At a time when our state legislature should be working to address our state budget crisis, it is instead preparing to pass a new law that gives millions ( potentially billions ) of dollars to insurance companies by stripping away the rights of individuals and small businesses to bring almost any kind of lawsuit. Proponents of the bill have deceptively named it “Loser Pays,” but that name is a sham.
Former New York Yankee Jim Leyritz has reached a settlement with a Florida family over the wrongful death of Fredia Ann Veitch, who was hit by Leyritz in December 2007 while he was driving drunk. As part of the settlement, Leyritz will pay the family $250,000 and, starting next April, $1,000 a month for 100 months. Leyritz is still awaiting a criminal trial on charges of manslaughter.