DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - So I got bored and slightly side-tracked....

**LSDDSL** · 12-12-2007, 09:52 AM

I'll tell you this:
I created a video a while back which was an illustrated story.
Took me almost a month to create.
It got ganked by youtube and I almost got sued.
Why? Because I had included a photo of a person whom I did not get permission from in the video. (Mainly because he was dead, but his money-grubbing relatives were not.) Like it or not, they were right, and I was wrong.
Unless we are talking fair use, which is another kettle of fish, but whatever.

This is what is so abominable in America. Regardless of whether or not someone has a legitimate claim, they find a lawyer who will work on a contingent fee (he gets paid if you win or settle) to write intimidating letters and put someone else in the position of either settling or going to court to prove that they are, in fact, not liable. Assuming that the defendant is indeed not liable for whatever claim asserted, that person still loses in the sense that they have to hire a lawyer to defend them or pay out the settlement. If the aggressive lawyer is good, they'll know precisely what the defense would cost and suggest a settlement just under the cost of going to court.

It is legitimized extortion.

12-12-2007, 09:52 AM	#29
LSDDSL Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 619 Senior Member	I'll tell you this: I created a video a while back which was an illustrated story. Took me almost a month to create. It got ganked by youtube and I almost got sued. Why? Because I had included a photo of a person whom I did not get permission from in the video. (Mainly because he was dead, but his money-grubbing relatives were not.) Like it or not, they were right, and I was wrong. Unless we are talking fair use, which is another kettle of fish, but whatever. This is what is so abominable in America. Regardless of whether or not someone has a legitimate claim, they find a lawyer who will work on a contingent fee (he gets paid if you win or settle) to write intimidating letters and put someone else in the position of either settling or going to court to prove that they are, in fact, not liable. Assuming that the defendant is indeed not liable for whatever claim asserted, that person still loses in the sense that they have to hire a lawyer to defend them or pay out the settlement. If the aggressive lawyer is good, they'll know precisely what the defense would cost and suggest a settlement just under the cost of going to court. It is legitimized extortion.
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