Why Does The Media Care About Dumb Lawsuits?

Last week, I saw a couple of stories about some guy who sued a group of people in New York for

$2,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000.

Yep, that is a lot. But other than a way to use up a bunch of zeros, does this story have any value beyond that? The guy is upset because he got bit by a dog and he ties a bunch of people into the suit. He is unrepresented. His pleadings are scribbled out on a piece of paper. It really is a yawner.

Now maybe the dog bite is real, or some of the defendants did something that they got sued for, but then it’s just an everyday ordinary claim. This isn’t proof of ambulance chasing lawyers or lawsuits going crazy. It really is just one guy doing something weird, the same you can find with any profession or activity out there.

I know insurance companies and big business interests love these stories. They help taint the jury. They serve as examples for jurors to use to drive down damages. To talk about, “you know this crazy lawsuit I heard”. “See how we need to stop it?”

The story is dumb and used unfortunately to push unsupported agendas. As to the merits, it sounds like the judge will be using the system correctly and as intended to keep us all safe from nonsense.