last year's Criminal Lawyers Award contest.
ONLY IN AMERICA.
Got to love it...
ss
It's a joke, I know, and a good one, so apologies beforehand. But...
It is a Common Law Principle that there is no coverage for intentional acts. The intentional act exclusion, which most policies include, will exclude coverage to those events that are "expected or intended" to cause property damage or bodily harm. However, ultimately the state's contract, insurance, and case law will decide the issue.
Red Flag 1
02-12-2010, 12:15
It's a joke, I know, and a good one, so apologies beforehand. But...
It is a Common Law Principle that there is no coverage for intentional acts. The intentional act exclusion, which most policies include, will exclude coverage to those events that are "expected or intended" to cause property damage or bodily harm. However, ultimately the state's contract, insurance, and case law will decide the issue.
What:confused:?
RF 1
greenberetTFS
02-12-2010, 13:00
What:confused:?
RF 1
I'm with RF1,What :confused::confused: ?
Big Teddy :munchin
I'm with RF1,What :confused::confused: ?
Big Teddy :munchin
What do you mean what?
Don’t tell me that I’m confusing you guys with that. Comeon guys! If I did, that wasn’t my intention, just trying to give some information.
bandycpa
02-12-2010, 14:49
A well dressed man enters a local Cat House. He asks to meet the Madam.
Upon exiting the back office, she appears to greet the fine gentleman. He asks if Lucy was working tonight. The Madam, says yes, but she is very expensive, $100 an hour, would he be interested in meeting some of the other girls she asks.
No, he says, Lucy would do. Upstairs, Lucy waits. The gentlemen enters her room, and places $5000 dollars on the dresser. Two hours later the gentleman leaves.
The next day, he arrives again to meet Lucy, another $5000 on the dresser. Each day, the same gentleman, each day, same amount.
After about 7 days, each for two hours, Lucy finally says. Why me, why so much?
The good man says, my name is Bob, I'm a Lawyer. In fact, I'm your sister's Lawyer from St. Louis. She passed away two weeks ago and wanted me to give you your inheritance check for $50,000. I wanted to make sure you got it tax free.
More like the lawyer wanted a tax deduction. Travel and (ahem) entertainment expenses are deductible to varying degrees. Inheritances are tax-free. Wages are not. :D
I know. CPAs during tax season are buzzkillers.
Bandy
Red Flag 1
02-12-2010, 16:16
What do you mean what?
Don’t tell me that I’m confusing you guys with that. Comeon guys! If I did, that wasn’t my intention, just trying to give some information.
Standard medical/attorney interface:D
RF 1
Standard medical/attorney interface:D
RF 1
I should have known! :D