Alabama man gets $1,000 in police settlement, his lawyers get $459,000

[cubby]

I wonder if you do, and I wonder if you know what a paralegal is because THEY are the ones that do literally ALL of the grunt work.

Lol, I am certain I know what a lawyer does (can you guess why by chance?). But it's pretty clear you only think you understand from what you've either seen, read or heard - but definitely not from what you actually know.

Thought maybe you had a clue from your last post, guess not.

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Yes, agreed but that is just one of those where the bad apples really do spoil the bunch for most people. Lex Luther could take hints from some of the bad ones.

It's unfortunate that the bad apples typically get all the headlines, when they are only perhaps 1 in 10,000. It really comes back to the totally fucked up media, and how they can only run "news" articles that are sensationalist.

[Torgent]

Then you go to jail. Probably for 20 years like the guy that you are beating. Just because someone commits a crime does not mean that they are automatically allowed to get beaten. Leave that to the prison guards and inmates. Cops should have lost their jobs, been charged with assault and put away for 20 years. Until something like this actually happens and cops are held to account for their actions, people are going to be brutalized all over the world by the police cause they think they are above the law when in fact they are there to enforce the law. The cops beating a suspect is a fair greater crime in my eyes then someone suspected of baby killing. Cops have a higher standard to live up to and even the slightest transgression should get maximum penalty. Punch a suspect? 10 years. Use your gun in an unsafe manner? 30 years. Cops get all the training they need so there is no excuse to work outside the law. Unless youre actually Steven Segal. Then it's OK.

I can't take you seriously. They saw him run over their partner, they watched it. He deserved to be physically beaten to ensure that he didn't flee again. He committed assault on an officer, fleeing, wanton endangerment, and countless other crimes. For him to get an ass-beating, I feel no sympathy. Anyone who does is just being whiny and probably thinks cops shouldn't be allowed to use their hands for anything.

[cubby]

I honestly wonder if you do, and I wonder if you know what a paralegal is because THEY are the ones that do literally ALL of the grunt work.

I have a lot of real world experience with lawyers (not to mention majoring in criminal justice in college).

If you disagree with something they say why, don't just "lol u dun no wat ur talkin bout n00b" as it just makes you look foolish.

So you doing it is ok, but me doing it is foolish. Ok, enjoy your logic train.

If you want to know why I'm right, just ask. I'll explain it to you - but it's pathetic to see obviously intelligent people jump on a band wagon when they have no clue as to what they are discussing.

[Fugus]

It's unfortunate that the bad apples typically get all the headlines, when they are only perhaps 1 in 10,000. It really comes back to the totally fucked up media, and how they can only run "news" articles that are sensationalist.

Agreed, question if you don't mind, I have heard that when it comes to dealing with the Department of Veteran Affairs, there isn't anything a lawyer can do over a VSO? Asking this because I have heard conflicting things and who better to ask than an actual Lawyer?

[cubby]

I can't take you seriously. They saw him run over their partner, they watched it. He deserved to be physically beaten to ensure that he didn't flee again. He committed assault on an officer, fleeing, wanton endangerment, and countless other crimes. For him to get an ass-beating, I feel no sympathy. Anyone who does is just being whiny and probably thinks cops shouldn't be allowed to use their hands for anything.

And thank you - the anti-police league in these forums are almost insane.

[Doctor Funkenstein]

Why are you focused on him?

It's his *lawyers* that sure as hell don't deserve $459,000.

[cubby]

Agreed, question if you don't mind, I have heard that when it comes to dealing with the Department of Veteran Affairs, there isn't anything a lawyer can do over a VSO? Asking this because I have heard conflicting things and who better to ask than an actual Lawyer?

So, while I am a lawyer, we don't typically know every part of the law. Graduating just means we have the understanding of how to learn about different aspects of the law. For example, after law school, people will join up with private firms or government agencies or what not, and then they start to become experts in their field, which isn't law per se (lol), but a specific area of the law.

A criminal attorney would have almost nothing intelligent to say about maritime law, and vice versa. They might offer their opinion, but they would also add "it depends" and "remember, this isn't my field."

So, unfortunately, I cannot answer your question, much as I'd like (my field is Criminal law with a smattering of Intellectual Property, which is an odd combination, I'll admit). Your best answer is to call the VA and actually ask them, or, even better, call Washington, D.C., and the Department of VA, which has a help line, and they will either answer your question or point you in the right direction.

