‘Deep Pockets’
As the attorney in charge of attorneys handling civil suits filed against Los Angeles County, I was extremely interested by Marc A. Franklin’s article (Editorial Pages, Jan. 24) on recovery of compensation from so-called “deep pockets,” as most plaintiffs’ trial attorneys seem to believe the county is.
Franklin rightly states that the time has come to think seriously about another way to compensate the innocent plaintiff. However, nowhere does Franklin even remotely suggest that maybe the party causing the injuries in the first place be the one that must bear the full responsibility for his or her negligent act and not the city or county or state simply because it has the road on which the accident occurred.
More often than not, the cases against Los Angeles County involve very negligent drivers (oftentimes drunk) who either are driving without any insurance or are woefully underinsured for the damages they cause.
The “game” is getting way out of hand. The only ones that are prospering by the current system are the plaintiffs’ trial attorneys.
S. ROBERT AMBROSE
Assistant County Counsel
General Litigation Division
Los Angeles
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