While many were distracted by school funding and gay marriage, Kansas legislators quietly passed the “cheeseburger law” last session, shielding food manufacturers and restaurants, as of July 1, from being sued by customers looking to hold them accountable for their obesity and other illnesses. For some, this may count as substantive tort reform, but it seems a time-wasting solution to a nonexistent problem in Kansas’ courts. And immunizing industries from legal accountability should be done with caution, if at all.
Posted by Rhonda Holman
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11 Comments
Rhonda:I agree with much that you have to say, but here is a place where you and I part company. I don’t believe in shielding big or small corporations who irresponsibly hurt people.
The problem with the obesity law suits against fast food companies is that the “injured party” participated knowingly and voluntarily with their own victimization. In fact you could say their voluntary actions were a direct cause of their injuries. If the injured parties were unable to grasp the concepts of nutrition and diet, that might be one thing, but I am doubting that happens in many cases.
Let’s not forget that personal responsiblity (which can prevent obesity)is better than any legal remedy for problems brought on by voluntarily consuming too much fast food.
I get really tired of Republican rants against trial lawyers. People do need to protect themselves, but being on the side of fast food law suits is just not clear thinking in my view.
The best get-rich-quick scheme in America is to sue!
Rhonda,
I suppose when we can start holding the Eagle editorial staff acountable for irresponsible journalism in the courts, you might be in favor of some tort reform then…
If the best get-rich-quick scheme in America is to sue, the second best scheme is corporations ripping off consumers with faulty, cheaply made products. If this wasn’t true, there would be no need for trial lawyers.
Rhonda’s just upset that the legislature is doing something responsible, like forestalling more mind-numbing irresponsibility in the courts, instead of attending to her personal agenda, which is voting to decree all women to be the “Princess High-And-Mighty Told-You-So Queens of the world.”
Rhonda, was the “cheesburger law” ever mentioned before in the Eagle? It sounds as though the Eagle was the distracted one.
“Other Illnesses”, this is what bothers me. If your kids die from the restaurant’s faulty food handling practices, that will be bad enough, we wouldn’t want the restaurant to suffer.
The Legislature wasting time on this kind of nosense is why they can’t important stuff like school funding done during the regular session.
“Madoon”, so you have a problem with Rhonda’s agenda?
Yummy, That looks so good.
Just as a broken clock is right two times per day, the Republicans have some things correct. Two correct things that come to mind are the Republicans’ understanding that “the people” get these two paradoxes:1) Welfare takes more away from people than it ever gives to them. &2) The more responsibility one assumes, the more freedom one has.
I think it is ridiculous that most people are looking for someone to blame everything on. People are no longer responsible for their own lives.
You choose!!