And You Think Your Kid Is Expensive

See that money just flyin' away. Perhaps gag orders to cover up wrong doing should not be allowed at all.

I agree with you, Patty, but little Miss Gatormouth needs a whoopin'.

I settled a small matter before filing suit, and their attorney not only pointed out the non-disclosure clause of the agreement, she also advised that I not tell family or friends the details because their blabbing could ruin it for me.

I talked with my own lawyer some time later, and he agreed -- even if I wasn't the one who blabbed, it'd violate the agreement and make me look like I acted in bad faith. It'd severely weaken my chance of winning in court.

@Phideaux: So, what were you supposed to keep you mouth shut about? 🙄

Couldn't have happened to a nicer kid. Maybe she'll get to tour a local waste treatment facility instead. This is going to turn me into a believer.

I'd have thought that a 69yo headmaster would have had an inkling that actions have consequences.

Things like disclosure clauses and statutes of limitation are there to grease the wheels of justice. Imagine how many more cases would go to trial without them. Only the lawyers would gain.

So, instead of fixing the system the idea is to smear enough grease on it until it doesn't squeak?

Just askin'.

Sadly, we're saddled with the current system because no one has ever come up with a better one. The 'flaws' that some like to point out are almost always based on sound principles to guarantee fairness.

Things like settling without admitting guilt, non-disclosure clauses, and all the rest are there because they provide a way to settle the matter to everyone's satisfaction without a trial. That's necessary because trials are by their very nature expensive and time consuming, being basically the last resort for people who can't reach a middle ground.

As for what I'm supposed to keep my mouth shut about: I can tell you just about everything about it except the name of the company and the dollar amount of the settlement. I could probably tell even those things because this forum is reasonably anonymous, and I can't be the only one ever to have that problem with that company, but there's no upside in it for me, so why take the risk? 😊 I got my revenge on them by taking up a lot of their expensive lawyer's time as well as getting more money than I've ever won playing the lottery.