Re: Insurance Calls

[Lee Levitt <wheelman@shore.net>]

Dwight Varnes <mxbreed@lancnews.infi.net>
>I read the original post, but haven't followed the thread up until now, 
>so if I'm a little out of context, I apologize.

>Here is what you're entitled too, nothing more, nothing less: Your car 
>returned to the condition it was in before the incident. If this cannot 

Spoken like a true insurance guy.
 
>Leave your lawyer out of it. All you'll do is spend more money than 
>you'll probably get. Unless you were physically injured, a lawyer won't 
>be a benefit. "Think about how your life has changed"...what the heck 
>does that mean? Now you're afraid to pump your own gas? Your girlfriend 
>won't ride in your car because it might explode? That's silly.
>Remember, it's all about putting your car back to the way it was before. 
>That's all.

WRONG! While insurance is about putting things back they way they were.
Suing the pants off 7-11 is punitive and prophylactic. I sent a long
private message to Christian the other day and hoped that we on the list
would be done with the issue, but I guess not.

The only reason Christian is around today, and 7-11 is *not* writing a
*big* check to his *estate*, is pure dumb luck. Nobody was smoking, no
sparks were generated. He was *lucky*! Why should they get off for a
pittance because nobody died?

*If* we don't penalize businesses for their mistakes (purposeful or
stupid), they won't change. Let this slip and someone else might burn. Nail
them to the wall and maybe, just maybe, someone else will take the 5 extra
minutes to check the fucking hoses once a week like the law says, or show
the high school clerk where the fucking off switch is.

Then maybe, just maybe, someone else won't be doused in gasoline. And burn.

This particular case was *so* lucky...if anyone had been smoking, or if the
car had gotten started...

Sorry for the 4 letter words...IMCO, when it comes to innocent people's
safety, you gotta make sure that corporate luzers aren't taking too many
shortcuts, and it sounds like they did on this one. I said this before,
I'll say it again:

"We *could* have heard about this on the 6:00 news, rather than on the list."

Sue the bastards. Make sure these assholes, and others, check their
equipment and train their staff. It's criminal for them not to.

I will say no more about this on the list. If you care to discuss this
further with me, contact me privately. Personally, I think Christian can
make his own decision at this point, and we're probably just pissing him
off. Sorry, guy, but I think Dwight is dead wrong.

Just my heated .02,

Lee

*****************************************************
Lee Levitt, Director, Business Development
Lee.Levitt@software.com
Software.com - The Internet Infrastructure Company (tm)
Publishers of Post.Office and InterMail 
91 Hartwell Avenue 		http://www.software.com
Lexington, MA 02173
Phone: 617-274-7000 x 229	Fax:   617-674-1080
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