A Texas Tragedy

A number of us have written about the problems with the Texas tort system. Between Bush and Perry, many consumers have lost constitutionally protected rights:

Texas Tort Reform Harms the Public, Beth Janicek | August 05, 2011 1:21 PM

FALSE: Texas Gained 21,000 Doctors Because of Tort Reform, Mike Ferrara | August 26, 2011 2:32 PM

Exposing the Perils of Texas Tort Reform, Mark Bello | August 11, 2011 4:06 PM

Rick Perry: Tort Reform Hypocrite,Brett Emison | December 28, 2011 9:32 AM

More Tort Reform Baloney Out of Texas, Mark Bello | September 23, 2010 5:45 PM

Texas Tort Reform is STILL NOT a Model for Nationwide Health Care Reform, Mike Ferrara | September 09, 2009 10:17 PM

Straight Talk on Tort Reform from Texas, Bret Hanna | November 23, 2009 11:20 PM

Texas medical injuries mount as malpractice laws protect negligent doctors and hospitals, Wayne Parsons | August 13, 2011 2:50 PM

Justice In Texas Points Out The Injustice Of The Law, Mike Bryant | July 28, 2009 9:50 AM

Texas Malpractice News: It's All Bunk, Mike Bryant | July 11, 2012 9:20 AM

The West Fertilizer Company plant explosion is a horrific event. It is horrible to see the loss of human life and review a number of people who were injured. It is the type of incident that many of us here at the Legal Examiner get involved in. Cases where we fight to recover clients' losses and try to seek compensation for the families of the lost. A battle we write about here all the time.

The aftermath of the Texas loss is interesting because you have:

• The Governor and a Senator asking for federal funds. The Governor spoke against such aid as he ran for Governor and the Senator voted against aid for other states.
• There will be a need for recovery through workers compensation claims and personal injury/wrongful death claims, both of which have been gutted by those in power.
• There are questions about the lack of oversight at the business. In a state where leaders have championed the need for less regulation.

Now don't take what I say here wrong. I absolutely support the rights of the individual to recover for their losses, for the Government to be involved in providing aid , and in the need for regulation in safety issues for the employees protection. So I am not suggesting that any of the above requests be denied. I also don't believe that the consumer should pay for the short sighted views of politicians who live on insurance and big business lobbying money.

It is important to point out how tort reformers change when they are injured. How personal experience shows what really happens. Hopefully, it will be an eye opening experience for the closed minded.