hand vs factory loads for self defense?

Money changes everything, Cat. A well-lawyered defendant who has the resources to fight a protracted legal battle is a fortified target.

Given that the plaintiffs in many cases are going to be relying on bottom feeding contingency fee lawyers, the decreased chances of a quick/easy payoff is going to be a factor in getting the lawyers to sign/stay on board in the face of a long and expensive fight.

For the ordinary Joe, legal trickery will be of limited help, if any help at all.

I would say that the average Joe is VASTLY better off increasing their personal liability coverage to $3-5 million or more if you have substantial assets. Liability insurance is relatively cheap because it is rarely needed. But if you do need it in the case of a civil suit, it can represent a good motivator to make the other party take the "easy" money and run rather than digging in for a protracted fight for money they may never be able to collect.

I can't count the number of times I've heard of plaintiffs suing for tens of millions, but then caving for a quick settlement within the insurance limits of $500k or $1m.

Grouse
 
Originally Posted By: Squeeze
Bless the states that limit civil liability, in cases
of justified self-defense!
grin.gif


Squeeze

Yes, but for every state cap, there's always an end-run around it in the right set of circumstances.

Just look at that Travon Martin case. The state law clearly limited the legal avenues with the Stand Your Ground law. That didn't stop the Martin family lawyers from doing everything they could to play the race card in hopes that they could get it kicked over into FEDERAL court as a hate/racial bias and civil rights crime.

They almost succeeded. And if they would have managed to get Zimmerman hauled into a liberal Federal court, they outcome would almost certainly have been VERY bad for him. They almost got him except for the fact that he was squeaky clean when it came to things that would prove a racial bias. But the whole thing hinged on the tiny details. If he'd have posted one off-color joke on Facebook or visited one "racist" website (and believe me, they checked EVERYTHING), his goose would have been cooked.

So state caps are good, but don't get a false sense of security if you live in a state that caps civil judgments.

Grouse
 
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