Tort reform needed in this era of avarice

In order to avoid finding myself in court, I want to emphasize that what follows is my personal opinion and does not constitute any accusations against any particular person.

As I grew up some 60 years ago, a broken arm from falling out of a tree or monkey bars was almost a rite of passage. Your parents would take you to the family doctor, who would set the bone and apply a plaster cast. You would then proudly show off your infirmity and the more "autographs" you could collect, the more popular you were. No one thought of suing anyone; it was an accident and a common one at that.

And in my 71 years, I never met a person who was handicapped, disabled or otherwise restricted from pursuing a full and prosperous life because he or she broke an arm at the age of 6.

But that was then.

Now come the lawyers, enticing everyone to sue for the most minor or frivolous cause. And because it looks like an easy way to make money, avarice takes over and a lawsuit is filed. These suits are usually settled out of court to the delight of the lawyer and accuser alike, not because the accused thinks he will lose but because it is easier to settle.

The lawsuit you recently reported is one more reason to yearn for the return of a kinder, gentler time. It is also a pretty good argument for tort reform in this country.

Henry A. Robertson Beaufort