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But please, tell me more of how I don't know how to know what I am seeing or hearing.

Just for starters, you think a criminal justice degree has something to do with knowing how the law works, and it doesn't. You might know how the law works, but you don't know how a lawyer works within the law, you just know the law itself. In other words, you know what a cake is and what a pie is, but you don't know what ingredients it takes to get those made.

For this thread, those attorney's worked for years on a case, without getting paid a dime. They only get paid after the case was settled, and after the expenses and fees are approved by an independent third party. They took the case not knowing for sure they would ever get paid (called a contingency case), however, with these facts they were probably sure some money would come their way.

When was the last time you worked on a project for 5+ years and still hadn't been paid a dime for your work? Remember, these attorney's have not yet been paid, even at the time this article was printed.

Shall I go on?

[Fugus]

So, while I am a lawyer, we don't typically know every part of the law. Graduating just means we have the understanding of how to learn about different aspects of the law. For example, after law school, people will join up with private firms or government agencies or what not, and then they start to become experts in their field, which isn't law per se (lol), but a specific area of the law.

A criminal attorney would have almost nothing intelligent to say about maritime law, and vice versa. They might offer their opinion, but they would also add "it depends" and "remember, this isn't my field."

So, unfortunately, I cannot answer your question, much as I'd like (my field is Criminal law with a smattering of Intellectual Property, which is an odd combination, I'll admit). Your best answer is to call the VA and actually ask them, or, even better, call Washington, D.C., and the Department of VA, which has a help line, and they will either answer your question or point you in the right direction.

I never actually got a definitive answer from them.

But at this point, I am guessing it would be redundant for me. Already have a VSO helping me and have the VA's own doctors and even someone in their own regional office helping me now.

The odd thing is they still try to fight me. But figure they can't fight forever with the help of the ones the actually are supposed to rely on to make the decisions on my side.

Still surprised they actually tried to ignore my MRI and their own doctors and tried to label me as nothing but a pulled muscle and then used that as an excuse to ignore their own assessment of me claiming the findings were too severe and not consistent with a pulled muscle. Actually showed it to the doctor and had him studdering on that one. Doctor had to write paperwork specifically for them for them to quit that and they are still trying to ignore part of that. Only a matter of time till they stop I am guessing though.

[cubby]

I never actually got a definitive answer from them.

But at this point, I am guessing it would be redundant for me. Already have a VSO helping me and have the VA's own doctors and even someone in their own regional office helping me now.

The odd thing is they still try to fight me. But figure they can't fight forever with the help of the ones the actually are supposed to rely on to make the decisions on my side.

Still surprised they actually tried to ignore my MRI and their own doctors and tried to label me as nothing but a pulled muscle and then used that as an excuse to ignore their own assessment of me claiming the findings were too severe and not consistent with a pulled muscle. Actually showed it to the doctor and had him studdering on that one. Doctor had to write paperwork specifically for them for them to quick that and they are still trying to ignore part of that. Only a matter of time till they stop I am guessing though.

Damn, that really sucks. The law you're talking about is covered under Administrative Law in general, and then (I'm guessing here) Veteran Affairs law specifically. That's about where my knowledge ends.

However, and again I'm guessing at this point, I would say that it's almost not a legal matter at this point. Sounds like with the regional people stepping in to help (are they helping you or are they the ones fighting you?) then you are on the way to a solution/fix. Administrative Law covers most of the government actions, from Social Security to just about everything dealing with government entitlements and benefits.

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Quoted to get the convo back on track.

Look, I'm sorry - I had a fucking shitty day at work. My apologies for being an obnoxious asshole here. Can we start fresh?

[Kellhound]

Sounds like the police, the criminal, and the lawyer need to be sent to visit Davy Jones....

[Fugus]

Damn, that really sucks. The law you're talking about is covered under Administrative Law in general, and then (I'm guessing here) Veteran Affairs law specifically. That's about where my knowledge ends.

However, and again I'm guessing at this point, I would say that it's almost not a legal matter at this point. Sounds like with the regional people stepping in to help (are they helping you or are they the ones fighting you?) then you are on the way to a solution/fix. Administrative Law covers most of the government actions, from Social Security to just about everything dealing with government entitlements and benefits.

I have a VSO helping me as well as 2 VA Doctors and a Nurse and one guy at the regional office who has been giving me advise and when I turn in paperwork, he has been making sure I end up in front of the line with how they tried doing me.

