Jefferson Parish Red Light Cameras

[ddeacon1]

The wife received a postcard in the mail on Friday about a class action suit against the red light cameras in Jefferson Parish. She was looking over the fine print and noticed that the "ambulance chasers" will get at least 33% plus expenses and the average joe might get as much as 20.00. I think that is a racket since they will charge the system probably 3.00 or more for a sheet of copy paper.

 

[CatCam]

My wife got the same notification -- I agree a crock of sh!t that the lawyers get 33%. However, the judge supports this as he is a lawyer too and it's money for his/her profession. Yeah, legalized mafia.

 

[Barry J]

The only person that gets any money in a class action lawsuit is the attorney.

 

[sliguns]

If the attorneys are the ones doing the leg work and court appearances, why shouldn't they be paid for their work?

Am I looking at this wrong?

 

[whitsend]

If the attorneys are the ones doing the leg work and court appearances, why shouldn't they be paid for their work?

Am I looking at this wrong?

If they were just billing by the hour that would be one thing. When you calculate the fee based on the number of hours spent on the case, what is the their rate?

I just got a check from a class action law suit this weekend. $6.61
Last year the check was a few cents less, the next two years should be about $9.xx each.
The lawyers got $3-$4MILLION. And they received this years $2million payment before January 23, but everyone just got their check.

 

[sliguns]

If they were just billing by the hour that would be one thing. When you calculate the fee based on the number of hours spent on the case, what is the their rate?

I just got a check from a class action law suit this weekend. $6.61
Last year the check was a few cents less, the next two years should be about $9.xx each.
The lawyers got $3-$4MILLION. And they received this years $2million payment before January 23, but everyone just got their check.

Wonder if there is a breakdown in legal expenses for these types of cases so the public could see how much the attorneys get per hour.

 

[DAVE_M]

Wonder if there is a breakdown in legal expenses for these types of cases so the public could see how much the attorneys get per hour.

Depends on the firm, but for large class action suits, I wouldn't be surprised if they were charging a number between $800-$1,000/hr. A few attorney friends charge $150-300/hr for small local stuff. Something that large could easily ring up higher numbers.

 

[sliguns]

Depends on the firm, but for large class action suits, I wouldn't be surprised if they were charging a number between $800-$1,000/hr. A few attorney friends charge $150-300/hr for small local stuff. Something that large could easily ring up higher numbers.

no doubt

In the adoption world, $300 to $500 per hour is the norm...so I could definitely see higher for class action...now, whether or not that's "fair" or not

 

[DAVE_M]

no doubt

In the adoption world, $300 to $500 per hour is the norm...so I could definitely see higher for class action...now, whether or not that's "fair" or not

The way I've been told is "You're paying me to help you get paid, so you're going to pay me well."

 

[sliguns]

The way I've been told is "You're paying me to help you get paid, so you're going to pay me well."

yeah I mean, I'm not entitled to another person's time/talent/ability/productivity....so I agree if I've been defrauded by someone, then I should have to pay someone for my advocacy in court if I don't know how to do that myself...but I'm not sure how mass class action lawsuits are set up...it's not like I can go it myself and handpick my attorney at the lowest billable rate, right?

So there is a difference here I guess

 

[DAVE_M]

yeah I mean, I'm not entitled to another person's time/talent/ability/productivity....so I agree if I've been defrauded by someone, then I should have to pay someone for my advocacy in court if I don't know how to do that myself...but I'm not sure how mass class action lawsuits are set up...it's not like I can go it myself and handpick my attorney at the lowest billable rate, right?

So there is a difference here I guess

I think the incentive of a class action suit is that it doesn't cost anything to join in on the fun. If something pertained only to an individual, then it would behoove them to take on their own separate case.

 

[sliguns]

I think the incentive of a class action suit is that it doesn't cost anything to join in on the fun. If something pertained only to an individual, then it would behoove them to take on their own separate case.

exactly

which is what makes determining costs for attorneys fees tougher

 

[JadeRaven]

The "average joe" isn't litigating this case to correct the injustice. The "average joe" is just sitting at home collecting a check and watching the View.

1/3 is pretty standard. Typically if a case goes to trial without settling, 1/3 becomes 40%.

If these guys were just getting some hourly-set rate, they probably wouldn't take the case.

Further, if they lost the case, nobody would be there to pay their hourly rate. There is a loser on every case. These guys might try two or three loser cases for every winner.

And finally, the costs of litigating these cases, hiring experts, collecting data from thousands upon thousands of claimants, etc., is staggering. These guys don't just show up, file a lawsuit, and collect their pay.

