Ohio Supreme Court Destroys Jurors’ Role

[flashl]

Ohio Supreme Court Destroys Jurors’ Role and Fulfills Dreams of Greedy Insurance Companies

Columbus, Ohio - In a major victory for insurance companies and those who wish to be able to determine the financial risks associated with injuring people due to their own negligence; the Ohio Supreme Court rules that caps on damage awards in personal injury lawsuits, declaring them constitutional by a 5-2 margin this Thursday, December 27, 2007.

There were several business organizations who convinced - some say paid off - the Ohio legislature to cap damages awards to victims who are injured to a neglectful business economic in injuring others, effectively destroying hundreds of years of well settled law as it relates to the rights of man. But health care organizations are gleeful that they can always know no matter how careless they are, it will only cost them a sum certain, rather that being exposed to what a jury believes the value of the case is.

One dissenting justice stated it was a: "a sad day for the court" and "a tragic day for Ohioans."

The Court actually upheld damages caps approved by the legislature way back in year 2004. One of the statutes has a cap on awards for pain and suffering and intangible injuries to a maximum of $350,000 unless the injured person loses bodily organ or a limb. The other statute limits punitive damages normally understood to be a sort of death penalty to businesses who put profits over people, to just two times the amount of compensatory damages awarded by juries for injuries. The Court’s shocking ruling was the result of several years of litigation by Plaintiff Melisa Arbino, a Cincinnati woman, versus Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Co. The allegations were in part, that Johnson & Johnson was negligent, causing blood clots due to the use of a birth control patch manufactured and distributed by Defendant Johnson & Johnson.

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[yourout]

1. Is there a more corrupt State than Ohio?

The SCOTUS if fucked up but I am not sure the Ohio Supreme Court is not worse.

[Wizard777]

2. So Ohio has reduced your well being to a cost of doing business. Shame on them! n/t

[Big Blue Marble]

3. This is grave news indeed.

Is this a court that is the residue of the past Ohio Republican administrations?

[KT2000]

4. Just great....

Injuries are considered an acceptable cost of doing business. Improvements are held off until the cost becomes too great for the business. Now the state is assured of substandard safety unless laws and regulations force change.

Another rotten apple that will likely migrate to other states.