I came across an article this morning which had me slack-jawed with disbelief. Apparently, a woman who hit and killed teenage cyclist is suing the victim’s family for $1.35 million! She claims that “…her enjoyment of life has been and will be lessened”!! WTF??

What really surprised me is that there are a number of well-informed people who have no problems supporting her claims. I don’t care how plausible you make her defense sound, there is no way it will ever be right to victimize the victim.

After reading the article I went around looking for more such callous, frivolous and downright cruel litigation. In countries where the legal system has reached a certain level of complexity and sophistication, sophistry and chicanery has fertile grounds to breed and litigation that go against all norms of compassionate human behavior are thriving.

Take for instance the case of the man who killed his mother and brother suing her estate for $800,000. His argument? As he was declared not guilty by reason of insanity, he has a legitimate claim to her estate.

Or the case of the Spanish businessman who knocked down and killed a teenage boy while driving his Audi A-8 suing the family for damages to his car!

And let’s not forget the workplace killer’s mom who filed a compensation claim for death benefits for the son who shot himself after killing three people in a shooting spree – at the workplace!

Such litigation are not only abhorrent and offensive, they also seem to me to be indicative of the  direction our society has taken and the mindset which is becoming the norm. I’m sure there is a way to balance the neutrality of Justice and the protection of our rights with humanity and compassion but when such claims are given credence, they set precedences and where there’s money to made there will be scape-goats and loop-holes to be found.