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Personal injury lawyers will be moving to Illinois in waves as soon as they get wind of this recent decision by the state’s Supreme Court (ok, not just PIs). The court just placed a limit on the amount of damages in malpractice cases against the legal profession.

The court ruled that clients may sue their lawyers for the standard, compensatory damages they would have won if their lawsuit had been properly brought.
But writing for the majority, Justice Lloyd Karmeier said clients could not sue their lawyers for lost punitive damages, which juries sometimes award to punish defendants for intentional misconduct.
Lawyers should pay for their negligence, but to hold them responsible for the intentional misconduct of someone else "tears the concept of punitive damages from its doctrinal moorings," Karmeier wrote.

Frankly, placing a limit on damages is a mistake. Who is to say that the award granted is more compensatory than punitive? The jury is there to decide, and if they decide that a client lost 2 million because of a lawyer’s gross negligence, then the award is fair. That’s why it’s called malpractice. It’s supposed to hurt. Cutting an award in half or more doesn’t teach that lawyer a lesson. It’s more like a mere slap on the hand. So, don’t screw up.
And if malpractice insurance is getting you down, please complain to the insurance industry already! I’m sick and tired of hearing of damage caps to ease insurance premiums when the real criminal is the industry. Only 1% to 5% of lawsuits make it to court (yes, all the ones we hear on the news, subtract the majority). Doctors, lawyers, businesswomen bleed money thanks to rising insurance premiums. They say it’s all the lawsuit abuse, but it’s not possible. It’s a handy excuse that works because everyone feeds into their spiel. When was the last insurance company bankruptcy or merger? They just keep springing up, raising premiums, and playing the blame game on their own clients or wherever they can find it.
Caps you say. And when you actually do need to sue for a real grievance that deserves a 1 million payout, you’ll get $25,000 thanks to you and the government. Don’t forget about taxes and the reasonable lawyer fees. Abuse exists. Just don’t get rid of the protections. They are there for a reason. Really.

Update your links if you have to. This weblog is now published in php. I think I sprouted a few grey hairs in the process too. What a pain! I never imagined anything would give me as much trouble with permissions as this.
So, if you have trouble viewing the blog, please let me know. I’ll cry, whine, and eventually figure it out. Unless it’s your problem. 😉

Excuse me while I scream.
Of all the crappy reffing I have seen, this has to be the worst and most deliberate! I’m pissed. There’s no way that was a penalty. Univision is showing the replay, and they say it’s not a penalty. It’s not a penalty. They just don’t like the US team. I’m surprised they didn’t disqualify the team’s first goal as offsides. The US will win this match, and if they don’t it won’t be because they didn’t play their best. It will be because of the horrible refs.
2-1 Ghana leads for now.
final: Assuming Brazil wins later today, Ghana is in for a whipping in the next round. It would be interesting if they won though.
Stupid ref.

I’m liveblogging this, and I’m getting all weepy listening to the Mexican anthem. Just listening to the crowd it’s obvious that this match is going to be massive. It’s important to Mexico because it determines whether the team advances, so a draw or a win is good.
Gah! That sucks!! Minute 5 Portugal scores. Come on Mexico. Keep attacking. That was an awesome goal though.
update: 2-1 In favor of Portugal, but this match does not let up. The Mexican goal really raised the team’s spirits. Here’s hoping it can translate into something more by the time the second half starts.
I did a quick call to a few family members. Frustration. Call back. It was hysterical. What can I say, we’re devoted. Anyway, second half is starting.
update 2: Penalty!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Idiota la fallo!! Ahi estaba el maldito empate y lo fallo. Gah!! Obviously, Portugal is still winning.
last: Portugal wins 2-1. Now comes the waiting game. Angola is winning their game, though the announcer just came on and that game just finished in a tie. Mexico is in the second round! Thank goodness, or maybe not. They may be playing against Argentina. Crap!

What’s the latest wheelchair accessibility? The niftiest car I have ever seen. Grey or black, bitte. Why is it that the Europeans tend to be more innovative than the Americans? England and Spain at times are more disABLED friendly (though not the underground!! MY GOD scariest experience ever). I want to live in Spain one day…
Anyway, if they start importing those cars, it would be cool if they could adapt them for scooters. Not everyone is a four wheeler. Three wheelers will inherit the Earth eventually…
Via Cnet.

Contrary to popular belief some of us do actually study for the bar exam…and watch the games at the same time. That means liveblogging is out of the question. And there are no moments of OMG Germany just scored in the last FREAKING MINUTE OF THE GAME!!!!!!!! That was a moment. When the Cup is over and all the main stations are doing their recaps, that goal will be among the favorites.
By the way, how cool was it that Spain pulverized the Ukraine? The penalty was stupid. I’ve seen more calls in other games that probably deserved the call, but this was just wacky. Maybe the referee was in the mood.

The first half just ended, and after much sparring Brazil is winning much to my distaste! I will admit that they’re playing beautiful football, and as long as I don’t see any baby gestures, the match will be watchable. I also think Croatia is doing a decent job, and as long as they don’t allow this last minute goal to phase them, there’s still an opportunity to tie the game or even win. Especially since Brazil’s defense tends to be asleep from time to time.
update: Brazil wins 1-0. This match actually rocked. It was tense. There were many attempts at goal by both sides, and the goalkeepers had awesome saves. My mom thinks she was thinking a semi-final match. It was that good, and I obviously agree. Brazil, not my favorite team, but I really appreciated this match.

A minute ago I was just thinking how much I miss Meola.
Goal in favor of Czech Republic during the 4th minute. This game is going to to be tense. And Univision just mention "grupo de la muerte" which I would take seriously except they say it for almost every group.
28 USA isn’t lost yet. They almost scored. They seem to be dominating the first half timewise. The Czech’s Koller is a threat though.
Have the Czech’s realized they need to control the ball? There was a corner kick in favor of the CR but it was kicked away safetly.
update: CR goal! Damnit! This sucks. �Reacciona malditasea!
final: CR 3 USA 0. That was a beating. It was ugly. I think I’m going to avoid phone calls and hope that Italy and Ghana suck, though I’m choosing Italy in the match later today. What an ugly game. I’m so bummed.

Mexico won in what can only be called a thriller. 3-1, and those last two goals were only minutes apart! I like everyone else in that stadium wanted a fourth, but it was not to be. That’s ok. At least they won.
I watched the Australia v. Japan game for a while. I really liked the way Japan kicked the ball even if the goalkeeper was a bit too nervous at times (their downfall). Australia pulled it together at the end, and they may earn the second spot with this win, but the fact is I’ve seen better teams play, so while it may reach the 16 match, it won’t advance from there.
The USA game is going to start soon. Stay tuned for liveblogging.

I hate reading up on cases like this one. It’s only one percent people. Remember that. The rest, well, we’re nice. Really. Well, I’m going to be witchy, but uber cool.
Anyway, as the story goes, robber goes and tries to steal some stuff. Unfortunately for him the people at Autozone aren’t going to sit by and get robbed, though the fact that this criminal has a gun is rather dangerous. They fight back in self-defense. Now the robber is suing. Claims he was assaulted.
Strange. Didn’t he just do the assaulting?
Here’s hopeing the justice system does the right thing and recognizes that the claim is empty. Hopefully someone will do something about that lawyer. Ugh.