I mean, I agree, it's a joke when hewlett packard screws its customers, and 1,000,000 people get a $10.00 coupon to buy more hewlett packard stuff. But these cases wouldn't be litigated, and companies would continue to screw their customers without fear of reprisal, if it wasn't worthwhile for the litigators.

 

[Emperor]

I mean, I agree, it's a joke when hewlett packard screws its customers, and 1,000,000 people get a $10.00 coupon to buy more hewlett packard stuff. But these cases wouldn't be litigated, and companies would continue to screw their customers without fear of reprisal, if it wasn't worthwhile for the litigators.

Or, your spouse, child, relative could die or be seriously injured in an auto accident, along with others, and could file a class action lawsuit against the company that conspired to hide known problems with their products that killed 123 other people as a direct result, and your government could allow them to "party on" with just a slap on the wrist and a check!

Also, I never met a poor lawyer in my life. But think about the insanity of it all. You can lose your life, your business, your family, in a single incident; and you may never recoup anything for it. As a layman, you cannot rectify it or litigate it yourself, so you are stuck hiring a lawyer if you want to pursue any justice (or money), at all. And since when do lawyers lose money on cases they don't win? Even bad lawyers rarely take contingency cases without getting paid something.

I am not down on law as a profession, but it sure seems that is a seedy business plan.

 

[STPHomie]

The way I've been told is "You're paying me to help you get paid, so you're going to pay me well."

That's fine when you choose to hire representation.

 

[JadeRaven]

Or, your spouse, child, relative could die or be seriously injured in an auto accident, along with others, and could file a class action lawsuit against the company that conspired to hide known problems with their products that killed 123 other people as a direct result, and your government could allow them to "party on" with just a slap on the wrist and a check!

Also, I never met a poor lawyer in my life. But think about the insanity of it all. You can lose your life, your business, your family, in a single incident; and you may never recoup anything for it. As a layman, you cannot rectify it or litigate it yourself, so you are stuck hiring a lawyer if you want to pursue any justice (or money), at all. And since when do lawyers lose money on cases they don't win? Even bad lawyers rarely take contingency cases without getting paid something.

I am not down on law as a profession, but it sure seems that is a seedy business plan.

The ignition defect thing just recently settled and I believe victims are getting a check, totaling $625M. Really though there was a big question of whether or not those liabilities were discharged in the bankruptcy, so it's really a blessing they got anything at all. If it wasn't for the attorneys representing the class, they literally would have gotten nothing, and many may have never known they had a claim to begin with.

You can absolutely represent yourself pro-se. You don't have to hire an attorney. But if your case is good, you don't want to risk screwing it up, and your attorney will be able to bring you more money than you ordinarily could have gotten yourself.

I take it you haven't met many attorneys Also, many poor lawyers don't introduce themselves as lawyers. They go by titles such as "barista" or "waiter" or "I live with my parents."

And a contingency fee is just that, contingent. If you are on a contingency fee and you don't win the case, you just did days, months, or years of work for nothing. There are tons of contingency cases. Some attorneys even front money to their clients in the meantime.

Now if you have a loser case, no attorney will touch it because it's a waste of his or her time.

 

[Whitebread]

I work for a comapany that brings in $40m a year in revenue. Its a pretty high risk industry so our insurances are insane. Last year we spent $1.04 million just to insure ourselves from loss or liability this does not include any sort of employee benefits. We then spent $20,000 on representation and we haven't been sued directly in 3 years. And since we normally lose we never sue. Between taxes and Lawyers its nearly impossible to start a business without bending over and taking it.

Lets ignore taxes because I'm trying to have a good day here.

Last year we had a customer that misused a piece of their equipment that we service and tried to file against our insurance when they broke it. It was quite obvious our services had nothing to do with their employee side-loading a crane and dropping a load. Long story short the wire rope walked off the pulley and sheared the pulley block dropping a sheet metal die. I don't any recall injuries. Now our insurance has to fight to stay out of it because some lawyers and insurance people got together and said if we sue everyone who ever breathed in the same location we may not have to foot the bill for an idiot employee wrecking a multi-million dollar die.

My point is the legal system is an embarrasment in every way and the only people who ever win are the attories.

 

[AustinBR]

One other thing to consider is that it is often teams of lawyers who put forth many, many hours of work for that one case. Sure they might charge more per hour, but everyone with a professional degree charges more per hour. It just so happens that their skills go for a little more than other groups of professionals. Further, many of the attorneys on those large teams must then split their profits a little when they pay people who assisted them directly, but weren't on the big team payout.

Secondly, I know lots of poor lawyers. The big rich ones make names for themselves. The guys on their teams don't make nearly as much.

 

[Nathan Hale]

That's fine when you choose to hire representation.

One can always "opt-out" of the class.

 

[Nathan Hale]

And remember, you can always represent yourself.