They have me at 50% now and the guy in the regional office told me the forms to fight what they neglected and the VA's own doctors actually are to the point they are giving me whatever they are asking for for proof and even gone as far as scheduled me in at the VA Hospital just to do paperwork to fax to the Department of Veteran Affairs Regional office.

I have a messed up disc at the base of the spine hitting a nerve. According to their doctors the damage is permanent and even with surgery at this point the pain in the spine and right leg as well as the dead weight my right leg is will be with me till the day I die. It has just been too long. And the whole reason it ended up taking this long was the doctor who first treated me in 2012 while I was in basic training had not only misdiagnosed me and lied to me based on it, which he could claim was accidental, but he had also lied on my paperwork to cover his ass which could only be intentional so for the longest time, everyone thought I was fine and just faking till my right leg started getting hard to move and going limp and they had no choice but to check.

Took the Department of Veteran Affairs till last month to finally admit it wasn't just a pulled muscle. Even after they had my MRI and multiple VA doctors stating in writing what it was, it actually took one stating in writing what it was on paper specifically to be mailed to them to finally accept it. Now they have it labeled as some "Joint Strain" but not sure what exactly that means.

[volrath50]

Sounds like the police, the criminal, and the lawyer need to be sent to visit Davy Jones....

Why do you have a problem with the lawyers? Everyone deserves legal representation, even "bad" people.

[cubby]

While it is true that most lawyers don't get paid until the end (that's why most have retainers that are several thousand dollars to even look at ur case) to say "they worked for YEARS on a case" is very misleading and outright wrong. If you collected every minute of work they actually did on this case and gave me a cumulative number, you are going to sit there and tell me that number would be in the YEARS? Again, you are trying to twist words around to fit your stance. Ur good at this lawyer stuff +1 again.

But this answer is just as ridiculous as what you're claiming the lawyers said. I mean, I went to law school for three years (normal number), but I didn't actually go to law school for the full 24/7 three years, I was going while those years were passing - the phrase is a very common one used in all professions. "I've been an engineer for 14 years" - "I've been working on the 787 wing design for nine years". You're trying to make something out of nothing.

Those attorneys did work on the case for years.

Also let's not forget that no typical lawyer EVER just works on a single case at a time. They usually have multiple cases on their plate at any given moment. You know why this is? Because each case on it's own does not require much attention and paralegals exist.

Very true, just as no one else in the world typically works on just one project at a time - or just one small piece of a project at a time. Professionals are typically working on several projects at once - like doctors working on several patients over a year.

I have nothing against you personally, and you sound like an actual good (see:rare) lawyer that seems to do most his own work, judging by your responses. So don't think Im attacking you personally I'm not. I have just had to work with several lawyers for about a year and a half and I can equate it to like finding out how a fast food restaurant REALLY makes their food. Once you find out the behind the scenes stuff, it just kinda ruins it for you.

I very much hear you there - after graduation from law school I went to work for a firm, and boy, those naive blinders come off in a HURRY.

(and thanks for letting me off easy - you seem like a good person too - somehow I assume you're a guy, no real reason).

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Why are you focused on him?

It's his *lawyers* that sure as hell don't deserve $459,000.

And in other people's opinions, they do. Those opinions include third party independent agencies, just fyi, who happen to have all the facts, unlike you.

[Kellhound]

Why do you have a problem with the lawyers? Everyone deserves legal representation, even "bad" people.

I have 459,000 reasons to not like this lawyer. I does show why lawyers need to be "nationalized".

[Rukentuts]

I have 459,000 reasons to not like this lawyer. I does show why lawyers need to be "nationalized".

Kinda defeats the whole State versus Defendant thing.

[Kellhound]

Kinda defeats the whole State versus Defendant thing.

Gets rid of the buying justice thing.

[Rukentuts]

Gets rid of the buying justice thing.

Government workers don't instill an aura of confidence / competency. They contract for a reason.

[Crissi]

Gets rid of the buying justice thing.

Seems to be a conflict of interest if the government acts as both the prosecutor AND the defense attorney.

[The Stormbringer]

A thousand bucks? Jeepers, that'll barely support him for a month once he gets out of prison, assuming they don't charge him for his stay and take it all.

[tiporispit]

The correct course of action here is push for a Constitutional amendment to make any felony committed by a police officer while on-duty punishable by death. Don't like it? Take your high school education down to Burger King, instead.